• "I enjoyed the course greatly - I thought your teaching material excellent." and "I undertook this course as revision having gained my YM Offshore and Ocean certs back in 1978. I’m now retired from active seagoing and am teaching navigation locally. I found your course to be excellent revision as well as a very useful guide in how to structure and present my own teaching material." JP in Australia
• "Thanks for the good news on the first paper and for your excellent course. I have learned a great deal. I found it very helpful too to have your comments on the Mocks." and "I have no hesitation recommending it to anyone." ML of Cumbria
• "I have finally worked my way through the course and found it excellent and amazingly comprehensive. You have done a great job on this ... We had a week sailing of Falmouth last week and found so much of what you covered useful." ML of Cumbria
• "That's great news and thanks very much. I've attached the feedback form and can honestly say that your course material was perfect for self study [no-support student] and the promptness and usefulness of your feedback on the mocks was great." CW of Greater Manchester
• "Just a note to thank you for the excellent course, comprehensive notes and prompt response to all e-mails." GA of Roxburghshire
• "Many thanks for all the help with the course, I have been very impressed with how it and the Day Skipper courses have been run and will be recommending you! I was very impressed with how quickly you returned all the papers and the feedback you gave me, many thanks." JK of Devon
• "I really enjoyed the course. I expected it to be challenging (especially unsupported) and it was. The standard required is very high and a significant time commitment is needed to get yourself to that level – but you get a great sense of achievement when you pass. I cannot fault your responses and response time – extremely quick and explanations are clear. The documentation supplied is excellent – the worked examples and self-assessment questions are comprehensive and excellently presented." and "I would have no hesitation recommending your course to anyone." MP of Surrey
• "Superb course that is well planned and well laid out. Each module introduces the concepts in an incremental way with clear diagrams and worked examples along the way. At first, the student marked questions appear as repetitive as a drill-sergeants mantra but each one is subtly different such that all aspects related to each module are covered in detail and the basics of the module are drilled home. All students should persevere with all the student marked questions to get a full awareness of those pitfalls that can cause you to fail, or even worse, cause you to have an incident at sea!" PJ of Surrey
• "Excellent course – and would certainly recommend to anyone who is looking for a good grounding in the RYA theory syllabus. Notes were very detailed with extensive worked examples and any queries were responded to very promptly." CB of Oxfordshire
• "I thought the course was very well written and comprehensive. I had completed the Day Skipper course at a local college but found that the explanation of the more complex navigation and tide calculation information was much better in the material supplied than it had been on my course, having the worked examples made it superior to the books I had purchased too. I would definitely recommend it to others." JM of Lancashire
• "I thought that the whole course was very well structured and easy to follow the feedback was very constructive and helpful and I would have no hesitation in recommending Cenaur Sailing to anyone." MH of Lancashire
• "Overall it has been a stimulating and enjoyable course, and clearly provided very good preparation for the test at the end...Very glad I did it – thanks for your help and encouragement! " RW of Kirkcudbrightshire
• "An excellent course with many points learnt throughout...Thank you once again for your professionalism and promptness throughout the year." JC of Hertfordshire
• "I was generally very impressed with the cost of the course, the layout and especially the worked examples...Regarding individual modules, I was very impressed with the explanations on weather and the Coriolis effect. Regarding the collision regulations, I was impressed that the module allowed plenty of practice rather than just explaining the principles." JF of London
• "I have been very impressed with the service you provided. The notes were very clear and consistently laid out, with plenty of worked examples to help me understand each concept. I couldn’t have asked for a quicker response to both the mock and the real assessments, and the help I got after the mock assessments was very useful. All in all, great value for money and a great service - I will definitely recommend you. Many thanks!" AK of Aberdeen
• "Thanks for everything. You can expect some business to come your way from some of my colleagues here in Qatar." and "For those who don’t have a regular schedule, on-line learning allows you to schedule your learning for times that are convenient. With Centaur Sailing Limited the prompt answers to your questions and the quick turn around of the assessment papers contribute greatly to the overall experience. The RYA course itself is presented in a manner that maximises information transfer for most adult learners." KV in Qatar
