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How to Become a Yacht Master: A Step-by-Step Guide

Becoming a Yacht Master is an exciting and rewarding journey that allows you to combine your passion for sailing with a promising career path. This comprehensive guide will provide you with the essential steps to becoming a Yacht Master, including understanding the role, meeting prerequisites, obtaining certification, gaining practical experience, advancing your career, and tips for success.

How to Become a Yacht Master in the RYA

To become a Yacht Master in the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), you will need to complete a series of courses and gain the necessary experience.

Here are the steps you can take to become a Yacht Master in the RYA:

• Gain experience : You will need to have a certain amount of experience before you can start working towards your Yacht Master qualification. This usually involves logging a minimum number of sea miles and completing a certain number of hours of helm time.
• Complete the Day Skipper course : This course will teach you the basics of navigation, seamanship, and boat handling. It will also give you an introduction to basic weather forecasting and how to plan a passage. You will need to complete this course before you can progress to the Coastal Skipper and Yacht Master courses.
• Complete the Coastal Skipper course : This course builds on the knowledge and skills gained in the Day Skipper course and focuses on more advanced navigation and boat handling. You will learn about night navigation, pilotage, and passage planning.
• Gain more experience : After completing the Coastal Skipper course, you will need to gain more experience before you can start working towards your Yacht Master qualification. This usually involves logging more sea miles and completing more helm time.
• Complete the Yacht Master theory course : This course covers advanced navigation, meteorology, collision regulations, and safety at sea. It is designed to give you the knowledge required to navigate safely in more challenging conditions.
• Complete the Yacht Master practical exam : This is the final step in becoming a Yacht Master in the RYA. The exam consists of a practical assessment of your boat handling skills, navigation ability, and safety knowledge.

Note that there are different types of Yacht Master qualifications available, depending on the type of vessel you want to operate and the waters you want to sail in. Make sure to choose the qualification that is appropriate for your goals and experience level.

Understanding the Role of a Yacht Master

The Yacht Master is a highly skilled professional responsible for the safe operation and overall management of a yacht. To fully grasp the requirements of this role, it is important to examine both the responsibilities and qualifications involved.

Responsibilities and Duties

Being a Yacht Master comes with a significant set of duties and responsibilities. These include, but are not limited to, ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, managing all onboard operations, maintaining legal and regulatory compliance, and supervising the maintenance and repair of the yacht. Additionally, Yacht Masters often need to act as navigators, assuring the timely arrival at planned destinations while taking into account the weather, sea conditions, and other potential hazards.

Skills and Qualifications

Aspiring Yacht Masters must possess a wide range of skills in order to excel in this demanding profession. Some key qualifications include excellent communication and leadership skills, a strong background in sailing and seamanship, knowledge of navigation and meteorology, mechanical aptitude, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.

Prerequisites for Becoming a Yacht Master

Before starting your journey to become a Yacht Master, you should consider the prerequisites to ensure you are on the right path.

Sailing Experience

Hands-on sailing experience is essential for building the foundation of your Yacht Master career. This includes recreational sailing or working on crewed vessels in various capacities. Many aspiring Yacht Masters begin by obtaining entry-level roles within the yachting industry, such as deckhand or mate, to gain valuable experience.

Required Certifications and Licenses

There are several certifications and licenses required to become a Yacht Master. The specific requirements may vary depending on the jurisdiction where you plan to work, but most countries require the completion of various sailing and navigation courses, like the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Yacht Master program. These courses and certifications demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and commitment to the profession.

Physical Fitness and Health Requirements

Being a Yacht Master is a physically demanding profession that requires individuals to maintain a high level of fitness and health. It is important to assess your physical abilities and conditions to ensure you can meet the demands of the job. Additionally, some jurisdictions require a valid seafarer’s medical certificate, attesting to your overall health and fitness for work at sea.

Yacht Master Training and Certification

Once you have met the prerequisites, the next step is to obtain the necessary training and certification to become a Yacht Master.

Choosing the Right Training Program

It is crucial to choose a reputable and accredited training program. Look for programs with experienced instructors, proven success rates, and comprehensive curriculums that cover essential topics. The RYA Yacht Master program is one of the most recognized and respected certification systems worldwide.

Essential Courses and Modules

A typical Yacht Master training program consists of multiple courses and modules. Common subjects include navigation, seamanship, meteorology, safety at sea, engineering, and radio communication. Additionally, practical skills such as boat handling, sail trim, and emergency procedures are also covered extensively.

Preparing for the Yacht Master Examination

To become a certified Yacht Master, you must successfully pass the Yacht Master examination. This comprehensive exam assesses your theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and ability to safely command a yacht. It is crucial to dedicate ample time to studying and practicing before attempting the examination to ensure success.

Gaining Practical Experience

Once you have obtained your Yacht Master certification, the next step is to gain practical experience.

Building Sea Miles

Accumulating sea miles is important for both building your skills and enhancing your employability. You can do this by participating in sailing deliveries, joining yacht races or rallies, and working on crewed charters. Each of these experiences will help you become a more proficient sailor and better prepare you for the demands of being a Yacht Master.

Networking and Finding Opportunities

Networking is crucial for securing opportunities in the yachting industry. Attend industry events, join online forums, and connect with fellow sailors to build relationships and stay informed of job openings. This will not only help you find employment but also provide invaluable support and guidance throughout your career.

Learning from Experienced Yacht Masters

Seek out opportunities to learn from and work closely with experienced Yacht Masters. Building a mentorship relationship with someone who has already achieved success in the profession can provide invaluable insights, advice, and practical tips to help accelerate your own career.

Advancing Your Yacht Master Career

Once you have gained experience and established yourself as a competent Yacht Master, it is important to look for ways to advance your career.

Continuing Education and Professional Development

Investing in your ongoing education and professional development is essential for remaining competitive and staying updated on industry best practices. This can include attending industry conferences, enrolling in additional training courses, and obtaining specialized certifications to expand your skillset and expertise.

Joining Professional Associations

Joining professional associations, such as the RYA or the International Yacht Training (IYT) community, offers numerous benefits. These organizations provide access to networking events, job boards, professional resources, and continuous learning opportunities, all of which can help elevate your career.

Exploring Job Opportunities and Specializations

With experience as a Yacht Master, you can explore various job opportunities and specializations within the yachting industry. Some popular career paths include working as a captain of private or charter yachts, managing yacht operations and maintenance, and serving as a consultant or instructor. Pursuing a specialization can lead to increased job satisfaction, better employment prospects, and higher earning potential.

Tips for Success as a Yacht Master

To ensure a successful and fulfilling career as a Yacht Master, consider the following tips:

Developing Strong Leadership Skills

As a Yacht Master, you are responsible for leading and managing your crew. Developing strong leadership skills, such as effective communication, decision-making, and problem-solving, are essential to creating a harmonious and efficient onboard environment.

Staying Updated on Industry Trends and Regulations

The yachting industry is continuously evolving, and staying informed of the latest trends, technologies, and regulations is crucial. Regularly review industry news, engage with your professional network, and attend educational events to keep your knowledge current and maintain your relevancy in the industry.

Balancing Work and Personal Life

Finally, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential to your well-being and long-term success in the yachting industry. Set boundaries, prioritize self-care, and make time for personal interests and relationships to ensure you can enjoy a rewarding and enduring career as a Yacht Master.

