yachtmaster prep course

Yachtmaster Preparation & Exam - One week prep & assessment

This intensive coaching session will help prepare you for the examination which gives you the most respected yachting qualification in the world. You must arrive fully prepared in your sailing ability and with a full knowledge of navigational theory. Practice complex sailing skills with guidance from one of our senior instructors and gain confidence from working under pressure. Our 6 day course means you will receive 4 days full exam preparation/practice time prior to commencement of your exam. Prepare a theoretical passage plan for presentation to your RYA examiner who will independently assess your theory and practical knowledge and skills.

Note: We offer a “ Boat Handling ” combined with advanced sailing skills course in the week preceding this preparation and exam week.

1 week (6 full days sailing)

Pre Course Experience

We will send you a document listing all the disciplines that can be tested by the examiner. For YM Offshore you will be tested on a) MOB under sail & b) Navigation tactics in fog (blind navigation).

Assumed Knowledge

Yachtmaster theory knowledge including IRPCS!!! Ideally you have successfully completed RYA Tidal Coastal Skipper Practical completion certificate - this course teaches you the sailing skills & techniques required to further practice & pass an RYA exam.

Course Content

6 days - 4 days preparation time followed by exam (depending on number of candidates). Drilling and honing the skills. Execute theoretical passage plan (supplied by us!) for presentation to your examiner

Saloon berth €1290

Panel divided twin cabin berth €1290 pp

Single occupancy cabin €1420 (one person)

Double cabin €2580 (couple sharing)

Availability

Contact us for availability

Yachtmaster for Sail and Power (Only available on Amazon) Yachtmaster Exercises for Sail and Power (Only available on Amazon)

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Course content

Below is a list of the disciplines you will practice leading to your RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore or Coastal Yachtmaster Exam with Canary Sail

• Passage planning
• Man Over Board
• Managing yacht and crew
• Navigation in poor visibility
• Position fixing/finding
• Yacht handling
• Sailing on/off bouys, berth and anchor

Typical Itinerary for Week

Day 1 (saturday) – travel / arrival day.

We will meet and welcome you at 17.00 in the San Miguel Marina/ Amarilla Golf in Tenerife South and settle you onto your yacht. You are then invited to join us for drinks to meet the team, your instructors and fellow students or crew who start their full week courses with us. You will be made very welcome by the Canary Sail team and we can advise the best restaurants for you to sample!

Day 2 (Sunday) 

You will participate in workshop style and fully detailed safety brief on board. You will be asked to prepare the boat for departure and almost always be taken out for a sailing/MOB session in the wind acceleration zone (WAZ) just off the harbour wall. You will also be given an opportunity to get used to handling your yacht in confined spaces.

Day 3 (Monday)

Boat handling in and around the marina before departure to our local sailing area to learn and practice advanced sailing and navigational drills and skills.

Day 4 & 5 (Tuesday & Wednesday)

Plenty of yacht handling and sailing exercises including passage making, pilotage at day and at night, blind navigation, MOB, sailing on/off with the opportunity to work on your passage plan in preparation for presentation to the examiner.

Day 6 & 7 (Thursday & Friday)

Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, your instructor will introduce you to your examiner and leave the yacht. The rest is then up to you – good luck with your exam! Completion is normally on the afternoon of day 7, Friday.

Day 8 – (Saturday) – Departure / Return Travel Day/Day off for those clients staying on

Leave the yacht at 09.00 latest please for your return home or to continue your holiday in Tenerife. Please see our stay page for accommodation .

Exclusive Course Yacht option for couples, families or groups on 36 to 50ft cruise yachts.

This Yachtmaster Exam assessment week is not a course! The Yachtmaster Prep & Exam week offers just 4 days of exam preparation, comprising of intense “Drills & Skills” practice of the sailing a docking exercises. Theory is also tested – not taught! There is no time for teaching new techniques. These should be covered before one arrives – fully prepared for the Exam week.

The prerequisites for this exam week are a total of 2500 sea miles covered under sail in the last 10 years, half of which must be conducted in tidal waters. At Offshore level, 5 x 60NM or longer passages are required, 2 as skipper and 2 overnight. Ideally, some formal sail training using traditional methods of chart navigation is a significant advantage to the candidate. Very sound knowledge of Navigational Theory and Collision Regulations is a must!

This Yachtmaster Exam Prep & Exam is run over a 6-day period. For the prep practice and testing of knowledge, drills and skills, your RYA Instructor has just 4 days with a max of 4 candidates on board to prepare for the remaining 2 days of assessment when your Prep instructor steps off the yacht and is replaced by an independent RYA Examiner.

Whether the candidate is successful or not in passing the exam, one gains great benefit from participation in such an intense training week. On passing the Exam, the resultant Certificate will help reduce yacht insurance premiums, both privately and for Yacht Charter. This certificate is the International “door opener” into the prestigious world of the Super Yacht and Professional Sailing Industry.

Yes, the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal, and in particular Offshore Certificate is widely accepted internationally, both by Yacht Charter Companies and in the pursuit of a Professional Sailing Career.

A theoretical Passage Plan will be presented to each candidate, comprising of Almanac, Charts, Weather Synopsis and all the material necessary to pre-prepare a Passage Plan. For those training in the week(s) leading to this exam week, these will be handed out early. During the exam, passage plans will be presented by each candidate to the examiner. In addition, the examiner will test depth of knowledge of any aspect of navigational theory, and Collision Regulations – e.g. Buoyage, Lights Shapes, Sounds, etc. 

Contact us for further details

A wide range of practical and theory courses offered all year round

Choose from a variety of sail cruises around the Canary Islands and beyond

From Bareboat to skippered charter, we have an option to suit your needs

ACCOMMODATION

Recommended accommodation options in La Gomera and Tenerife

Phone any time on our UK Divert No. (UK call cost): 0044 1252 837648 Phone (USA): 001 855 866-5566 Phone (Spain): 0034 922 141 967

[email protected]

Company Address: Marina San Miguel Urbanizacion Amarilla Golf 38639 San Miguel de Abona Santa Cruz de Tenerife Islas Canarias Espana

Postal Address : Apartado de Correos 211 38800 San Sebastián de la Gomera Islas Canarias Espana

Office opening hours: Monday-Closed Tuesday-Friday 08.30-15.30

Calls diverted outside of office hours, excluding Mondays. Please send us an email and your enquiry will be dealt with promptly.

Please use the form below to email us with your enquiry

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Canary Sail offers year-round sailing courses, cruising, and yacht charters from their base in South Tenerife, just 15 minutes from TFS Airport. They provide comprehensive RYA training, covering over 100 nautical miles and visiting multiple ports. With experienced instructors and a focus on quality, they attract many returning clients and referrals.

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Looking to hire a yacht, take a sailing course or maybe just relax on a boat in the Canaries? With over 20 years experience we offer an unrivalled range of RYA Courses.

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

How to pass your Yachtmaster exam

• Chris Beeson
• September 16, 2015

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

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

Tom Cunliffe is an RYA Yachtmaster examiner. He has passed and failed hundreds of Yachtmaster candidates over the years

We in the UK are exceedingly fortunate. Just as the English language is the best bet for a world traveller, our very own RYA/MCA Yachtmaster qualification happens to be the global standard for sailing. It’s required for anyone planning to become a professional and, 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. Despite this blessed lack of regulation, the Yachtmaster certificate remains the logical target of many a self-motivated sailor. It also represents the icing on the cake for those looking for the reassurance of an external assessment.

