Tiller’s Course Package

The material provided as part of your course is vitally important. It is a major factor in making a course easy, productive and pleasant to use.
We are very proud of our course package and here’s what to expect with a Tiller correspondence course.

Study Guides

Each of these Tiller documents focuses on a particular subject. The course guide is provided in printed form. The remainder appear on the CD. Those marked * can be obtained in printed form for an additional charge. The range currently includes:

• ‘Course Guide’ – helps you plan your studies.
• ‘Course Handbook’ – the ‘admin’ handbook that will help you to study effectively.
• ‘Reading a Chart’ – covers the chart symbols that you need together with brief explanations.
• ‘Using the RYA electronic plotter’ – our guide to making the plotter work effectively for you.
• ‘Nautical Glossary’ – bang up to date with all the terminology you’ll need.
• The Professional’s View* – The Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) report on significant maritime incidents and we’ve collated relevant material to make gripping reading.

Study Pack

This is the ‘heart’ of your course and the material is regularly praised by our students. Most of your time will be spent in working with this material. We supply it as standard on the Tiller CD (see below).

• Lecture set – for an RYA course expect about ten ‘lectures’ (between about 12 and 50 pages each) with numerous illustrations and ‘in text’ mini exercises (with answers). Click here for more information on working with a Tiller course.
• Form Pack – contains copies of the forms you’ll need and much more besides.

If you want us to supply a printed version you’ll receive a set of colour printed and individually bound modules (to help make the course more portable) to give you an ‘out of the box’ course.

The Tiller CD

We now provide the Tiller CD with all our courses. Behind the easy to use menu you will find:

• Lectures and Form Pack in PDF format.
• Study Guides (see above).
• Additional and revision material specific to each course to provide greater depth on some topics.
• Interactive modules to demonstrate navigation techniques and help with the collision regulations.
• A copy of the Adobe* Acrobat Reader.

The exact content depends on the course.

RYA Pack

This contains the RYA exercises, RYA electronic plotter package (where it is required), practice charts and navigation tables for your course. RYA exams are sent to you when you are ready to take them.

Book Pack

These items are cross referenced in our study material and supplied as appropriate:

• Collision Regulations – RYA G2 – a very good booklet on this subject.
• Sea Safety Guidelines – to help your studies and for future reference.
• MCA and other leaflets – such as SOLAS V, GMDSS and Lifesaving signals.

‘tiller-online’

The system provides you with access to FAQs, Hints and Tips for your course and allows you to download study modules ‘on demand’ for the correct version of your course.
You can use it without charge for up to one year from the time of enrolling. Access automatically stops when you pass your course or after one year unless you pay for a second year course extension.

Optional CDs and Textbooks

The CDs, Study Guides and textbooks mentioned below have all been chosen for their relevance and currency. There are cross- references to them in our courses.
Note: [CS] means that we think the item will be of most use at Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore level and [DS] at Day Skipper level.

• The RYA Navigation Handbook [Mainly CS but useful for DS]. Good, clear and up to date.
• The Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road [CS]. We think that this book or an equivalent is essential at CS level.
• The RYA Weather Handbook [CS]. The best weather book we have found.
• Cockpit [CS and DS] and Weather Companion [CS and DS] – These are clear, concise summaries printed on water-resistant card.

* All trade marks and copyright acknowledged.