• Yachtmaster Offshore (Power or Sail)
• Recreational

Yachtmaster Offshore Training

The IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster Offshore certificate is a recreational certificate of competency to command sailing and/or power vessels up to 24 metres in length up to 150 nm offshore. It is a comprehensive theory and live aboard course consisting of five days classroom theory and a practical component of six days for sail or five days for power including the practical on the water examination. The minimum age to obtain this certification is 18. Candidates must either hold a recognised VHF Radio Operators Certificate or must take the full IYT VHF-SRC Marine Communications course and school must place order for this certificate while placing order for the Yachtmaster Certificate of Competency.  If ordering VHF at the same time as Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate please upload a note to this effect.  We have provided a sample note to upload when placing order. * Please note that we do not accept ISSA VHF qualifications.  (I f you are unsure if your radio license will be accepted, please send a scanned copy of the front and back of your license to [email protected] .  We will verify that your license is sufficient to receive the IYT Yachtmaster Offshore license).  

The courses are designed to provide the highest standard of maritime education for the recreational yachtsman and woman and for those who are serious about obtaining the best nautical qualifications available. They are ideal for those who greatly want to expand their knowledge and experience and increase their confidence in commanding a yacht. For those who are taking the courses, completion of the five-day STCW Basic Safety training courses is not required but highly recommended. The five-day STCW course covers Firefighting, Sea Survival, First Aid and Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities.

It has come to our attention that it has not been made perfectly clear to all IYT Worldwide yachtmaster candidates that this certification is for recreational use only and may never be upgraded to a professional certificate. Therefore, we require all candidates taking a recreational IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore or Ocean course to complete an acknowledgement prior to taking the course.

It is important to understand that an IYT certificate is a qualification that can be used across the globe. Therefore, unlike other training organisations, IYT insists on an understanding of IALA Regulations in Areas A & B, weather systems in the North & Southern hemispheres, tidal calculations for the Mediterranean and North America and the effects of tropical revolving storms.

Yachtmaster courses are not for beginners. This six-day comprehensive high-level shore based course includes assessment papers and written examinations. Candidates are advised that a considerable amount of private study and varied cruising experience is required in addition to the formal instruction provided.

IYT’s Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Certificate covers command of a sailing vessel with a sail area of greater than 80 square metres/861 square feet. Please see the official statement here .

Certificate Limitations

• Command of a vessel up to 24 meters in length
• up to 150 miles offshore
• not for commercial use

Note: Yachtmaster Offshore is a recreational course that can be taught in any language BUT cannot be upgraded to the professional Master of Yachts certificate.

What are the minimum entry requirements to apply for the IYT Yachtmaster Offshore course?

1. 50 days on board a yacht at sea as an active crew member. A day is defined as a period of 24 consecutive hours. Parts of a day may be included in this total, but a day is not invalidated by a candidate leaving the yacht for a few hours during a cruise. The term “at sea” is defined as being on a vessel outside of any harbour – natural or artificial – in which a cruising yacht could secure or anchor for a prolonged period of time.

2. Have logged 3,000 miles in a yacht while cruising at sea (power or sail). This mileage must be logged on genuine cruises or passages but not short day trips. At least 2,000 miles must have been completed on coastal voyages and not ocean crossings. It is important that the candidate has considerable time of actual vessel handling.

3. Thirty hours on watch at night underway as an active member of a yacht’s crew. For at least six hours of this night time experience, the candidate must have been acting as the vessel’s captain/watchleader. “Night,” in this context, is defined as the time between sunset and sunrise.

4. A current medical examination and a colour blindness eyesight examination, which allows the participant to safely perform the relevant duties on a yacht, including being able to see and distinguish lights and signals of other vessels and navigational marks in typical weather conditions without risk to him/herself, other crewmembers or the safe operation of the vessel.

5. A six-hour VHF Radio Operators course covering the general rules and procedures for the safe operation of a VHF marine radio. If you do not have a valid VHF certificate this course may be conducted on board the yacht or in the classroom prior to joining the practical course.

Minimum sea time must have been met prior to the final examination.

What does the exam consist of?

Written theory examinations will occur during the course. The final examination is an oral and practical test on board a yacht. Candidates must demonstrate that they have sufficient ability to handle, dock, and anchor the boat with a required level of confidence. Candidates can expect to be examined on any subject contained within the syllabus and to be questioned on any of their yachting experience to date.

In the event that the examiner considers an examinee not to have achieved the required standards, a certificate will not be issued. In this case, a confidential report will be sent to the candidate outlining the reason or reasons for failure and suggesting remedial action that could lead to the successful completion of the course. Completion of the IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster Offshore course is not a guarantee of passing the examination and receiving your certificate.

How do I apply for enrolment?

Candidates may apply to any of the participating IYT Worldwide Partner Schools worldwide who offer this course. In order to apply for the IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster certification courses, a detailed yachting resume must be sent to your IYT training school for evaluation.

Candidates may sit the shore-based course prior to having all the above requirements.

Verification of the above yachting experience must be original and signed by the skipper of the yacht in which the candidate was sailing. Candidates claiming sea time during times when they were acting as skipper may sign their own entries but independent verification may be required and checked by IYT Worldwide.

What is required for my final Yachtmaster examination?

All of the courses and criteria must be fulfilled before a candidate may apply to take the final on-board examination.

What does the final exam consist of?

The final exam will be conducted by an IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster examiner and takes the form of an extensive oral and practical test on a yacht (either power or sail). Candidates can expect to be examined on any subject covered by the syllabus of the shore based or practical courses and to be questioned on any aspect of their yachting experience to date.

In the event that the examiner considers an examinee not to have achieved the required standards and/or the candidates ability as Captain does not reach the required standard, and/or the prerequisites have not been met for the IYT WorldwideYachtmaster Offshore, a Yachtmaster Coastal certificate may be issued in the interim. In this case, and if requested, a personal report will be sent to the candidate outlining the reason or reasons for failure and suggesting remedial action prior to re sitting the exam.

Completion of the Yachtmaster Offshore certification course is not a guarantee of passing the examination and receiving your certificate.

As you advance and become more proficient as crew or skipper you take on bigger challenges that require proper training to ensure the safety of your family and friends. The bigger the boat or length of adventure the more training you require.

Most of us prefer to spend our time on the water and not in a classroom. To facilitate this, IYT has a series of E-learning courses available for the theoretical part of sail and powerboat training.

• Take one of our online (Elearning) courses for your next level of training.
• Plan your practical training at one of our many schools worldwide to earn your final qualification.
• Book in advance with your school as class sizes and availability may be limited.
• Review the IYT course progression details to learn about professional level courses.
• Spend time on the water and properly log your seatime.

The Boating Lifestyle is one of the most rewarding pursuits available. There is something physically and emotionally invigorating when you are offshore. To enjoy the experience fully you need the proper training & skills to be safe, prepared and command a vessel.

Recreational Student Information

Benefits of an iyt certification.

IYT is the largest provider of crew and skipper certificates for the recreational yachting industry in the world. Learn more about the benefits of an IYT Certificate.

Certificate Renewal

For many IYT certificates, there is the need to re-qualify for your certificate every 3 to 5 years. This ensures that our certifications are meeting international standards.