Courses and exams

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 increasingly popular Internet distance learning programmes, ends with a Yachtmaster theory exam. Success in this will help a student in subsequent qualification upgrades, but it is not officially recognised. The only certificates accepted by the authorities are those issued after an at-sea examination – the Yachtmaster Practical . To become a fully-fledged Yachtmaster, this practical test is the one that really counts.

Yachtmaster Prep

Meteorology matters: a favourite with examiners is to produce a weather map and invite you to analyse it. Be ready and know your subject

This is a non-RYA course and, as such, has no official status or syllabus. However, it is run successfully by many RYA sailing schools to prepare candidates for an examination which generally follows on at the end. Up to four students spend several days together on the boat in which they will be examined. The benefits are that they get to know one another and their yacht under the guidance of a highly qualified Yachtmaster Instructor. The general feeling is that these tutors can’t teach you much you don’t already know in a week, but that they are very good at coaching the best out of those skills you already have. Prep courses are great for brushing up on how to jump through the various hoops an examiner may set up. What they can’t do is make someone who doesn’t have suitably constructive mileage into the confident skipper examiners are looking for.

Coastal or Offshore – what’s my level?

Recently, the old Coastal Skipper ticket has been superseded by the new ‘Yachtmaster Coastal’ certificate. The qualifying mileage for this MCA-recognised qualification is 800, with passage and night-hour requirements being relaxed in comparison with ‘Yachtmaster Offshore’, which keeps its 2,500-mile entry level. Either is a proper Yachtmaster qualification and can be described as such. Only the often-dropped suffix distinguishes the two. The syllabi are identical, the variant is the rigour of the examination. 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, which is very different from setting off from Ramsgate towards Norway with five days and potentially serious conditions ahead of you. The implications should be clear: unless you need the Offshore ticket for professional reasons, if in doubt, go for Coastal.

Preparing yourself and the boat

A relaxed candidate with a mug of tea makes a better impression than a harassed-looking one

If you’ve signed on with a sailing school, you’ll be stuck with the boat you’re given. You can be confident that this yacht ticks all the official boxes by being coded for commercial use, but while some are very up-together, others are not. If the boat is generally sloppy and scruffy, you can at least make an effort to stow the mainsheet in a seamanlike manner while you are nominally skipper.

Neatly coiled lines reflect well on the skipper

You can also ensure that fenders are hung at the same level, sharpen up the guardrails and see that things generally look as though somebody knows the difference and cares. Then the examiner won’t hold the ratty lifebuoys and the smelly bilge against you.

Mind that your dress and demeanour don’t make a bad first impression

Try to be ready in good time so that you aren’t involved in a last-minute kerfuffle. If you’re relaxing in the cockpit with a mug of tea when the examiner arrives, he or she will be more impressed than if you’re frantically working out tidal heights and scuffling through the chart table. Wear sensible kit. Don’t worry if it’s not this season’s fashion. My examiner turned up in an old duffel coat back in 1978 and I think I was wearing a canvas smock and a flat cap, but the smock was freshly laundered and the cap was right way round…

The main thing is that you can sail, but an examiner is always pleased to be freed of any hassle with the paperwork. Most of us are no better with admin than you are, so make our lives easy by producing an up-to-date first aid ticket and all the rest, plus a cheque made out to the RYA – not the examiner, perish the thought!

Passage planning

Your passage plan should be realistic. Keep it simple and be ready to adapt and update as things develop

You may be given the opportunity to produce a passage plan before the examiner arrives. If so, make it realistic. Don’t plot every course to the last degree. After all, you don’t know what speed you’ll make or what the wind will really do. Check tidal gates, distances, viable alternatives and the weather. Look at any hazards, sort out a time to leave and have a plan for updating as things develop. That’s about what you’d do if there were no exam, and that’s what I, at least, want to see.

Examination on your own boat

A nicely level line of fenders sends a good signal to the examiner

You don’t have to go to a sailing school to be a Yachtmaster. I love it when a candidate asks to be examined without training on his own boat. Don’t worry if she isn’t coded. There’s no legal requirement that she should be. Most of mine haven’t been either, and I couldn’t care less.

As an examiner, I want to see that your priorities are sound and that you’re thinking clearly and for yourself. On the day, the yacht must be clean, tidy and seamanlike. Waterline crisp, sail covers Bristol fashion, not looking like some poor bird with a broken wing, ropes carefully stowed, a comprehensive chart kit for the waters to be sailed, the makings of a meal plus snacks and, of course, everything that counts should be working.

What the examiner is looking for

Feeling relaxed in close quarters

Competent, confident boathandling counts well in your favour

If there’s one thing that will upset an examiner, it isn’t that you forgot to put on your lifejacket, it’s that he feels insecure when you begin manoeuvring in a marina. Take it from me, there’s nothing worse than sitting at the backstay wondering what you’re going to hit. If the boat slides sweetly out of her berth with everyone knowing what’s required and no shouting, then moves away easily with the examiner confident you’re in charge, that you’ve checked the next alleyway for collision risk, that your choice of speed is sensible and efficient and that it never enters his head to feel anxious, you’re well on the way to a pass after five minutes. No course can teach you this. It can only tick the box confirming you’ve managed it once or twice. The rest is up to you and your sea time.

Wind awareness

You should always be aware of the true wind direction and how it will influence any manoeuvres

Here’s another subject you can’t learn on a prep course. Knowing where the wind is and how it relates your position to any impending manoeuvres is critical. I often ask a candidate where the wind is coming from when he’s approaching a situation we both know will involve some sort of gyration under sail. If he looks instinctively at the masthead or, worse still, an instrument set to apparent wind, he’s dropped a bagful of points. At this stage, his mind should be setting up where the boat will best be placed to make her critical turns. Apparent wind isn’t going to help him much. What he should be doing is glancing at the water and noting the tiny ripples to assess what the true wind is actually doing. I’m often amazed at how many folk have never been shown how to do this. Racing sailors can handle it in their sleep, because they need to predict windshifts, but cruisers tend to get lazy, so make sure you can read the wind.

Good sailing

No need for incessant, race-style tweaking, but pay due attention to sail trim while the yacht is under way. If there’s a mainsheet traveller, use it

Ensure that the genoa sheet leads are properly positioned for the point of sail you’re on

Lovely: both mainsail and genoa set up with the right amounts of tension and twist

All examiners hate to see a yacht sloppily sailed on passage. Make sure that your crew are using the traveller, that genoa fairleads are properly positioned, that the main is well set up with kicker and mainsheet tension for twist. Above all, do not sail over-sheeted. It’s a dead giveaway that you just haven’t been out there enough yet.

Too much staring at the plotter screen betrays nervousness

In the days before GPS set navigators free, people used to fail exams by what we called ‘sailing the chart table’ rather than skippering the yacht. Assuming the test to be all about some sort of imagined ‘correct navigational practice’, candidates nailed themselves to the navigatorium when they should have been up on deck directing operations and watching out for the ship coming up astern that was suddenly looking bigger every moment. Well, guess what? Nothing has changed. This remains a big problem with neophyte Yachtmasters.

Sail the boat, not the chart table

The secret is to plan well, then nip below every so often on passage to keep an eye on what’s going on in the chart department and whizz back on deck pronto to carry on skippering the boat. I’ll lay a pound to a penny it’s what you do when there’s no examiner on board, so have the confidence to back your own usual practices. This is particularly important at night in crowded waters. An unsuccessful candidate often fails himself by allowing disorientation to creep in, simply by not keeping the true perspective on events, which can only be found on deck.