• "Yet again the course notes were excellent and very comprehensive. I’m glad to see that you have included a table of contents which has made revision of the notes a lot easier ... Once again, your prompt response and friendly correspondence has provided an excellent support service to an excellent training package." KP of West Midlands
• "I was very pleased with the course, the training materials were very comprehensive and informative. The student marked assignments covered all the points in the RYA paper and went further. The training material and photographs were obviously ‘experience based’ and so communicated well the practical use of the knowledge. All in all I am very pleased and have recommended this style of learning to others. It is of great use to those who for work reasons cannot commit to regular courses." IC of Middlesex
• "Just to say thanks very much for a great course! I found the material very comprehensive and the worked examples were really helpful. Looking forward to using it on the water!" CL of Cumbria
• "I enjoyed the course very much and will build on what I have learnt. As I mentioned, I was a keen yachtsman in my youth and, in subsequent years, have undergone formal frigate navigation training in the RN, with many years' experience as an OOW [Officer of the Watch]. I have also navigated fixed-wing and rotary-wing attack aircraft. But many years of desk-bound jobs had passed by since, and I thought it was all gone. This course brought everything back and more. Thank you for everything." and "I came to you on a recommendation. Thank you, I made the right choice and will pass on recommendations ..." AL of Lincolnshire
• "I really enjoyed the course and want to thank you for your prompt reponses on queries and course work. This really helped to keep the motivation up and the focus going. I was always impressed with how quickly marked course work came back and with the good, useful comments it contained. Always felt encouraged by the feedback, even when it pointed out errors on my part!" and "The materials are good quality and well laid out. I have no doubt I will continue to use them through the years to remind myself of some techniques, facts etc. I always felt supported through the course and that I could get help if I really needed it." JM of Dunbartonshire
• "Throughout the course, the teaching material proved to be excellent in all respects and followed a logical sequence from start to finish." and "I would also like to thank you for a very worthwhile experience. The content and layout of the modules is first class and I would most certainly recommend Centaur Sailing to any prospective student. Perhaps I'll consider the Ocean course in the future." DV of Skye
• "It’s been a pleasure, Rod, I will not hesitate to recommend you and Centaur Sailing to others. Thanks again!" DS of Merseyside
• "Excellent advice & guidance without trying to ‘oversell’. Exactly the right amount of repetition of key points from the Day Skipper course, using more than one method of explaining concepts to ensure full understanding. Student marked questions provide a thorough test of knowledge at every stage [no-support course]. Looking forward to studying the next course with Centaur Sailing, totally satisfied with all aspects of the course, especially the help and guidance offered." ML of Norfolk
• "This was a top quality course. It was also a tough course with a substantial amount of work and attention to detail required to achieve the standard set by Centaur Sailing within each module. The quality of notes in terms of ease of understanding and logical development of subjects was quite exceptional – only a person who knows his subject inside out, and with a great deal of practical experience could deliver such clarity of explanation and make potentially complex subjects seem so simple. If anyone truly wants to learn, and most importantly absorb, the information and techniques required to support the practical business of Yachtmaster sailing, then this is the course for them. It certainly was for me. Many, many thanks." KF of Hampshire
• "I used my Portland plotter and the new Centaur Sailing plotter for the exercises, and I really find the Centaur Sailing plotter easier and more accurate." EW of Buckinghamshire
• "A big thanks once again for your help and prompt responses ... Enjoyed every minute of it, Thanks Rod. ... Will catch up again for the Yachtmaster Ocean theory (I wasn't planning on going that far but I'm intrigued by the sextant and star sights already). " CS of East Yorkshire
• "I chose Centaur Sailing as I enjoyed the Day Skipper course that I previously attended at Basingstoke College of Technology. Of particular appeal was Rod's enthusiasm for the subject, a genuine interest in making sure every individual understood the subject. The correspondence course followed much the same lines with support where needed and a remarkably quick turnaround with instructor marked questions and final assessments. I have also attended a VHF and radar course with Rod and I would not hesitate in recommending Centaur Sailing." NH of Hampshire