IYT Yachting Passport

The IYT Passport is recognized in over 40 countries around the world and offers you an opportunity to study and train worldwide.

• Course Progression

A beginner at sailing or operating a powerboat should be familiar with the training path that is available from IYT. Many recreational boaters progress to become crew on superyachts.

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All about the Yachtmaster qualification

Rupert Holmes looks at the benefits the knowledge gained though completing the Yachtmaster exam can bring to offshore racing and talks to three top sailor’s attempting to pass the exam.

For Rupert’s full guide to the Yachtmaster qualification pick up a copy of Yachts & Yachting Decembe r.

There are three levels of Yachtmaster qualification – Coastal, Offshore and Ocean. The former is the old Coastal Skipper ticket, which covers the skills needed to be a safe skipper on coastal and offshore passages by day and night. Yachtmaster (Offshore) is the key qualification, requiring a great deal more experience, and qualifies the holder to skipper a vessel on any passage that’s within 150 miles of the nearest port. This distance covers iconic offshore races including the Rolex Fastnet, Round Britain and Ireland, and Round Ireland. The Yachtmaster Ocean covers the skills and knowledge to skipper passages of any length anywhere in the world and is effectively an endorsement to the Yachtmaster Offshore certificate.

Some are driven to take their Yachtmaster solely through seeking a sense of satisfaction, to improve knowledge and check there are no gaping gaps in their skill set that might otherwise only come to light in less than ideal circumstances. For many sailors, however, the spur to get the qualification is determined by work requirements. Whether you’re a young and upcoming professional sailor, or are looking to move into a more satisfying lifestyle at a later stage in life, the Yachtmaster is often the biggest single step towards being able to earn a living afloat.

With the qualification now being a requirement for participation in the Volvo Ocean Race, there were a number of sailors who had to pass the exam in order to secure their places in the race.

Minimum experience

Before taking the Yachtmaster Offshore exam you must have the following time at sea,  gained within the last 10 years and at least half of it in tidal waters:

• 50 days and 2,500 miles at sea.
• At least five passages over 60 miles, two of which must be overnight and two as skipper.
• Five days total experience as skipper.
• Marine VHF operator’s license: GMDSS Short Range Certificate (SRC)
• RYA approved first aid certificate.

Candidates for the Yachtmaster (Coastal) exam need minimum sea time of only 800 miles, including two days as skipper and 12 night hours. The mileage requirement is halved for holders of the RYA Coastal Skipper practical course completion certificate.

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What is an RYA Yachtmaster?

The RYA Yachtmaster certificate of competence, your driving license, so to speak, is the aim of most skippers who are looking for reassurance that they have met the highest of standards. The RYA Yachtmaster is a highly regarded qualification and is respected around the world.

Becoming an RYA Yachtmaster allows the holder to work in the maritime industry as a professional skipper, Superyacht Crew, RYA instructor, plus so much more.

As a professional skipper, you can take charge (skipper) of a vessel up to 24 meters in length on a coastal, offshore, or ocean passage, depending on the qualification achieved. Qualifying as a Yachtmaster is a gateway to employment as a professional skipper. It shows that you are an experienced and competent skipper.

Becoming a Yachtmaster requires no format training, provided you have the correct experience and sea time, you can put yourself forward for the exam. You will need to provide your own boat and crew of course. You can  contact the RYA  who can put you in touch with an RYA Yachtmaster examiner.

Most people choose complete some training before sitting the RYA Yachtmaster exam. There is a structured route from beginner to RYA Yachtmaster so getting your Yachtmaster

Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore or Ocean

There are three qualification paths depending on whether you like to potter around the coast or sail across an ocean.

Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate

The Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate is for anyone who sail in coastal or protected waters, say no more than 20 miles from the coast. If you would like to learn more about navigation, sailing at night, rules of the road, safety, mooring, pilotage, and passage planning then the Yachtmaster Coastal is for you.

Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate

The Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence has been the certificate that most people gravitate to. A Yachtmaster Offshore will have all the knowledge of Yachtmaster Coastal but would also have extensive experience crewing and skippering offshore. Skippers who want confirmation they have the experience and competence to take a yacht offshore choose this option. Once qualified as a Yachtmaster, the certificate allows the holder to skipper a vessel up to 150 miles from shore. The Yachtmaster Offshore is the gateway to employment, most employers ask for the Offshore or Ocean qualification.

Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate

You would sit your Yachtmaster Ocean exam if you wanted to sail a yacht around the world. The main difference between Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean is Celestial Navigation. Celestial Navigation for Yachtmaster Ocean is the knowledge to navigate by the sun and stars. The theory being, if you lose all your electronic equipment on board, you can fix your position using a  sextant .

To sit the Yachtmaster Ocean oral exam you would have already passed the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam. In addition to the knowledge gained as a Yachtmaster Offshore you are required to complete an ocean passage of more than 600 miles. During the ocean passage will need to have the ability to use a sextant to fix your position.

Yachtmaster Power or Sail?

You can qualify as a Yachtmaster Power or Yachtmaster Sail, depending on what type of boat you like to spend your time on.

Working as a professional Yachtmaster

As mentioned above once you have qualified as an RYA Yachtmaster then you are able to seek work as a professional skipper. There are hundreds of qualified skippers out there that have turned their passion into a job.

The Yachtmaster Offshore certificate, Power or Sail is now considered necessary if you are looking for a job as a Lead Deckhand on a  Superyacht .

Becoming a Yachtmaster

If you are considering getting an RYA Yachtmaster Qualification and don’t know where to start then there are training courses that can help you achieve your goal.

There are fast-track and  zero to hero yachtmaster courses , to get you up to the level you need to be.

The training courses offered will provide all the theory and practical experience required to qualify as an RYA Yachtmaster. Here at Flying Fish, we offer courses for a beginner Yachtmaster to Coastal,  Offshore  or  Ocean .

• Mail: [email protected]
• Call Us: +44 (0) 23 8045 8737

RYA Yachtmaster Scheme MCA Examinations / Certificates of Competence

Introduction

These sailing qualifications are recognised around the world as a clear mark of your sailing ability. Unlike a Day Skipper or Coastal Skippers Certificate there is no RYA Course or Syllabus to follow. Simply they are a test of your sailing ability conducted by an examiner, authorised to do so by the RYA.

Sailing Schools offer a preparation course running straight into the exam both of which normally run over a period of 7 days. It should be noted that these course are designed for you to brush up on some specific skills and areas of the exam that you will be tested on and not teach you how to sail. So you should have all the necessary experience prior to joining the course and be a confident sailor.

For some, Yachtmaster exams are taken just for a sense of achievement and offer a way of improving your sailing knowledge and techniques. For others wishing to embark on a career in the marine industry they are essential qualifications to achieve.

In this article we take a look at

• The RYA Yachtmaster Scheme
• Benefits of taking a 5 Day Preparation Course

Pre Exam Requirements

• Exam duration
• Converting between Sail & Power
• Working Commercially

Qualifications within the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme

Yachtmaster Coastal

Yachtmaster Offshore

Yachtmaster Ocean

Definitions

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Skipper : Not to be confused with the Coastal Skipper course completion certificate, the Yachtmaster Coastal is the first of the Yachtmaster Scheme qualifications.