The use of electronic nav-aids such as GPS is not ‘cheating’ – it’s an integral part of navigation

All examiners have their own take on use of electronics. Personally, I want to know my candidate is making modern aids to navigation, including a chart plotter if there one, an integral part of his navigational policy. The idea, as one candidate suggested, that use of GPS is somehow ‘cheating’ is incomprehensible to me. I will almost certainly ask at some stage that the yacht be navigated classically, to see how easy my man is with what, for most people, are now backup skills. If I’m unconvinced by his performance, off he goes to think again.

Your chartwork should be fluid and accurate

Skilled chartwork comes with use, and no amount of last-minute swotting can make up for weeks of doing it as a matter of course. Plotting traditional fixes is a good giveaway these days. With GPS all around us, we only do this for real when electronics fail. I’ve seen a person take 15 minutes to select three objects from a background studded with lights, then plot the results. The yacht had moved over two miles in the meantime…

It’s absolutely vital that you maintain a decent logbook during the exam

It’s absolutely vital, whether navigating with a giant chart plotter or a Walker log, that you maintain a decent log book. Without this, if GPS fails for any reason at all, you’re lost, Mate, so is your exam, and quite right too!

Take command

One of the most important questions on most examiners’ private lists is how good the candidate is at taking charge. If he’s managing well, we probably won’t even notice that he’s in command, that his crew all know what’s expected of them and that their skipper is quietly checking that they’re doing it. Good leadership is seldom about barking orders, and never about ignoring all on board, yet leadership is what being a Yachtmaster is all about. First, you must be sufficiently comfortable with your own skill levels not to have to worry about little things like picking up a mooring. Only then can you consider what may go wrong for the poor soul on the foredeck in a gale at midnight.

The classic skills

These are what most people imagine success in an exam is based upon. Actually, these basic skills merely help an examiner build up an overall picture of the candidate. It’s generally not a hanging matter if one manoeuvre goes a bit haywire. Even a grounding is often more interesting for what the candidate does about it than for the fact that it has happened. After all, nobody is perfect, especially under the stress of an exam.

Man overboard

An effective, confidently executed man overboard drill speaks volumes about a candidate’s boat-handling ability but it’s not necessarily curtains if the manoeuvre goes a bit haywire

Errors in principle are not popular with examiners. Mistakes under pressure may sometimes be forgiven, and man overboard is a case in point. If the boat sails past the dummy with her mainsail full and the examiner asks, ‘What went wrong?’ It won’t get you much of a score if you reply, ‘I was going too fast.’

‘Candidate’s speciality, stating the bleeding obvious,’ the examiner will note on his pad, and move on, downhearted.

However, if you say, ‘I’m kicking myself because I was too far upwind and couldn’t de-power the main. I tried to get onto a close reach but I misjudged my approach,’ he’s more likely to take a lenient view – especially if you’ve opted for ‘Coastal’.

Securing the yacht alongside

When I was examining instructors regularly, I’d often sail up to Poole Quay (a tidal wall) shortly before closing time. I’d hop off the boat as soon as she touched the piling, saying, ‘You sort her out, skipper, I’m off for a quick pint.’ I’d then do just that. When I returned 10 minutes later, if the yacht was neatly snugged down with four lines ashore, ends on the dock, a fender board in place, sails neatly stowed and all hands below cooking and relaxing, the guy was in good shape for a pass. If I found discussions on deck about whether to ‘hand the end back for a spring’, and people blundering about in the dark, things didn’t look so bright for our hero. Have a system and know how to execute it.

… and don’t forget

Mooring and anchoring

Mooring and anchoring under sail should present no challenge to the aspiring Yachtmaster. When in doubt, drop the mainsail

These are Day Skipper skills that should pose no threat to a Yachtmaster candidate. Under sail, just remember first to assess whether the wind is with or against the tide. If you get lucky and it’s against, drop the main and arrive stemming the stream, spilling under headsail or creeping along under bare poles. If wind and tide are at all ambiguous, never forget the old adage – when in doubt, drop the mainsail.

Meteorology

As forecasting has become more comprehensive and accessible, I’ve noticed a reduction in candidates’ capacity to understand what’s going on and to read a bulletin creatively. Anyone who can’t describe the typical cloud sequence on a North Atlantic depression gets nil points from me, and failure to understand the basics of air masses is going to run up a black mark too. A favourite with examiners is to produce a weather map and invite their Yachtmaster to analyse it. Be ready, and know your subject.

Tom sees no reason not to have a chart in the cockpit, but some examiners disapprove of it. Be ready to justify your choice

Many candidates produce excellent pilotage plans for entering a strange harbour. I’m happy with that, and most examiners love it. Personally, I prefer to sketch a few notes on the actual chart and have it in the cockpit held down with a winch handle, yet I’ve met examiners who’d be horrified to see a chart on deck at all. So there you have it. Do what suits you best, then be ready to justify your choice. Actually, this advice is good across the board. The examiner wants to see what you really do, not some fantasy you’ve cooked up because you think he might like it. That is a weak candidate’s policy and it often backfires.

No shortcuts here, 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 he is to be put on the griddle, not to have the regulations burned into his heart. The best way to be exam-proof is to invest in A Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road, available for modest money from all good chandlers or Bookharbour.com. Place it prominently in the heads some months before the exam and devote five minutes of the shining hour each day to digesting its wondrous contents. The book makes it easy and there’s no excuse for disappointing the Board of Trade!

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RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Yachtmaster Offshore Prep & Exam

Preparation course overview.

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation course enables those who hold the required prerequisite experience to sit the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam to fine tune their existing skills prior to sitting the practical exam.

About the course

The preparation course is run over 5 days and designed to assess your level of competency against the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam syllabus found in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158/15) and is intended to fine tune your existing skills and polish any areas of weakness prior to the exam. The subsequent exam is then run over two days, following the preparation course.

Prior the prep course, we advise that you read the exam syllabus and give yourself an honest appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses. Try to address any shortfalls beforehand and then during the preparation course be open with your instructor about your abilities and what you need to work on in the run up to your exam.

During the prep course your instructor will frequently update you on your progress and ability and recommend which exam you should aim for – whether Coastal or Offshore.

The syllabus is taught in a ratio of (4:1) students to instructor.

Please follow the link if you are looking for the RYA yachtmaster offshore professional course

Prerequisites

Rya yachtmaster coastal exam (sail).

Candidates must be aged 17 or over and require;

• A Radio Operators Qualification – A GMDSS Short Range Certificate (SRC) or higher grade of marine radio certificate
• A valid first aid certificate
• Seatime – 800 miles logged within 10 years prior to examination, 30 days living on board, two days as skipper and 12 night hours.

For holders of the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course completion certificate, the seatime requirement is reduced to 400 miles, 2 days living on board, 12 night hours, two days as skipper.

Half of the qualifying seatime must have been gained in tidal waters. For sizes of vessel please refer to page 73 in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158/15).

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam (Sail)

Candidates must be aged 18 or over and require;

• Seatime – 50 days, 2,500 miles, including at least five passages over 60 miles, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. Five days’ experience as skipper.

At least half of the qualifying seatime must have been accrued in tidal waters. For sizes of vessel please refer to page 73 in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158/15).

Full details and definitions on qualifying passages can be found here .

Exam overviews

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 Yachtmaster Coastal level.

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, with particular emphasis on command skills, boat handling under sail and power in confined spaces, plus navigation and pilotage techniques in daylight, at night and in reduced visibility. Adverse weather conditions and coping with emergencies are also covered.

The examiner will set tasks to enable you to demonstrate your ability as skipper and may also ask questions on any part of the syllabus for all practical and shorebased courses up to RYA Yachtmaster Offshore.

