Essential survival training for sailors, offshore crew, and serious blue-water adventurers.

When you’re heading offshore or sailing beyond coastal waters, the ability to cope with an emergency — calmly, confidently and safely — isn’t just reassuring … it’s lifesaving. This course, which includes the practical RYA Basic Sea Survival course and the World Sailing Offshore Personal Survival classroom course, equips you with the practical survival skills and real-world experience you need to respond effectively if things go wrong at sea.

What Will You Learn?

This two-day practical course teaches you how to survive, respond and increase your chances of rescue in an emergency at sea:

• Survival theory & risk awareness — understanding how emergencies unfold and what influences survival outcomes
• Lifejacket skills — correct fitting, use, maintenance, and self-rescue techniques
• Liferaft boarding and use — how to safely enter, secure and work within a liferaft environment
• Personal survival routines — water survival positions, self-and buddy rescue methods
• Emergency equipment familiarisation — how to use flares, signalling devices and survival kit effectively
• Survival psychology & group dynamics — managing morale and group safety during extended survival situations

Training is hands-on and scenario-based, with practical drills designed to build confidence and muscle memory — not just theory.

The certificate awarded conforms with the eligibility requirements of section 6.01 of the ISAF Special Regulations for category 0, 1 and some category 2 offshore races, as well as meeting the requirements for RYA commercial endorsement.

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Read the full Second Star Sailing syllabus

Our student instructor ratio is a maximum of 6:1 (courses with more than 6 participants are split into two sessions). This allows us to give you maximum individual attention and for our instructors to create a bespoke experience for each and every one of our students.

Who Is This Course For?

The RYA Offshore Personal Survival Course is essential if you:

• Are planning offshore or blue-water passages
• Sail beyond coastal waters and want to be prepared for serious emergencies
• Work or intend to work at sea in commercial, charter or professional crew roles
• Are racing offshore boats where survival skills are required
• Value safety and preparedness for yourself, your crew and your vessel

This course is widely recognised by authorities, employers and insurers around the world and is a core safety requirement for many professional endorsements.

Offshore conditions can change fast. A sudden storm, collision, grounding or equipment failure can leave you needing to survive in the water or a liferaft. Knowing how to act decisively, use your safety equipment correctly and stay calm under pressure isn’t just a bonus — it’s fundamental seamanship and lifesaving skill.

Pre-Requisites

• Minimum age: none
• No previous experience required, however you must be able to swim
• Recommended: Purchase the RYA Sea Survival Handbook

Price and Availability

This is a two day course is split between time in the classroom and a practical session in the local pool in a shorebased format at our Antigua location.

Price: USD $650 per person

You can find the availability on our online booking platform here. If you don’t see the dates you want, contact us and we may be able to move course around or put you on the waiting list for your specific dates.

Classroom course availability varies by season—book early to secure your preferred dates.

What to Do Next?

Completing this course will not only increase your competence — it will give you the confidence to make the right decisions if you ever face an emergency at sea. It can also be used to satisfy the sea survival requirement of a RYA commercial endorsement, which also requires RYA Marine Radio (SRC), RYA Professional Practices and Responsibilities and RYA Day Skipper, RYA Coastal Skipper or RYA Yachtmaster certification.