At this level you are deemed to have the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but not necessarily the experience needed to undertake longer passages.

During the exam you will be set tasks to demonstrate your ability to skipper a yacht and may be asked questions on all aspects of the RYA Cruising Scheme from Competent Crew to Coastal Skipper.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore : The most widely recognised qualification and anyone holding this certificate is deemed to be competent to skipper a cruising yacht on longer passages but not more than 150 nm from harbour.

The examiner will be set tasks to test your ability as skipper of an offshore cruising yacht and you will be asked questions on any part of the syllabus for all courses except the Yachtmaster Ocean.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean : Considered as the pinnacle within the sailing world and commonly taken by those seeking a career in the marine industry. You have sufficient experience to skipper a yacht on passages of any length in all parts of the world.

The exam consists of a written and oral test of your knowledge of ocean passage making including planning, navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management, yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs. You will also be questioned on your sights taken at sea during an ocean passage.

RYA Yachtmaster Scheme

Certificates awarded within the RYA Cruising Scheme, such as the Day Skipper or Coastal Skipper are awarded by your instructor at the end of your course on the basis of continual assessment assuming you can demonstrate your abilities for the level you are at. There is a set syllabus and the courses are intended to teach you how to sail as well as improve your sailing skills.

MCA/RYA Certificates of Competence are awarded after a short practical assessment by independent examiners. They are designed to test your ability to skipper a yacht and are some of the most widely recognised and credible yachting qualifications available.

The RYA oversees the Yachtmaster Scheme on behalf of the MCA. Carefully chosen Yachtmaster examiners will assess both your sailing and skippering abilities.

Whilst Sailing Schools run a 5-day preparation course in advance of your examination aimed to bring you up to speed and prepare you for your exam. It is assumed that you already have the knowledge and the sailing skills required for the level you are being examined for.

Just like the RYA Cruising Scheme, you can join the Yachtmaster Scheme at any stage. You do not need to have completed any of the shore-based courses and nor do you need to complete a preparation course before taking your exam.

So if you are confident enough and sufficiently well prepared you can simply book an examiner through the RYA and take the test on your own yacht or one that you have chartered in.

However, most people appreciate that by taking a 5-day preparation course in advance of your exam will significantly increase your chances of passing.

Reasons for taking a Yachtmaster Prep Course

The whole purpose of a Yachtmaster Prep course is to prepare you for your exam and be challenged by an instructor who understands what an examiner is looking for. To find areas where you are weakest and allow you the opportunity to practice and develop your skills.

It is an advanced and intensive course and certainly no holiday and whilst you may be an experienced yachts person it is not often that you will practice the following

• Advanced skippering techniques
• Close quarter berthing in various and challenging conditions of wind and tide
• Picking up a buoy under sail
• Weighing or lowering anchor under sail
• Boat handling in confined areas under sail
• Man overboard recovery techniques
• Advanced Navigation
• Blind Navigation

The course is largely a practical course and designed to hone your sailing and boat handling skills. Whilst you will cover certain areas of theoretical knowledge it is important that you are fully up to speed with regards to the following before attending the course.

• International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
• Meteorology

By attending a course you will undoubtedly learn a new set of skills and it will importantly get you into the mindset so that you are fully prepared to take the exam.

Format of the Course & What to Expect

Courses run for 5 days starting on a Friday evening. The exam follows immediately after the course and can run for up to 48 hours depending on the level and number of candidates.

We restrict the number of students down to a maximum of 4 persons to give everyone as much practical hands-on time as possible. The courses are run on board one of our 36 – 39-foot sailing yachts which are based in Mercury Yacht Harbour on the River Hamble. The courses are run within the Solent where you can practice navigation, pilotage and boat handling in a whole different range of different tidal and weather conditions. Ultimately there is little benefit in sailing in a straight line so it is highly unlikely you will venture out of the Solent opting to focus more on the entering and exiting as many ports as possible.

The first evening is all about getting to know the other students and your skipper. It is unlikely that you will leave the marina that night but you will cover certain safety briefings so as to maximise the available time the following day.

During the next 5 days, you will hop from port to port within the Solent. You will live onboard for the full five days, each of you will take it in turns to be the skipper of the day and take responsibility for the crew and general running of the yacht.

Whilst there is no set syllabus to follow there are certain standard areas that the instructor will cover in order to prepare you for the exam. The rest of the course, however, is up to you and everyone else on board to determine based on areas of weakness and what needs to be practised.

You will focus on areas of boat and sail handling and be encouraged to push yourself outside of your comfort zone so as to build up your confidence prior to the exam.

We aim to end the course mid-afternoon on Wednesday so that you have some downtime to relax and calm any nerves prior to the examiner joining on Wednesday evening.

Format & Nature of the Exam

If you are booking a Yachtmaster Preparation course through a Sailing School then the School will arrange an examiner for you.

You will be required to prepare a passage plan for a fictitious sailing trip in advance of the examiner joining the yacht. You will be asked to do this under exam conditions and without the assistance of your instructor or other students. The examiner will give your instructor basic details of a trip from which you will need to create a detailed passage plan. This will get collected by your examiner at the beginning of your exam and be expected to answer questions on the reasoning of your passage plan during the course of your exam !!

It is highly likely that your examiner will want to set off straight away in order to carry out part of the assessment which will take place at night, so be prepared !! The examiner will nominate one person, in turn, to act as skipper and to take responsibility for the yacht. And whilst the obvious pressure will be on this person, at the same time the examiner will be quizzing and watching everyone else to see how you all behave and interact onboard.

You will moor up or anchor somewhere for a few hours overnight before continuing with the assessment the next day. But don’t forget that you are being continually assessed so stay on your guard at all times.

Whilst this is naturally a pressured environment the examiner is there to find out what you know and ultimately wants you to pass. They will do all they can to relax and encourage you to demonstrate that you have the right abilities to pass, so relax and try to act as normally as you can.

Depending on the number of candidates the exam can take anything up to 48 hours. At the end of the exam, you will be told immediately whether you have been successful or not.

Exam Fees are normally payable directly to the examiner and in addition to the course fee charged by the sailing school.

Yachtmaster Offshore Exam Fee – £210 Yachtmaster Coastal Exam Fee – £181

Min Age… 17 years

Sea time…

• 800 miles logged within 10 years of the exam
• 30 days living onboard
• 2 Days as Skipper
• 12 Night Hours

Certificates…

• Radio Operators Licence
• Valid First Aid Certificate

For holders of the Coastal Skipper Practical Course Completion Certificate the sea time is reduced to

• 20 days living onboard
• 12 night hours
• 2 days as skipper

Half the qualifying miles must have conducted in tidal waters

Min Age… 18 years

• 2,500 miles logged within 10 years of the exam
• 50 days living onboard

5 Passages over 60 miles

• 2 of these passages as Skipper

2 of these passages having involved sailing overnight 5 Days experience as skipper

All candidates must

Hold a RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence

Have completed, as skipper or mate of a yacht a qualifying passage which meets the following criteria

a) Candidate fully involved in the planning of the passage, including selection of the route, the navigation plan, checking the material condition of the yacht and her equipment, storing with spare gear, water and victuals and organising the watch keeping routine.

b) During the passage a minimum join stop distance of 600 miles must have been run by the log, the yacht must have been at sea continuously for at least 96 hours and the yacht must have been more than 50 miles from land while sailing a distance of at least 200 miles.

c) Hold First Aid qualification as for Yachtmaster Offshore

Exam Duration

The exam will take about 6 to 10 hours for one candidate and 8 – 14 hours for two.