Exam Duration 

The exam will take around 8-12 hours per candidate candidate. No more than two candidates can be examined in 24 hours. Whilst one candidate is being examined the remaining candidates will act as crew.

Qualifications

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Certification of Competence.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence.

Dates and pricing

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• RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation & Exam

National Yachting School  » RYA Sail Crusing Courses  » RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation & Exam

Yachtmaster Offshore is competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage during where astronavigation is not necessary.

An RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence is often the ultimate aim of aspiring skippers. It is a well known, highly respected qualification worldwide, proving your experience and competence as a skipper.

To attain the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore candidates must pass a practical examination of their skippering ability. A Yachtmaster Offshore is capable of skippering the yacht on extended offshore passages by day or night. He or she will essentially be a much more experienced Yachtmaster Coastal and can do the same things more smoothly, for longer periods and in more arduous conditions. The theory knowledge required for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence is the same as that for Yachtmaster Coastal, but considerably more practical experience and skill is required.

The 4 days prior to the exam is run along the same lines as the Yachtmaster Coastal preparation. Your instructor will asses your skills and address any areas over weakness. A high level of boat handling under various conditions of wind and tide is required. Navigation skills should be at the level of Yachtmaster/Coastal Skipper theory and a thorough knowledge of collision regulations is expected. Your instructor will tailor the course to suit your individual needs in order to prepare you for when the examiner steps on board.

After 4 days your instructor will give you a thorough debrief and you should feel confident in your ability to take the exam should you feel ready to do so.

During the exam, your RYA examiner will meet you onboard and talk you through the plan for the day. They understand that you could be nervous and will do their best to allay your fears and make sure you are clear about what they want you to do. They are there to find out what you can do, rather than pick holes. You will be asked to undertake a short passage, but you may have to plan a longer one. In general, you should skipper the yacht in your normal style. If this means putting the kettle on every half hour, then do it!

Your examiner isn’t looking for first-time-every-time success, but you will need to demonstrate competence and a good understanding of how the boat reacts at various situations. Don’t hesitate to change sails or reef, if you think it is necessary for the task.

Whether you are fully in command of the yacht is the most important assessment that your examiner will make. Especially with Yachtmaster Offshore the examiner will be looking for high level of proficiency based on broad experience.

Course Duration: 4 days for the course and 2 days for the exam. Most courses start on Saturday evening and finish on Wednesday afternoon, the exam starts the same evening or the next morning after the end of the course.

Previous Experience Required: 50 days aboard, 5 days as skipper, 2500 miles logged (min. half of it MUST be in tidal waters!), 5 passages of over 60 miles including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper. VHF radio operators certificate (SRC or higher) and a valid First Aid Certificate recognised by the RYA. click here for the list of acceptable first aid certificates

Course Overview: Preparation and brush up for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence. Revision of advanced skippering techniques, close quarters handling under power and sail, navigation and pilotage by day and night, man overboard recovery and overall yacht management skills.

Minimum age: 18

Course price DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• exam fee paid directly to the RYA (205 GBP for YM Offshore, 177 GBP for YM Coastal)
• examiner's travel expenses from/to th UK (estimated approx. 300 Euro, shared between exam participants)
• food, harbour fees and diesel used for the boat

RYA Yachtmaster

Due to the coronavirus crisis, we are canceling all practical courses in Croatia until further notice. For new course dates, please keep an eye on our website.

Winter courses on Canaries

In NYS we believe that there’s no such a thing as winter in sailing and you can always find a good place to enjoy your hobby any time throught the year. So we offer popular winter courses again, this time on Canary Islands, starting from Tenerife because of the best flight connections.

RYA Sailing Accreditation Rated as the World’s Best

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) sailing qualifications have been voted the premiere sailing accreditation for excellence and global reputation following a recent survey targeting 200 professional yacht and motorboat charter companies. The professional charter companies that were surveyed own and manage in excess of 6,000 charter boats across the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Asia.

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National Yachting School Skola jachtingu s.r.o. Makovskeho namesti 3147/2, Brno, Czech Republic

Phone: +420 731 745 273 Phone: +421 902 896 099

Web: www.skolajachtingu.cz E-mail: [email protected]

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Yachtmaster Preparation Course and Exam

Course outline.

Elite Sailing has long experience and an excellent record of success in preparing candidates for the RYA Yachtmaster examination. We understand the standards required and know how to coach to achieve them. But in the end you have to have the knowledge and skill and demonstrate that on the day. If you are unsure about your readiness for the exam, call us.

We will always give you clear, objective advice on your skills relative to the exam criteria and then work with you to achieve your objectives. For the prep courses we employ only the most experienced Yachtmaster Instructors working under the guidance of a Yachtmaster Examiner.

A preparation course is intended to identify and address any weaknesses and polish skills and performance to achieve a high probability of success at the exam. Candidates must arrive on the course already equipped with the basic knowledge and skill and in reasonably current practice. There is no time to teach professional knowledge or skills from the beginning.

Format Options

• Yachtmaster (Sail) – 5 Days Prep and up to 2 days Exam
• Yachtmaster (Powerboat) – 1 Day Prep and 1 day Exam

Full details

Full details of syllabus and qualifying experience are provided in your RYA Log Book G158 and described in the detailed pdf on this page.

Minimum Experience requirements

YM (Coastal): 800 miles, 30 days at sea, 2 days as skipper.

YM Offshore: 2500 miles, 50 days at sea, 5 as skipper and 5 qualifying passages over 60 miles including 2 as skipper and 2 overnight.

YM (Advanced Powerboat): Two years relevant experience including night pilotage. (As a guide 30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night hours)*

*If you hold an RYA Advanced Powerboat Course Completion Certificate the seatime is reduced to: 20 Days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, and 12 night hours.

NOTE:  Course availability information temporarily disabled. 

Prices and latest dates for 2024 are:

Yachtmaster Prep and Exam (Sail):  £915 (7 days) 

Dates for 2024 are:

Sat 12th – Fri 18th Oct 2024 (Fully Booked)

Sat 2nd- Fri 8th Nov 2024 (2 Spaces Left)

Dates for 2025 are:

Mon 9th – Sun 15th Jun (Spaces Available)

Mon 4th – Sun 10th Aug (Spaces Available)

Sat 11th – Fri 17th Oct (Spaces Available)

Prices do not include the RYA Yachtmaster exam fees which are currently (2024):

YM (Coastal): £208  YM (Offshore):   £241  Partial Re-exam: £120

More dates coming.  Call the office or email to check spaces and book.

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Select the course and dates you would like to enquire about from the course availability table, this will populate the message box below (you can also add your own message too).

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Great school, fantastic skippers, and easy to reach from London! Really can recommend the weekend courses if you are busy working.

- Leonard Wossnig

Friendly but highly professional sail training, both shore-based and practical. Fred and the team are now my "go-to" RYA trainers of choice. After all, if you learn to sail in the Medway and Thames Estuary, in British weather, in February and March, you can probably sail anywhere!

- Gareth Draper

Positive: Communication, Professionalism, Quality, Value 100% recommended, good people dedicated, learnt a lot from Paul my instructor and Fred the boss.

- Richard Collis

Absolutely amazing experience. I took part in 2 days Milebuilder. Well prepared. It’s a pleasure to learn from such experienced people like Steve who was a skipper. Highly recommend and hope to return soon.

