The RYA Diesel Engine course is designed to give sailors the practical knowledge and confidence to understand, maintain and troubleshoot a marine diesel engine.

For a cruising sailor, the engine is an essential part of the yacht. Even when the engine is used primarily for entering and leaving harbour, charging batteries or manoeuvring in confined waters, being able to understand what is happening inside the engine compartment is an important part of seamanship.

The course introduces the main systems of a marine diesel engine and explains how they work together. You’ll learn about routine checks and maintenance, including the cooling system, fuel system, lubrication, electrical components and common engine problems.

You’ll also learn how to approach engine faults logically and identify some of the common reasons an engine may fail to start, overheat or lose power.

The aim isn’t to turn you into a marine mechanic.

It is to give you enough practical understanding to carry out routine maintenance, recognise potential problems and make sensible decisions if something goes wrong while you’re away from the dock.

For anyone who spends significant time aboard a cruising yacht, this knowledge can be invaluable. A basic understanding of your engine can give you greater confidence, improve your ability to communicate with a mechanic and, in some situations, allow you to resolve a relatively simple problem yourself.

It’s a practical addition to your sailing skills and an important part of becoming a more self-sufficient sailor.

The syllabus

• The principles of diesel engine operation
• The systems and parts of the engine
• Fault finding
• Rectification of common problems
• Bleeding the fuel system
• Changing the impeller
• Routine maintenance
• Winter lay up procedures.