The exam will take about 8 to 12 hours for one candidate and 10 – 18 hours for two.

The exam consists of a written and oral test.

Own Boat Exams

As well as saving money, if you own your own boat then it is logical that you would prefer to be examined on a yacht that is familiar to you.

There are a few requirements

• Not less than 7 meters
• Sound & Seaworthy Condition
• Equipped to standards set out in the RYA book Cruising Yacht Safety C8
• Up to date charts and navigational publications
• Efficiently crewed as the examiner will not take part in the management of the yacht during the exam

To book an exam simply contact the RYA.

Converting between Sail and Power

Holders of a Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore certificate may take a conversion exam from sail to power or power to sail. Please note that the exam for converting from power to sail may take slightly longer.

The exam will take about 3 hours and you may be asked on any aspects of the syllabus but will concentrate on those section which are notably different between sailing vessels and power boats.

Mileage must be in the type of vessel you are converting to and must be within 10 years prior to the exam. Half of the qualifying sea time must have been conducted in tidal waters.

Yachtmaster Coastal Conversion Exams

• Minimum 400 miles
• 12 Days living onboard

Yachtmaster Offshore Conversion Exams

• Minimum 1250 miles
• 25 Days living onboard
• 3 Days as Skipper
• 3 Passages over 60 miles including 1 overnight and 1 as Skipper

Commercial Endorsements

If you are planning on working commercially then the use of Yachtmaster Coastal, Yachtmaster Offshore and Yachtmaster Ocean certificates is permitted for the skippers of these vessels provided that the certificates are commercially endorsed. Commercial endorsements are valid for 5 years.

How to obtain a Commercial Endorsement

You will need to send your Yachtmasters Certificate to the RYA with the following

• Medical Fitness Certificate – Link to Medical Fitness Form
• Attend a sea survival course

STCW Endorsements

Standard of Training and Certification of Watchkeepers

For larger vessels and for certain administrations you may be required to hold an STCW 95 endorsement. It is commonly required if you are working outside of the UK on non UK flagged vessels.

You will be required to attend 4 courses

• STCW Personal Survival techniques
• STCW Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities
• STCW Elementary First Aid
• STCW Fire Fighting and Fire Prevention

Renewing your STCW Endorsement can be achieved by sending the following to the RYA

• A covering letter requesting the STCW endorsement
• Your original Certificate
• New Passport Photograph
• Evidence of completion of the STCW course
• Fee payable to the RYA

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• Certificates of Competence
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam

Full details of the exam syllabus and requirements are shown in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158) available from the webshop (see right).

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams can be taken under sail or power and your certificate will be endorsed accordingly. The candidate or a training centre provides the boat and the RYA provides an examiner. Note: All qualifying sea time and passages must be gained on vessels appropriate to the type of exam i.e. gained in sailing vessels for a sail exam and power vessels for a power exam.

There is no formal training course leading up to the exam, but those who have not previously taken RYA courses often find it useful to book themselves in for some informal training at an RYA centre prior to their exam. This training can be tailor-made to your specific needs and helps to fill any gaps in your knowledge that may become apparent.

The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals.

Boats used for exams

You may use your own boat or a boat that you have chartered or borrowed. You will be responsible for ensuring the boat is seaworthy and suitable for the area in which the exam takes place and equipped as shown below.

The boat used must be between 7m and 18m (LOA) and be in sound, seaworthy condition, equipped to the standard set out in the RYA Boat Safety Handbook 2nd Edition (code G103). The boat must be equipped with a full up to date set of charts and navigational publications along with working instruments and either plotter or GPS. In addition to the candidate there should be two crew on board as the examiner will not take part in the management of the boat during the exam.

There may be vessels that will meet the guidelines outlined above but by virtue of their layout, construction, handling characteristics or other factors may be unsuitable for use for an RYA Yachtmaster Practical examination. The RYA reserves the right to refuse an exam on a vessel that, in the view of the RYA Chief Examiner, will not allow the examiner to conduct an examination to the standard required by the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Qualification Panel.

Before you book your exam please check that you:

• can provide a boat
• have completed the required mileage and experience as skipper
• hold an SRC (Short Range Certificate) or higher level GMDSS radio operators qualification
• hold a valid first aid certificate
• have read the syllabus in RYA Logbook (G158)
• have read and comply with the pre-requisites above.

Additionally if not on the boat, you will need to bring to the exam:

• laminated or waterproof charts
• GPS set (may be hand held)
• tide tables
• pilotage information for the local area, eg pilot books, port information etc
• plotting instruments.
• Photographic ID card or document, such as a passport or driving licence

If you need your Certificate of Competence in order to work on board a commercial craft subject the MCA's codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed .

Useful links

Arranging your exam, commercial endorsements, exam payments service, mca manning requirements, professional qualifications.

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster theory

• Katy Stickland
• July 20, 2021

Racing turned cruising sailors Liz Rushall and her husband Mark go back to school to brush up on their Yachtmaster theory

Although accomplished sailors, Liz and Mark found their rusty knowledge was hampering their cruising enjoyment. The Yachtmaster theory course revealed a number of areas in need of a refresher. Credit: David Harding

Liz Rushall shares tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster theory course

‘Why on earth are you guys doing your Yachtmaster ?’ was the question our friends repeatedly asked. ‘Surely, you know all that stuff?’

We’ve both sailed since childhood, competitively racing dinghies, then keelboats. Sailing is our work and life.

Liz Rushall has won national dinghy and keelboat titles, but currently cruises a 28ft classic Honeybee called Ragdoll

Mark is a British Sailing Team coach, we’ve both won championships together and with others, and raced keelboats offshore.

In between times, since 2000, we’ve cruised Ragdoll our 28ft classic Honeybee, from Emsworth, having slow adventures around Brittany, Normandy, and the West Country.

Generally, we’ve arrived on the day we had planned, if not quite always at our estimated time.

Although I did my Yachtmaster theory some 20 years ago, it’s just like I have a Maths O-Level. It’s still a mystery to me.

Sitting the course at night-school, during an intensely busy job, with a bunch of powerboaters talking jargon knowingly, it was as if I was reliving the horror of maths at school.

Needless to say, as with my maths, I battled through the exam and unfortunately not much of it stuck.

Meanwhile, Mark learned his navigation on the hoof, cruising on friends’ boats during his student days and he is self-taught.

Good at all things involving science and numbers, he was always a bit dismissive of things like compass deviation.

We had a little hand-held GPS, a Walker trailing log, and more recently a very small detachable Garmin chartplotter and Simrad AIS. It all seemed to work – we were fine.

What could possibly go wrong?

You never stop learning

The real answer to the question ‘why do our Yachtmaster ’ was a wake-up call that came last summer.

We’d had a hectic few months, working late and trying to fit in our summer cruise around Mark’s Olympic coaching commitments.

We were both tired and needed a break.

Mark plotted our Channel crossing.

Normally I try to get involved and have a crack at the passage plan too, but it takes me ages.