- Piotr Kurzawa

I've just come back from my first weekend for competent Crew and wow what a great experience. I definitely think I’ve got the sailing bug now. I was nervous before I started the course due to never sailing before. Also, I thought I'd be meeting people completely different from myself, and I wouldn't gel I am covered in tattoos and talk like someone from the cast of Harry brown 😂but everyone was sooo cool and the skipper big Steve was a proper lad and a great teacher! Spoke to us through the whole process, and he also allowed us to make mistakes and build our confidence to get it right. 👌

- David Barrett

Copyright © 2024 Elite Sailing, sailing courses for all abilities, All rights reserved. Elite Sailing is a Trading Name of Allan Yachting Limited Website Design by mad creative

Course has been added to your enquiry form.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Prep + MCA/RYA Exam

To attain the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore candidates must pass a practical examination of their skippering ability. A Yachtmaster is capable of skippering the yacht on extended offshore passages by day or night. He or she will essentially be a much more experienced Coastal Skipper and can do the same things more smoothly, for longer periods and in more arduous conditions.

• EXAM PREPARATION

Early in the week the instructor will asses your strengths and weaknesses and coach you in the areas required to pass the examination however our experience normally leads us to work on the following areas; passage planning, man overboard recovery, close quarters handling, skippering techniques, navigation in restricted visibility, pilotage and knowledge of the International Collision Regulations. The instructor will debrief you fully as the week progresses and ensure that you get time to work on those weaker areas. Before joining the course, students should have the pre-requisite experience outlined above, navigation theory to RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster theory level and a thorough knowledge of the Collision Regulations.

The examiner will ask each candidate to skipper the yacht on several short passages and complete various demonstrations of their skippering and sailing ability over the course of the weekend.

0900 Monday until the completion of all the exams which will be no later than 1500 on Sunday. Click here for an example schedule of how you will spend the week.

What's Included:

All food except the evening of joining, wet weather gear and accommodation onboard. Mooring fees are an extra and we suggest that you budget approximately £30 for this course. For details of what you should bring please refer to the FAQ's section .

Support Courses: 

• RYA Sea Survival
• RYA/ISAF Offshore Safety
• RYA First Aid
• PPR Course .

Supporting Books:

Please click here to view books for sale

Next Step: 

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Course

Duration: 7 days (Monday to Sunday), 5 day preparation and 2 day exam weekend.

Previous Experience Required:  Minimum 50 days aboard, 5 days as skipper, 2500 miles logged, 5 passages of over 60 miles including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper (Half the qualifying sea time must have been conducted in tidal waters). VHF radio operators certificate and a valid first aid certificate. Current theory knowledge to RYA Coastal/Yachtmaster theory.

Course Overview: Preparation and brush up for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence. Revision of advanced skippering techniques, close quarters handling under power and sail, navigation and pilotage by day and night, man overboard recovery and overall yacht management skills. Ratio 4:1

Click here to view full course syllabus.

Cost: 7 Days £895 + Exam Fee (£241)

Mobile: 07931 940277 07917 573772 Tel: 02392 528019

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RYA Yachtmaster Preparation

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence is one of the most useful and credible of all yachting qualifications. It thoroughly tests your ability as a skipper, and can therefore appear daunting to potential candidates. Our RYA Yachtmaster Preparation course aims to refine your existing skills and abilities as a skipper and sailor. We will assess and work on skippering and navigational techniques, close quarter sailing skills, man overboard recovery, pilotage, passage planning and much more. At the start of the week the instructor will assess your abilities, strengths and weaknesses, through coaching and practise during the five days these areas will be strenghtened. You will be debriefed on a daily basis and through discussion any areas which require improvement will be the focus. With practice and thorough preparation, you should be able to relax sufficiently to let your skills shine through any exam nerves.

Our preparation course takes place over 5 days with FREE use of the yacht at the end of the course for the exam, (this could be up to 2 days for 3 candidates). There will be a maximum of 3 students ensuring you get sufficient expert instruction and practise time. All of our courses are all inclusive ( NO HIDDEN EXTRA COSTS ), see below for details. Whilst we will do our very utmost to prepare you we want you to have the best chance of achieving your Yachtmaster ticket and with that in mind we recommend that you read the pre-course requirements and skills below.

Course Information

• What's Included
• Topics Covered
• Pre-course Requirements
• Pre-course Skills
•     5 days Top Notch Tuition!!
•     Accommodation on board
•     All food on board - three meals a day plus snacks and refreshments
•     Home baked tray bake (when Lou is able!)
•     All mooring fees and marina costs
•     Use of waterproof clothing
•     Use of personal safety equipment
•     Any incurred fuel costs
• International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
• Pilotage in good and restricted visibilty
• Passage planning plus passage making considerations
• General seamanship, including maintenance
• Responsibilities of the Skipper

The course will start and end at  Gosport Marina - PO12 1AH

We typically visit some of these ports and harbours

• Southampton
• 800 logged miles (reduced to 400 if you already hold the Coastal Skipper Certificate)
• 30 days sea time 
• 2 days as Skipper
• 2,500 logged miles 
• 50 days sea time
• 5 days as Skipper 
• 5 passages of over 60 miles including 2 overnight and 2 as Skipper
• Execute MOB under sail 
• Pick up a mooring buoy under sail in various conditions of wind and tide
• Leave a mooring buoy under sail in various conditions of wind and tide
• Drop the anchor under sail in various conditions of wind and tide
• Weigh the anchor under sail in various conditions of wind and tide
• Reef sails under sail
• Handle a boat in confined areas under sail and power

How do I Book?

Check out the available course dates and then contact us or book online. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact Lou or Jim for more information.

Testimonials

A great sailing weekend with Nomad with bespoke training tailored around our specific requests. Very approachable, great fun, and super-flexible to adapt around what we wanted and the prevailing weather conditions. I've also done various RYA courses with Nomad which have all been great - THE place to go for Day Skipper, Comp Crew, Yachtmaster training whether on the water or in the classroom

Jim and Lou Barden are fantastic instructors. I've now done competent crew and Day skipper with them as well as some other sailing. They factor in diets, nice marinas, tailored training, and social activities (pubs in the evening!). I wouldn't go anywhere else for my Yachtmaster training.

I recently completed my coastal skipper theory with Jim from Nomad, in a well structured course conveniently located in central London. I've subsequently been out in the Solent with them, benefitting from fantastic downwind sail training by Lou. Yachtmaster arranged with them for next year, they were really flexible in our planning for this.

• Start Yachting
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• Dayskipper All in one
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Professional Yachtmaster Offshore Commercial Training Programme

• 1:1 Tuition
• Sailing Trips
• Own Boat Tuition
• Dayskipper Theory
• Online Dayskipper Theory
• Yachtmaster Theory
• Online Yachtmaster Theory
• Online VHF Course
• Sea Survival
• ISAF Offshore Safety
• 2024 Round Ireland Yacht Race
• The 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race Expedition
• Corporate Yacht Racing Club
• Exciting Yacht Racing
• Relaxed Yacht Cruising
• Yacht Charter
• Booking Form

Kristian Aderman a Pro Yacht Racer from Sweden being examined by RYA Examiner John Roberts earlier this year

Train to Work in the Sailing Industry

14 weeks of practical training, next course : spring 2024, starts mon 19th february 2024.

For Course Prices Scroll Down or  Click Here

Below is a brief outline of the course content. Please contact us for a full description of the course program.

We would be delighted to have a sit down meeting with you over coffee to discuss your suitability for this program and how it can be tailored to suit your prior sailing experience. If you are booking from abroad we would be delighted to arrange a skype conversation to discuss the program with you.

