Some skippers still maintain there’s something to be said for keeping the crew in the dark.

‘What is so wrong,’ they ask, ‘with blaming the weather forecast for the extra half day spent at sea due to that minor navigational oversight? Isn’t a crew better off not knowing some things? Blithely making the tea and pulling on the sheets as the navigator sweats and worries on their behalf?’

The Royal Yachting Association’s latest educational initiative, the two-day Basic Navigation and Safety course, is designed to turn the relative newcomer to boating into a useful navigational assistant, with knowledge of pilotage, anchoring, safety and engine maintenance.

Students will be ‘continually assessed’ throughout the two-day shore-based course, so there’s no exam pressure and a pilot version run earlier in the year got favourable reviews from participants.

James Stevens, RYA Training manager said: “Taking a course such as this only adds to the enjoyment of being out on the water.  It will give people the confidence to get the most out of their boating whilst making them aware of the risks and how to be prepared for them.

“The two day format works extremely well and we are seeing an increased demand for courses of this length.”

The first course starts this autumn. For more information log on to www.rya.org.uk