Making sense of passage planning, including tidal heights and gates, is much easier once you’ve had a refresher. Credit: Liz Rushall

I helped a bit with the tidal streams (which I thought I was good at) and had a quick, over-the-shoulder look.

We decided to head for Cherbourg, to have options.

We dismissed the idea of heading straight to Saint-Vaast, as we’d anticipated a four-hour wait for the lock gates – tedious after a long crossing.

We left Chichester Harbour early, although I wanted to go even earlier.

As soon as we had popped out of the harbour, the wind clearly was not as forecast. It was more WSW than west, so not the reach we had hoped for.

Continues below…

Tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster practical

Having brushed up on their theory, racing turned cruising sailors Liz Rushall and her husband Mark now put it into…

How to pass your Yachtmaster exam

The global standard of sailing qualifications is achievable for any experienced, competent skipper. Tom Cunliffe explains how to pass your…

12 expert skills to take you beyond Yachtmaster

Rupert Holmes outlines the skills that mark out the good sailors from the 
great ones, with experience and reflective learning…

We were keen to get to France, however, so we pressed on.

It was a big spring tide, so we expected to get swept hard eastwards and then back westwards.

We reefed early, anticipating the wind against tide effect as we got towards France.

But it was a horrible sea. Our little boat was sailing beautifully but struggled to keep to our estimated speed.

We were consistently too far east of our course, even after the tide had turned, and the tide didn’t push us as hard west to Cherbourg as had been expected.

Still behind schedule, the water didn’t flatten out when the tide turned east again.

How to calculate position, estimate time of arrival and course to steer is all easily forgotten in a digital age. Knowing how to extract this information from your chartplotter is also crucial

Now very tired from hand steering, less than two hours from Cherbourg we had to concede that we simply could not punch upwind, with or without the engine.

The whole day had been a domino effect of one little thing after another.

So, as the sun faded, a quick change of plan.

We altered course for St Vaast, rocketing down on the tide, arriving just as the lock gates opened at 2300.

In the end, it was a good result, landing in our favourite spot, although it had been a very long day on a little boat with no self-steering.

After two days’ sleeping, having a sailing coach on board and racing in our blood meant, of course, a thorough debrief.

Naturally, over some lovely seafood and French wine.

We realised that our brains were not getting younger, and clearly there had been some ‘gaps’ in our navigational planning.

For a long time, I’ve felt aware that I didn’t have a complete handle on chartwork, despite owning a certificate that says I do.

The decision was made. Let’s have a crack at our RYA Yachtmaster and find out what we do and don’t know.

A course in ‘Johart’s Window’

Stage one of our plan was enrolling on an Intensive RYA Yachtmaster Theory course with the Emsworth School of Navigation – six days completed over two weekends.

Using dividers to transfer a position line from a scale is easier on a small boat than lining up a plotter or parallel rules. Credit: David Harding

Compared to my memories of scary night-school, the experience was a refreshing change.

Karen Dorontic, the principal, turned out to be an amazing teacher, with astounding levels of patience and a gift for not making you feel stupid, despite most of us coming up with some bizarre calculations and answers.

Her empathy with our learning process, the pitfalls and the mistakes we would make as we progressed through the topics and papers, was clearly based on her own experiences.

We had an interesting, mixed group on the course; a couple refurbishing their yacht to cruise around the world, two people who take people sailing on club-owned yachts, a Solent based cruiser, and my brothers.

One who, like me, did his Yachtmaster theory exam many years ago, the other a confirmed dinghy sailor now doing a bit more yacht racing.

Straight into the first session, and many of us were picking up some great tips.

Frequently things that sounded obvious, although only once you had been told.

For us, it was time-saving things, such as using the dividers to transfer positions from the side of the chart rather than struggling with parallel rules, and unlocking the delights of a Portland plotter.

Both were far more useful for our tiny navigation table. Then, there were the really useful ways of remembering things.

Who knew the cones on cardinal marks point to the black section? Easy.

Bizarrely, one of the most entertaining sessions was learning the Colregs (collision regulations).

We were in hoots visualising all those bells and gongs going off in poor visibility.

Yet once again, Karen gave us really helpful tips for working out lights, especially for towing vessels, which initially felt like a sea of colour we’d never remember.

The intensive nature of the course means there is a vast amount of information to process but without the luxury of a few days to absorb and reread what you are learning.

Almost inevitably, that meant some of us ‘hitting the wall’.

By day two of plotting estimated positions and courses to steer, I could no longer figure out Variation and Deviation.

The phrase ‘Error East Compass Least’ rapidly became another maths maze. Plus or minus?

The more I tried to think about it, the more it went wrong.

One candidate put his dividers down saying: ‘I’ve completely forgotten what it is I’m trying to achieve’.

I began to wonder how we’d ever got our boats anywhere around the Solent, let alone to St Malo, Chausey, and Tréguier.

Homework humiliations

With a lot of exercises to practise before the second weekend, it was hard to cram our homework into a busy fortnight.

Somehow we did, although mealtime conversation got down to the level of ‘what do two red lights mean?’ Riveting stuff!

The family WhatsApp was busy that week with shrieks of frustration as we all made chartwork errors.

Back in the classroom, we all compared notes. Everyone had struggled with their homework.

Mark didn’t get a single question right first time.

Liz found it useful to identify areas of weakness ahead of her Yachtmaster Theory course. Credit: David Harding

Number blindness set in as we all plotted the wrong information, dates and data and tried to use the tidal height tables to calculate tidal stream rates. We’d done it all.

One man owned up to plotting the date as a position on his chart.

At least we were all suffering in the same boat.

Undoubtedly, it was a painful process to go through, as we all fell into the pitfalls and traps deliberately set in the exercise questions.

However, it was true that practice makes perfect.

Through comparing our random attempts with the answers, we were all learning from our errors.

The fog is clearing

With homework horrors behind us, our practice paid off as we went through our exam papers.

Everyone passing the Colregs paper was a confidence boost. Bang the gong!

While we waited to hear our results, the bemused conversation went along the lines of, ‘Were those yellow and red lights a Hovercraft that was fishing?

Or an air-cushioned, displacement fishing vessel?

Details of the RYA Yachtmaster Theory course

Officially speaking, the RYA Yachtmaster Theory course builds on that which is taught in the shore-based Day skipper course.

However, for most people who have sailed regularly, then jumping straight to Yachtmaster theory is unlikely to be a major problem.

The course covers advanced navigation techniques including: position fixing; course shaping and plotting; tidal knowledge including secondary port calculations; navigation in restricted visibility; Admiralty publications and electronic position-finding equipment.

Much of this will be familiar to even the most casual cruiser, but as Liz discovered, some of the specifics might well need a bit of study.

The meteorology tuition includes the taking and interpretation of forecasts, plotting of weather systems as well as weather prediction.

Further courses

Many people who jump straight into Yachtmaster Theory may find that it turns up a weakness or gap in their knowledge.

It can often be helpful to identify areas of weakness and consider a training course that might help raise your level ahead of a Yachtmaster practical exam.

Several schools offer courses on many of the subjects in a Yachtmaster exam and they can help you to improve your knowledge.

On the other hand, it might just be an area you devote more time to in the lead up to Yachtmaster Practical.