Introduction

This course is designed to take the complete sailing novice to become a professional sailor in the sailing industry in an intensive accelerated course over fifteen weeks. The course culminates in the Yachtmaster Offshore Exam by an independent RYA Yachtmaster Examiner. This is a 10 hour practical and oral examination on all aspects of sailing a yacht in difficult circumstances. Provided you are hard working we will have you fully prepared and confident of passing the exam over the 3 months. We have run 11 successful Professional Yachtmaster Programs since the schools opening in 2011 and have almost 100% success rate in that every student has passed the exam first time after our training program. This is largely to do with having a small number of students and being able to focus on each students own weaknesses leading up to the exam. We have successfully trained students in the past who have gone on to work all over the world in different sectors of the sailing industry, from charter base managers, to delivery skippers, to Yachtmaster Instructors to yacht brokers to Riggers. We have developed contacts within the sailing industry over the past 10 years which you can call upon to help you achieve your first job in your new career within the yachting industry. The course is geared towards a career in the yachting industry, but we have a variety of students from guys in their 30s and 40s looking for a career change, to school leavers looking for an alternate second career before attending university to newly retired people looking to change their approach to their own sailing, a to finally sail in a professional confident way.

The course is divided into 3 modules of four to five weeks in duration. Students can enter the course program at different stages depending on their previous sailing experience and the cost of the course will be pro-rated accordingly. Please consult us on this. Many fast track courses are run by different sailing schools in the Med. Some advertise courses that are only 10 weeks long and at very low prices. These are soft courses in the sunshine with little or no wind. Exams are almost always conducted under the same conditions. Our experience of these schools has been shabby yachts and poor quality tuition. At Irish Offshore Sailing we will train you to cope with challenging weather confidently using a modern offshore yacht with the most up to date navigational equipment. These yachts enter the Fastnet Race and Round Ireland Yacht Race every year, so they are extremely well equipped.

Our Commitment to You

At Irish Offshore Sailing we draw upon a team of expert instructors with over 10 years training students on the Professional Yachtmaster Scheme. We have put a course program together not just to get you to pass your Yachtmaster exam, but to make you into a competent confident professional skipper. We see time and time again within the industry, sailors barely meeting the grade and delivering yachts by the seats of their pants. Our aim is to train you to a standard where we would trust you to deliver our yachts in the dead of winter, and rest assured that the yacht will arrive in pristine condition. Students who train and sail in Ireland and the UK during the Winter and early Spring, experience strong winds, heavy swells and other difficult conditions. These difficult training grounds challenge and drive students to excel and ultimately produce a higher calibre of skipper. At Irish Offshore Sailing, we run a professional, well structured course designed to meet your needs. We operate from our course from our base at Dun Laoghaire Marina using our two Jeanneau Sunfast 37 foot yachts “Desert Star” and “Sherkin” and our classroom facilities at the Royal Irish Yacht Club. Dublin Bay provides and incredible training ground for our students with a large tidal range, shallow harbours, commercial shipping, and offshore winds which allow us to continue sailing even under heavy wind conditions. The protection of the outer harbour in Dun Laoghaire allows us to sail even in the most challenging of winds, when any other school would have to have a day in the classroom.

Below is a brief outline of the course structure for our 2024 Spring Course,  our Autumn course will be very similar:

Module 1: February 2024

Week 1: Competent Crew (5 days) (Mon 19th – Fri 23rd February 2024)

Week 2: Dayskipper Theory (5 days) (Sat 24th – Sun 25th Feb & Fri 1st – Sun 3rd March 2024)

Week 3: Skills and Drills (3 days) (Mon 26th Feb –  Wed 28th Feb 2024)

Week 4: Dayskipper 1 (Navigation and Pilotage) (5 days) (Mon 4th  – Fri 8th March 2024)

Week5: Dayskipper 2 Mon 11th   – Thurs 15th March 2024 ( 4 days)

VHF SRC (1 day) (Sun 10th March 2024)

First Aid (1 day)  (Sat 9th March 2024)

24 days training incl. First Aid and VHF SRC

4 days break:   1600 Thurs 14th March  – 0930 Tues 19th March 2024

1 days break: 1600 Wed 28th Feb  – Fri 1st March 0930  2024

Module 2: March 2024

Week 1:  Yachtmaster Theory (6 days) (Tues 19th  – Sun 24th March 2024)

Week 2: Milebuilder Passage 1 (6 days) Northern Ireland (Mon 25th March  – Sat 30th March 2024)

Week 3: Coastal Skipper 1 (4 days) (Mon 1st – Thurs 4th April 2024)

ISAF Offshore Safety Course (2 day) (Sat 13th – Sun 14th April 2024)

Week 4: Milebuilder Passage 2 (6 days) Irish Sea (Sat 6th – Fri 12th April 2024)

Week 5:  Coastal Skipper 2 (5 days) (Tues 15th – Fri 19 April 2024)

30 days training – including ISAF Offshore Safety Course

1 day Break: 1600 Sat 30th March- 0900 Mon 1st April 2024 (1 day)

1 day break: 1600 Thurs 4th April  – 0900 Sat 6th April 2024 (2 days)

7 days break:   1600 Sun 19th April  – 0900 Mon 27th April 2024  (7 days)

Module 3: May 2024

Week 1: Milebuilder Passage 3 (7 Days) ( Sat 27th April – Fri 3rd May 2024)    Ireland South Coast

Week 2: Yachtmaster Preparation 1 (4 days) (Mon 6th May –  Thurs 9th May 2024)

Week 3:   Yachtmaster Preparation 2 (4 days) (Mock exams, all elements revised)  (Sat 11th – Tues 14th May 2024 )

Yachtmaster Offshore Examination   (2 days) (1400 Tues 14th May  – 1300 Thurs 16th May 2024 Approx.)

17 days incl. Yachtmaster Offshore Exams

2 days break : 1600 Fri 3rd May  – 0900 Mon 6th May 2024

1 day break : 1600 Thurs 9th May – 0900 Sat 11th May 2024

This course is comprised of 71 Days of Tuition and Examination

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam is organised on the last two days of the course. 

Professional Yachtmaster Training Program Prices

The 14 Week Course           €10,950

One Module                         €5,350

Two Modules                        €8,500

Whats included:

• All food on board during practical courses on the yacht
• Waterproofs
• All accommodation during practical yacht courses
• All our ordinary practical courses run from Monday 09:00 to Friday 16:00. Our milebuilders begin at 0900 on the first day and finish approx 1600 on the last day,  all shorebased courses begin at 0930 each day and finish approx 1630.

Whats not included: Food and accommodation is not provided during the shorebased courses. Air BnB’s, and hostels are available with good weekly rates and all the home comforts. Shorebased courses comprises of 15 days of the overall course length.  Neither accommodation nor food is provided during the weekends between courses.

€85 SRC exam and license fee for the the SRC course

Yachtmaster offshore examination fee of £240

Examiners travel expenses ( Approx €120 per student depending on candidates)

are not included in the course fee.

Offshore Yacht Sailing Personal Insurance  (€80 – €120)

This insurance is compulsory to participate in our mile building trips.

State Grants   

Some students have in the past qualified for small state grants to attend our courses as the ISA Coastal Skipper Practical Course falls under the national qualification fetac scheme. Please contact us for further details about obtaining a grant while attending this course.

Additional Gear and Advice

We strongly advise students to purchase their own sailing boots and gear before the commences. Contact us for advice on this. We don’t believe in flashy prospectuses to hook you in. We want to meet you for a coffee, or have a lengthy phone conversation, answer your questions, explain the course in great detail, learn about your background and your motivation for doing the course and assess your suitability for the course before your place is accepted. We monitor your progress very carefully during the course, and a high degree of self motivation, self learning and a good patient nature is required.

