For a flicker I was the smartest person in my family this morning.

As my husband poured his coffee, I reminded him, “I writing my RYA exam tomorrow so I need you to look after the twins tomorrow, getting them to childcare and maybe picking them up.”

“Really?” he said. “Didn’t they ask you to redo some questions before you could do the final assessment?”

“No.” Then, there was a realization. My eyes grew larger, and the corners of my mouth strained to contain my excitement. Yes, my husband with a Masters in Space Physics, a former PhD student with a passion for calculus had been asked to redo some of his questions for sailing training, and I had not.

I’ve been taking RYA Day Skipper Theory course since January through Navathome in the UK. It’s been piecemeal. After speaking with my husband, I returned to our office to study, and – as so often follows sheer hubris – the material quickly knocked me off my pedestal.

The course is not for the faint of heart. It involves tide tables, tidal streams, dead reckoning and planning a course to steer. It involves collision regulations, safety measures, and meteorology.

And, as I studied I didn’t feel prepared for the final assessment, and Victor Punch, of Navathome could tell. I would input my answers into the on-line training program and my gut feel was very much “ACCESS DENIED” . Drats.

Victor advised me to redo some sections before I attempted the final exam. Fortunately, he has reassured me that they offer whatever support I need to make sure I understand the material. Got to like that.

So, that’s what I’m doing tonight. Studying for my exam, which I hope to complete before I go to Antigua for sailing training next week. I do like a challenge.

The RYA Day Skipper Theory course takes about 40 hours to complete, excluding the exam.

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