Know your COLREGS

The one area where there are no shortcuts are Colregs; you just need to know your stuff – and finding the time to learn isn’t difficult.

So far as the MCA is concerned, this is the crunch.

Examiners are encouraged to demand high standards in this subject, and there’s no reason for a candidate, knowing full well they are going to be grilled extensively on this, not to have the regulations solidly in their mind.

The best way to be exam-proof is to invest in A Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road (Morgans Technical Books Limited (£12.50), available for modest money online or in any chandlery.

Place it prominently in the heads some months before the exam and devote five minutes of each day to digesting its contents.

The book makes it easy and should leave you with no excuse for not having a thorough working knowledge.

Aside from the certificate, we both got a lot out of the course. Mark felt that it reminded him what he did know and reinforced what he didn’t.

Liz found she had forgotten some useful shortcuts during her Yachtmaster Theory course and put these into practice during her Yachtmaster Practical assessment. Credit: David Harding

Learning the processes and the ways to remember them, was so helpful.

For me, cracking the tidal stream rates was a revelation, and fears of secondary ports and tidal height calculations are mostly gone.

It will definitely help us explore places we never felt confident to visit because we have a long keel.

Karen’s many wise tips such as not trusting the electronics unquestioningly, and rapid plotting techniques will be invaluable.

Pilotage plans for new ports will now be a joy rather than a scrabble around through the pilot books.

We love our little boat, we sail her well, yet she will never be anything like the quickest boat on the water.

She needs all the help we can give her, which includes accurate navigation to arrive on time.

Having returned to the Yachtmaster theory I now feel that my confidence is up.

Mark and I now can’t wait for our next big voyage, to see what we’ve really learned.

Now there’s the small matter of our practical exams on the horizon.

5 key points to take away from our Yachtmaster Theory course

• Quick Plotting Techniques: Karen’s quick plotting technique really helps if, like us, you have a very small chart table. Simply plot your latitude using your Portland plotter or ruler. Then measure off your longitude along the top line of the chart from the nearest major longitude line eg 002°. Move the dividers down to in-line with your latitude plot and draw an arc on your first line
• Deviation and Variation: In the end, I solved this by learning to literally translate ‘error east/compass least’ and ‘error west/compass best’ into plain English! In other words: Compass error West – compass will be bigger than True; Compass error East –compass will be less than True. Learning how to use a pencil mark on the error scale on the Portland plotter to avoid the mental arithmetic entirely was another gem.
• Extrapolating tidal streams : One particular ‘lightbulb moment’ was calculating tidal streams. We’d only ever interpolated the tidal streams, estimating the rate between the mean spring and neap rates shown in the tidal atlas. The exercises highlighted that a big spring tide will be higher than the mean rate, and extrapolating this accurately makes a big impact on your course to steer.
• Remembering lights: Learning the lights felt really complex, but Karen taught us to look for the patterns. Remember a clock face for the number of flashes of the N, E, S and West cardinals (E is three flashes, South six, West nine and North continuous) is a great tip. For remembering the lights for towing vessels, adding an extra masthead light to represent the vessel it is towing, plus another for boat length over 50m, and another for tow length.
• Templates for secondary port and tidal stream calcs:  Rather than working it out from scratch each time, Karen encouraged us to develop our own, or use standard templates for calculating tidal information. It helps reduce errors, speeding up the planning process and saving brain cells for other tasks.

Key information on the Yachtmaster practical and theory courses

Why yachtmaster.

Although a Yachtmaster qualification is required for anyone planning to become a professional, thanks to the continuing efforts of the RYA, Brits who sail for leisure still don’t have to carry any proof of competence in home waters.

The certificate certainly remains the logical target of many a self-motivated sailor, though.

It also represents the icing on the cake for those looking for the reassurance of an external assessment.

Theory and Practical

Yachtmaster training can take place on a boat or in a classroom.

A shore-based course, either at desks in a school or via the popular Internet distance learning programmes, ends with a theory exam.

Success in this will help a student in later qualification upgrades, but it is not officially recognised.

The only certificates accepted by the authorities are those issued after an at-sea examination. To become a fully-fledged Yachtmaster, this practical test is the one that counts.

Coastal or offshore

In recent years, the old Coastal Skipper has been superseded by the new Yachtmaster Coastal certificate.

The qualifying mileage for this MCA-recognised qualification is 800 miles, with passage and night-hour requirements being regarded as fairly relaxed in comparison with Yachtmaster Offshore, which keeps its 2,500-mile entry level.

Either will serve as a proper Yachtmaster qualification and can be described as such.

Only the often-dropped suffix distinguishes the two.

Apply for ‘coastal’ and the examiner, recognising that you have less sea-time, will be more inclined to cut you a bit of slack.

The RYA has noted that most candidates are really only making ‘coastal-status’ passages.

In real terms this includes an annual trip across the Irish Sea, the North Sea or the Channel in a calculated weather window.

How To Get Qualified With Sailing Courses – RYA, ASA, IYT

Getting out on the water for the first time can be a daunting task, and navigating through the range of sailing courses and qualifications can be overwhelming. In this blog, we are going to explain the different yachting schemes available around the world (ASA, RYA etc), the qualifications they can offer, and discover the best path for you.

This applies to anyone wanting to sail or motor any yacht under 500 tonnes, most yachts are only around 10 tonnes!

Do I Need Sailing Qualifications/Licences?

If you keep your boat in the UK, only sail in the UK, and your boat is under 24m long, then no, technically you don’t.  However, if you want to charter a boat, sail anywhere else in the world, or want to keep your insurance renewals low then a qualification or two is essential!

Finally, it’s not just about the licence, do you really want to take out your pride and joy, that probably cost 10’s if not 100’s of thousands, and try your luck? There is a lot of training and knowledge involved in becoming a skipper and working towards a qualification is the best approach to gaining the skills and knowledge.

How To Get Qualified

We have decided it is a good idea to get some qualifications, now how do we achieve them?  Before picking a school or instructor, you first have to look at which association they belong to. There are many to choose from as most wealthy countries have their own associations with their own qualification schemes. Once an association has been picked we can start looking at the appropriate qualifications, and finally, the schools that teach those qualifications.

RYA vs IYT vs ASA

Every qualification has to have an authorising body or association.  You would be forgiven for thinking that just picking the most local yachting or sailing association is the way to go, but sailing is an international sport and hobby. Yachts can take us all around the world and we wouldn’t want to limit our future selves by obtaining the wrong certificate. The three biggest associations are Royal Yachting Association (RYA), International Yacht Training (IYT) and American Sailing Association (ASA) so let’s start by looking at those.

Royal Yachting Association

The RYA is the oldest and most internationally recognised governing body of dinghy, yacht, and motor cruising in the world. They were the first association to standardise training in the yachting industry and they have been going strong for nearly 150 years.

The RYA is equally focused on recreational boating as it is on professional boating which makes their qualifications particularly versatile.

Once you gain the RYA Day Skipper certificate you can easily convert it into either an ICC (international certificate of competence) which is free to do for RYA members or even get it commercially endorsed as a professional qualification without having to repeat any exams.  The same can be said for the subsequent RYA Yachtmaster qualifications. This versatility and global reputation make the RYA qualifications a difficult route to beat.