Previous Experience

While previous experience is not required before booking, but we do strongly advise that you attend at the very least a start yachting weekend or competent crew course before making a decision to book onto this intensive full time sailing course. The optimum is that each candidate would have around 500 miles of sailing experience prior to coming onto the sailing course. This means that you would have an understanding of what its like to sail a yacht offshore and at night before coming on the course. It also takes the pressure off  your attendance on the course, if you are sick for one week, then you may miss achieving your target mileage of 2,500 miles which is required to sit the Yachtmaster Offshore Exam, if you start the course with zero miles under your belt. We can advise you on how best to get these few days of training before the course begins when we meet for a coffee to show you the school and discuss the course.

• Full Terms and Conditions

Yachtmaster Prep Week

• General Description
• Important details
• Enrolment Form

The Yachtmaster Offshore Prep Week prepares experienced sailors for the Yachtmaster Offshore or Yachtmaster Coastal Exam. This is not a teaching course, but rather a preparation course with review of your existing skills and polishing it to RYA standards. The Prep Week is held over a period of 5 consecutive days on board, with daytime and night time navigation.

During the week we review your existing sailing experience while developing additional skills to manage the vessel using RYA principles and practices to the appropriate level of competence. Areas covered include but are not limited to: sailing of the vessel in different weather conditions, Man Over Board exercises, safety and emergency procedures, leadership and management of the crew, provisioning, navigation exercises such as blind navigation and passage planning, a review of the functioning of the diesel engine, radar, and other situations one might encounter as a skipper . We will review relevant theory such as the International Rules for Preventing Collisions at Sea, communications, navigation and various terminology.

From our base in Antigua, you will sail out of Jolly Harbour and practise navigating in St. Johns Harbour, around the north of the island to Long Island and then back down to Falmouth and English Harbour. Daily practice will also include docking in different conditions.   Do not expect to log a 60 mile passage during this practice week, or to have many miles added to your logbook, as we concentrate on skippering skills and not distances.

All of our practical sailing courses  are limited to four students on board .  This allows us to give you  maximum individual attention  and for our  instructors to create a bespoke sailing experience for each and every one of our students.

Groups of 5 can be accommodated on our Dufour 44’ should you wish to book together and enjoy the course as part of a larger group.

We often schedule complementary courses, should you need them, prior to or immediately following the Offshore/Coastal Prep Week, such as 

RYA First Aid ,

RYA SRC Radio

RYA Diesel Engine

As you complete the week, you will continue to the RYA Yachtmaster Exam, which we try to schedule after a one or two day break following the course. At our school, we require proof of completion of the RYA Coastal Skipper/ Yachtmaster offshore theory course before enrolling in the YM Prep course. We recommend completing the theory course online (the most convenient option) or in the classroom beforehand.

Prerequisites to sit for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Exam (completed in the last 10 years)

• 800 Nautical Miles of which minimum 400 in tidal waters
• These may be reduced to 400nm of which minimum 200 in tidal waters if you hold a RYA Coastal Skipper Certificate of Completion
• 2 days as skipper
• 12 night hours
• 30 days at sea
• SRC/VHF Radio Certification
• First Aid Certification within the last two years
• 17 years old at time of exam
• You can order paper or e-books on RYA SHOP – it is not mandatory, but there are several books that might be very usefull before and during your preparation.

Prerequisites to sit for the Yachtmaster Offshore Exam are: (completed in the last 10 years)

• 2,500 Nautical Miles of which 1,250 in tidal waters
• 5 passages of more than 60 miles of which 2 as skipper
• 2 overnight passages
• 50 days at sea
• You can order paper or e-books on RYA SHOP – it is not mandatory, but there are several books that might be very useful before and during your preparation.

Once you have obtained your RYA Yachtmaster Offshore/Coastal certificate of competence, you can request the Commercial Endorsement. We can help you with the process and advise on the Professional Practices & Responsibilities (PPR) course, which is one of the requirements for this Endorsement.

• Jolly Harbour Marina,
• Sorrento Building
• Antigua and Barbuda
• +1 268 723 9343
• [email protected]

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RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor – Everything You Need to Know

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor ticket is considered the most useful and credible of all motor cruising qualifications. Administered on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastgaurd Agency by the RYA the qualification is accepted as a worldwide standard. To gain an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor qualification you must sit a practical exam. 

What Does the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Allow You to Do?

Gaining an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor will allow you to work commercially on motor vessels not exceeding 200GT.

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam certifies that you are competent to skipper a motor yacht on any passage that is not more than 150nm from a harbour.

How Can You Sit an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Exam?

The exam can be organised via the RYA to be done on your own vessel or via an RYA training centre, to be done on an RYA training vessel. It should be noted, that to complete the exam on your own vessel, your vessel must be up to an appropriate safety standard.

Most RYA training centres offering the RYA Cruising Scheme offer some form of pre exam preparation or coaching for those looking to take an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam.

These courses are often referred to as ‘RYA Yachtmaster Prep’ courses. This is unique within the RYA training framework in that it does not have a fixed course syllabus, length or course completion certificate.

Who Can Do an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Exam?

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam is open to anyone who meets the minimum criteria, with all experience within the last 10 years.

• 18 years of age or older
• 50 days spent at sea
• 2500nm cruised, with at least 50% in tidal waters
• 5 days as skipper
• 5 passages of over 60nm, with at least 2 as skipper

If you have skippering experience but not the required days or passages, then the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor might be for you.

If you have the miles, but not the skippering experience, then again, the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor might be for you.

Additionally, exam candidates must also hold a relevant GMDSS VHF certification and an RYA First Aid certificate or recognised equivalent.

Can You Go Straight to the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Course and Exam?

You can indeed jump straight into the RYA Cruising Scheme at this stage, however, it is imperative that you understand the levels that are required of you, both in your knowledge and practical skills.

It is suggested that as a minimum you have completed (and passed) the RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Theory course as the knowledge in here is both required for you to be at the level required, but will be formally tested during your RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam, both orally and in practical applications.

What Do You Need to Know before Attending an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Course and Exam?

You, of course, need to be a suitably experienced skipper and this involves meeting the prerequisites mentioned above to be eligible. You should be able to handle your vessel competently in close quarters and at sea. You should be comfortable applying this in various day and night time passages.

As mentioned, it is strongly recommended to have completed the RYA Coastal and Yachtmaster Theory as the depth of knowledge gained from this shore based course will be tested throughout your exam. 

How Long Does an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Prep Course and Exam Take?

The exam can take anything from 8 hours to 2 days depending on how many candidates are being examined on one vessel at a time. Up to 4 candidates can sit the exam at once and this would last for a maximum of 48 hours if so.

An RYA Yachtmaster Prep course is generally four and a half days long and is usually directly followed by the practical exam.

Is There a Set Syllabus for the Prep Course?

No, this is the one time that while there is a recognised ‘course’, there is no syllabus. It is up to the experienced instructor on the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Prep course to tailor the learnings to your needs. This is more about refining your skills rather than teaching new ones.

You should be honest with yourself and your instructor in order for learnings throughout the week to be tailored to improve yourself on any weak areas that you may have.

What Should I Expect from a Prep Course?

These courses run as a standalone course and while there may be students on another course, generally everyone onboard is a candidate for an RYA Yachtmaster Exam. The courses should however be run with no more than 4 students on board.

The content will depend on the needs of all students and is aimed at fine-tuning existing skills rather than teaching new ones. This will involve a lot of night time cruising and navigation, carrying out challenging boat handling while using theory knowledge and ensuring general skippering skills are up to scratch.