• "Just to say how delighted I was at receiving my Coastal Skipper theory certificate at the weekend. It means a lot to me and many thanks for your patience and help during the last year." PF of Nottinghamshire
• "I've been really pleased with the course. The flexibility provided has been great but having a fixed end point gave a good forcing mechanism without which I would have kept putting things off! Thanks again and if I decide to go for the Yachtmaster Ocean then I'll certainly be using Centaur Sailing and in the meantime will not hesitate to recommend you." GH of Renfrewshire
• "I have thoroughly enjoyed studying these courses and have recommended them to a number of people along the way. A little like studying pre-hospital medicine, it is a little humbling, to discover that the more you study, the less you realise that you know." and "Many thanks once again for providing an easy to follow and comprehensive course of study. I look forward to the next one in due course." JB of Norfolk
• "I have been sailing for many years and instruct in a number of disciplines and this has been by far the most challenging RYA course [no-support] I have participated in. Having passed the course, finally, I am better prepared to deal with the challenges of skippering a yacht safely. The course has clarified a number of issues and consolidated most of the theory I have learned at other times. I recommend this course to anyone who cannot find the time to attend a full time RYA course." AP in Germany
• "I've nearly worked through all the modules so will be in touch shortly about a mock exam [no-support course student]. The quality of the materials is outstanding and I've learnt more than I expected. I have booked my practical for 16th Dec so have to be finished by then." LA of Berkshire
• "Tutor`s help, guidance, motivation and assistance with the course contents and objectives were excellent. My thanks to Rod for his patience and support and for looking at my papers so quickly. Will think of you as we are drinking the champagne! I will be in touch re Yachtmaster Ocean soon." EI of Hampshire
• "The course was very well organised and the materials as ever, excellent- -well prepared, comprehensive and concepts clearly explained, with lots of opportunity to practice. Having subsequently sailed with people who have done Coastal/Yachtmaster theory either in a 5 day course or in night school, I found that, in general, I had a much deeper grounding and knowledge, and seemed to have covered topics that they hadn’t (or maybe they’d covered them so quickly that they’d forgotten?). I guess that’s not surprising, given the time taken over this course - at least twice that taken by those doing theory over 5 days, with far more practice. The quality of service was, as ever, excellent with very fast turnround of materials, friendly and helpful advice – well worth the extra money for the support offered." CD of Devon
• "The past few weeks have been fairly hectic, not least because I have undertaken (and successfully completed!) my Coastal Skipper practical. I found it [the practical course] both physically and mentally draining but very rewarding. It was great to get out sailing again after all the theory, but I have to say that the Centaur course left me feeling very well prepared and able to relax and get on with the sailing. I learnt a huge amount and my confidence as a skipper is continuing to grow. We are fortunate enough to be off to the Caribbean in the summer and I’m looking forward to exercising my new skills there. Thanks again Rod for your good wishes and for a very comprehensive, logically ordered and well laid out course. I enjoyed the challenge and of course the satisfaction of a successful completion. I would be very happy to recommend your course to others." BM of Essex
• "I must say you have run an exemplary correspondence course. Your material, availability and speed of marking have been first rate so please be assured that I will recommend Centaur Sailing to my friends." RB of Cambridgeshire
• "I would just like to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed completing the course. I thought the standard of the course material was very high both in quality and quantity. The way you progressed from revision material to more advanced material made it easy to follow, along with the numerous self marked & instructor marked questions really helping to push it home. The many performae you had devised were also a great help." CC of East Sussex
• "I have just successfully completed the Yachtmaster Offshore (no-support) correspondence course with Centaur Sailing . I had originally thought of going back to college but due to pressure on my time decided to try something different. I wasn’t disappointed, I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and cannot thank Rod Emmer enough for all the help I received at the end of the course before the final examination. The course has helped me to improve my navigation skills and will definitely make me a safer and more competent skipper. I would unreservedly recommend studying with Centaur Sailing and thank them for a very enjoyable learning experience." JM of Kent