International Yacht Training

IYT is a relative newcomer and was founded in 1998. Despite being a relatively new organisation, it has made quite an impact and shaken up the yachting industry for the better. International Yacht Training forced the RYA to take a more international approach to their training and the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) was actually created by International Yacht Training. However, the RYA rapidly got on board with this and now offers the ICC to holders of its own qualifications without any further or retesting required. Put simply, you can easily convert RYA qualifications to IYT qualifications, but cannot convert IYT to RYA.

You would expect there to be a strong rivalry between these two organisations but instead, they appear to work well together and have both worked to make the ICC the internationally recognised qualification it is today.

The IYT also have a good offering of professional qualifications, allowing their holders to work in the industry and arguably offer the best set of qualifications for those wishing to go on to working on superyachts. IYT are without a doubt a well-regarded association worldwide, but despite this, these newcomers are much less well known than the RYA and have far fewer training centres around the world, making their qualifications harder to obtain.

The ASA is the most prominent sailing association in America.  They are solely targeting recreational sailors and have a well thought out approach to this market.  Whilst they are less well known internationally, and they don’t offer the same options to progress into professional sailing, they do offer a good alternative to the ICC called the International Proficiency Certificate (IPC).  Officially, the IPC is the only recognised yachting ticket in the USA when it comes to chartering boats, however, in reality, the ICC will usually be accepted.

If you only want to sail in the USA, the ASA will probably do. However, for the most versatile qualifications, internationally recognised, for recreation and professional use, as well as the easiest to find training centres for, is, without doubt, the RYA.  I chose the RYA when I learnt to sail and it has never once held me back from all my adventures. On the other hand, I have met many sailors who gained other qualifications elsewhere (ASA, IYT, SA Sailing, Australian Sailing, etc…) who have had to retest at some point to get their RYA tickets.

The RYA wins hands down.

RYA Cruising Scheme – Day Skipper to Yachtmaster

Okay, so RYA it is, but which RYA course should you start with?

The RYA offers many courses from complete beginner courses to celestial navigation courses.  Where you start really depends on your prior experience and what you want to achieve. This diagram outlines the progression and entry points into the RYA Cruising Scheme:

Up until Day Skipper, you can really jump in at any point depending on your ambition.  However, once you reach Day Skipper Practical, each course assumes you have a certain amount of prior experience and knowledge, usually exactly equivalent to the course that came before it. Watch out when trying to jump or skip courses from Day Skipper Theory and onwards as you will often get caught out by your fragmented knowledge and either downgraded or simply fail the course.

There are lots of courses to suit your needs and lots of different entry points depending on our experience. If it seems a bit overwhelming we can make this simpler if we ask the question: Why do you want to take a course?

If you just want to try out being on the water for the first time, go for Start Yachting, or Start Motor Cruising.

If you want to learn to be a useful crew, start at Essential Navigation and Seamanship.

If you want to learn to be a skipper, start with Day Skipper Theory.

If you are already an experienced yachtsman and want qualifications to back it up, start with the Fast Track to Yachtmaster.

Choosing An RYA Sailing School

Finally, we know what course we want to take, now we just need to find somewhere to take it! The RYA has over 2,500 recognised training centres around the world. That’s a lot to choose from! Luckily, we are here to help make the right choice for you.

RYA Theory – Online Vs Classroom

There has been a recent shift from classroom learning to online learning. We did a lot of research into this and found the benefits of online learning to be so great that we have fully switched over to this medium and embraced e-learning. We believe we can provide a much better quality theory course with the aid of technology and are proud to be producing some of the best-prepared students for their practical training. By removing the need for travel and the cost of premises and accommodation, we have found we can offer a tailored experience for each of our students at a far more reasonable cost.

We actually wrote a whole blog on Online Vs Classroom courses so if you want to find out more, I urge you to check it out: Can You Really Learn to Sail Online ? Or, if you are already sold on the idea of an online course, head on over to our website and give our Free Trial a go .

RYA Practical Centres

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a practical centre, first and foremost, where do you want to sail? Some people just want somewhere local, some want adventure, and some want sun. Think carefully about where you want to sail and make a holiday out of your practical course in the right location.

Once you have a location in mind, time to start searching. There will no doubt still be multiple options but remember, cheaper is not better! There isn’t a large profit margin on RYA courses, so if a training centre is cheap, they are probably cutting corners. The first corners to cut are instructor wages and vessel maintenance so getting a cheap course may just result in your hard-earned money getting wasted on inexperienced instructors and poorly maintained vessels. This is not worth the savings as it will severely impact your enjoyment and how much you can get out of the course.

Armed with that advice, we recommend using the RYA’s Find a Training Centre tool to help you find the best training centre for you: https://www.rya.org.uk/wheres-my-nearest

So, what have we learned?

• You need qualifications to charter a boat.
• Qualifications will lower your insurance premium.
• Qualifications will help you learn, stay safe, and enjoy your time on the water.
• Go with RYA qualifications for maximum versatility and recognition.
• If you want to be a Skipper, you need the RYA Day Skipper certificate.
• Take your theory courses online with Ardent Training.
• Choose where you want to learn to sail (in the sun or somewhere close to home?)
• Go quality over price to get more out of your training.

If you want any more advice, you can always contact one of our team at Ardent Training.  Just drop us an email at [email protected] or give us a call on 01688 325025.

If you can’t wait to get started, check out our Free Trial of our RYA Day Skipper online theory course.

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• Certificates of Competence

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Exam

Full details of the exam syllabus and requirements are shown in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme and Logbook (G158) available from the RYA webshop.

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal practical exams can be taken under sail or power and your certificate will be endorsed accordingly. You or a training centre provide the boat and the RYA provides an examiner. Note: All qualifying sea time and passages must be gained on vessels appropriate to the type of exam i.e. gained in sailing vessels for a sail exam and power vessels for a power exam.

The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS (collision regulations), meteorology and signals. You will be set tasks to demonstrate your ability and may also be asked questions on any part of the syllabus for all practical and shorebased courses up to RYA Yachtmaster Coastal level.

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal exam pre-requisites

Boats used for exams.

You may use your own boat or a boat that you have chartered or borrowed. You will be responsible for ensuring the boat is seaworthy and suitable for the area in which the exam takes place and equipped as shown below.

The boat used must be between 7m and 18m LOA and be in sound, seaworthy condition, equipped to the standard set out in the RYA book Cruising Yacht Safety (code C8). The boat must be equipped with a full up to date set of charts and navigational publications and be efficiently crewed, as the examiner will not take part in the management of the boat during the exam.

Before you book your exam please check that you:

• can provide a boat (either your own or a training centre's boat)
• have completed the required mileage and experience as skipper
• hold an SRC (Short Range Certificate) or higher level GMDSS radio operators qualification
• hold a valid first aid certificate
• have read the syllabus in the RYA Logbook (code G158)
• have read and comply with the pre-requisites above.

Additionally if not on the boat, you will need to bring to the exam:

• laminated or waterproof charts
• GPS set (may be hand held)
• tide tables
• pilotage information for the local area, eg pilot books, port information etc
• plotting instruments.
• Photographic ID card or document, such as a passport or driving licence

If you need your Certificate of Competence in order to work on board a commercial craft subject the MCA's codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed .

Useful links

Arranging your exam, commercial endorsements, exam payments service, mca manning requirements, professional qualifications.