• "I realise things will become more difficult but very impressed with the clear and thoughtfully worked information. Have completed CS01 so here are my answers for marking." and "As I’m sure is evidenced [by marking of exercises throughout the course] have found your material very instructive and work really well for me." MK of Surrey
• "This summer I was lucky enough to be the first to take Centaur Sailing’s new and completely revised RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Theory correspondence course. The following are, I hope, objective and useful comments if you are considering this or another school’s courses. I was looking for a correspondence course for the flexibility I needed to fit in with work and a young family and I’ll admit that the first thing that attracted me to Rod Emmer’s course was the value for money in comparison to other schools. However it became clear very quickly that the real difference was how comprehensive the course materials were, pretty nearly an order of magnitude greater than other courses I had looked at. At nearly 2000 pages the course covers all you need to know for the exam and more importantly all you should know for you, your crew’s and your vessel’s safety. The materials are well crafted, straightforward, without superfluous gimmickry or commerciality, and embody Rod’s ethos of building a foundation of understanding, emphasising ways of double checking your results and keeping you safe rather than simply satisfying the requirements of an exam. If you are embarking on this course, do allow yourself time to complete all the examples and questions… and if you do so I’m confident that you’ll gain the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to be a better, safer sailor." JP of Hampshire
• "I do like my paper chartwork but the more I use the electronic chart plotter the more I think to put it into practice .... this is a favourite hobby. Thank you for the massive study material in PDF files. Throughout the course are many illustrations that helped the learning process. I am very keen to put my meteorology knowledge to practice. Next week I am off for a sailing trip with friends in Croatia ... Thank you for everything and lots of fun on Penta!" LL in Germany
• "Thanks for the excellent service, as well as the patience you have shown." TY of Berkshire
• "The course has been more work than I envisaged at the start but has been really worthwhile as it has got me back up to speed with a lot I had forgotten and I have learnt a lot of new stuff as well. I can and will recommend your course to others." CF of Oxfordshire (no-support course)
• "I am very happy with the way the course material was presented and enjoyed both courses very much." BL of Manchester
• "The course was fantastic, just the right level of detail and I will definitely recommend it to others in our sailing club. I have already booked the practical for the end of the month in Gibraltar." CG of Berkshire (no-support course)
• "Many thanks for the course. You have been most attentive and informative. Hopefully I will be back sometime to do the Ocean course." SA in Egypt
• "Thats great! It took me a while but I have learned a lot & really understand things much better since doing my day skipper. Plan to book a weeks sailing training in May with local RYA here & do practical course. I enjoyed the course & found all your training info very easy to learn by. Many thanks." SH of Argyll
• "As far as the course is concerned, it's exactly what I was looking for, comprehensive but interesting, and thank God, readable." and "Thanks for the reminder, I'm still plodding along and am pleasantly surprised that this particular course is more in depth than the previous course I studied two years ago." DM of Berkshire
• "Thanks for your pragmatic approach to the coursework, I can see that it fits in with the whole ethos of knowing the principles behind the theory, which is absolutely the right approach to take ... Thanks again for your help and the layout of the course - I really feel I've learnt a tremendous amount." RP of Berkshire
• "I know myself that I have improved my navigation skills, which is why I did the course. Many thanks for all your help, you have been fair throughout." KC of Somerset
• "I didn't expect such a speedy response, thank you. In particular I've noted your comments about a wreck being or not being a hazard to surface navigation." and "Thank you for all the help you've given me as I've slowly plodded through the course. As you may have gathered work, keeps me pretty busy and I'd never have made it had I to attend a regular night class. This method has been perfect for me and you've been an excellent tutor at the other end of the line." AM of Berkshire
• "I have been using the [tidal] stream proforma which I found very useful ... I find this stuff really fascinating and would like to get this course done before my charter in the Med in 4 weeks time so that I can consolidate the theory with some practical application." AD of Berkshire
• "Just got back from 2 weeks sitting on a beach in Greece looking at all the boats sailing along without me. As beaches aren't my cup of tea I pre-empted the situation and printed out every page on the CD "WOW" then I arranged extra carriage with the airline and a bigger car to get to the beach [comprehensive notes]." SD of Hertfordshire

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