There is a basic syllabus that is used to help shape the exam content, but in reality, you can be tested on anything from the RYA cruising scheme within the exam.

Before choosing the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Prep course you need to be honest with yourself and your own abilities. While on the course you need to take on the advice and guidance given by the instructor on what areas need work. If you speak to your instructor before the course, they can tailor the instruction to your needs.

What Should I Expect on an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Exam?

On the exam, you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and competence. You will be expected to take full responsibility of your vessel and crew. The examiner will be looking for you to demonstrate competence and show your broad range of experience.

The exam will be an intensive experience and even when you are not the designated skipper, you will still be asked questions and observed and examined as a participant of the crew.

During the exam you will be asked to complete various tasks, ranging from leaving the dock, skippering a short passage, casualty recovery, night pilotage and even blind navigation. Additionally, you will be tested on theoretical aspects such as how to deal with an engine failure, knowledge of your vessel’s stability, meteorology and IRPCS.

As a potential RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor, these tasks are ones that should now be second nature to you and should take minimal time to plan while the theoretical knowledge should be able to roll off your tongue. 

What Is the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Exam Syllabus?

The following topics make up the basis for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam syllabus. IRPCS, safety, boat handling, seamanship, responsibility as skipper, navigation, meteorology and signals.

But, as mentioned above, anything from the whole RYA cruising syllabus scheme can be tested.

What Is the Cost of an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Course and Exam?

As ever, many schools differ in price. We would recommend that you take a look around at the various options and find what suits your needs the best. Cheapest is not often better.

This can range from knowing if you will have to share a cabin while onboard to whether food and berthing charges are included to how many other students you will be sharing your week with.

The exam fee is usually not included, which is currently £231.

Where Should I Do My RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor?

As always there are many thoughts and pros on cons on this, and as a potential RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor you should consider yourself experienced enough to sit the exam anywhere. However, if you choose to sit the exam in an area that you are familiar with then you will take a little bit of the stress out of learning a new area and start with a small advantage of having that all important local knowledge at your disposal.

What Happens If I Struggle on thePrep Course?

Your instructor should be able to update you on your ability levels throughout the course. They will be highly experienced and it is suggested that you listen to their advice given.

If you are learning something for the first time you should consider if you are ready for the exam. Talk to your instructor and they will be able to guide you on if you are ready for the exam, if they would advise further training or if they recommend that you aim for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam instead.

What Is the Pass Mark for the Exam?

There is no pass mark as such and the examiner will be looking to see that you are a competent and complete skipper, capable of looking after both your vessel and crew in a safe manner.

Every exam is different and no examiner will be setting out to fail any candidates, but they must ensure and check that each candidate is able to demonstrate their ability, knowledge and skills in a safe and timely manner.

If you were to fail to reach the levels of an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor certificate of competence then the examiner will give you a thorough debrief complete with action points to work on before you have another attempt at the exam. 

What Comes After RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor?

After completion of the exam, you will have gained the highly sought after RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor certificate of competence and you can get this commercially endorsed by adding a sea survival certification, a personal medical and a PPR course, all of which, along with your GMDSS VHF and First Aid should be sent off to the RYA for certification upgrade. This will now allow the holder to skipper a vessel commercially, so long as it is less than 200 gross tonnes, up to 150nm from a harbour.

The next step is of course to get out on the water and to keep learning, keep gaining experience and keep improving on the skills and knowledge learned so far. No skipper is the finished article and we should all keep seeking to improve.

Within the RYA cruising scheme, there are a couple more steps that are possible. This is to progress and upgrade your RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor certificate of competence to an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Motor certificate of competence.

To do this there is 3 main steps, first, you will need to complete an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course, where you will learn about astro navigation, ocean meteorology and ocean navigation,   join the waiting list for our ocean theory course here . Next, is to complete an ocean qualifying passage that meets the necessary requirements. Finally, you will then need to complete another exam, this time an oral exam, where you will discuss your ocean qualifying passage and general ocean skippering skills.

On successful completion of this, you will be awared the highest accolade within the RYA cruising scheme, the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Motor certificate of competence.

One other direction of travel is to become an RYA Cruising Instructor for Motor. To do this, you will first want to consolidate your skippering skills and knowledge then look to come back and start off with an RYA Cruising Instructor course. On this course, RYA Instructor Trainers will assess and guide you through what is required and expected to work as an RYA Cruising Instructor for Motor. 

Releated Posts

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory – Everything You Need to Know

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail – Everything You Need to Know

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How to Pass the Yachtmaster Exam

Yachtmaster certificate of competence exam top tips, which yachtmaster.

First we need to be clear which Yachtmaster exam we are talking about. Leaving things like the Yachtmaster Instructor and Examiner Qualifications aside there are no less than 8 separate RYA certificates that are called “Yachtmaster”. This includes the 3 independently examined levels of Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence, (coastal, offshore and ocean).

RYA MCA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course

( Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased for short). This is a 6 day course which includes three written papers. It is assumed knowledge for all of the certificates that follow, so we will assume for the purposes of this article that you have already completed this course.

Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence (power or sail)

This certificate follows the successful completion of a practical exam which is discussed in this article. The exam can be taken on board a sailing yacht or motor boat, (and the qualification is endorsed for the relative type of craft). The Yachtmaster Coastal CoC certifies skippers to operate  up-to 20 miles from a safe haven on board commercial vessels up-to 24m, carrying up-to 12 passengers. It can also be used as an entry requirement for super yacht Officer Training ( OOW 3000 ).

Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence (power or sail)

A higher level practical exam, also discussed in this article. This certifies skippers to operate up-to 150 miles from a safe haven on board commercial vessels up-to 2000 tonnes, (again with up-to 12 passengers). It can also be used as an entry requirement for super yacht officer training and is a requirement to progress onto Yachtmaster Ocean CoC (below) and/or  MCA Master 200 .

RYA MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Certificate

aka Ocean Shorebased . This is a 5 day (or 40 hour online) course which includes one written paper. It is assumed knowledge for the oral exam that follows and beyond the scope of this article. You can read all about the Ocean Yachtmaster Course and Exam here .

Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence (power or sail)

An even higher level certificate that qualifies the holder to skipper beyond the 150 mile from a safe haven limit of the Yachtmaster Offshore CoC. The Yachtmaster Ocean exam is an oral exam and one of its pre requisites is the Yachtmaster Offshore CoC (above).The Yachtmaster Ocean Exam is beyond the scope of this article, but by popular request we have written a separate article about it,   MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence .

RYA MCA Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore Certificate of Competence Practical Exam

Getting back on topic this article specifically relates to the two practical exams (Coastal and Offshore), each can be taken onboard a sailing yacht or motor boat.

The exam for the Yachtmaster Coastal CoC and the Yachtmaster Offshore CoC is very similar and in fact different candidates can be examined together even if they are not taking the same level.

Exams are conducted with 1-4 candidates on board the vessel.

You can take the Yachtmaster exam on a sailing yacht or motorboat, and you will become a Sail or Power Yachtmaster as appropriate. This article covers sail and power exams as much of the advice is generic.

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster qualification is the global standard for sailing and motor boating. The definition of a Yachtmaster Coastal/Offshore is: ‘A yachtsman or woman competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage that can be completed without the use of astro navigation.’

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence remains the logical target of many a self-motivated sailor. It also represents the icing on the cake for those looking for the reassurance of an external assessment.

How long is the Yachtmaster Exam?

There can be up to 4 candidates on the boat with the examiner. A examiner will not conduct more than 4 exams at once and will not plan to examine more than 2 candidates in a 24 hour period. He/she will need to see each candidate skipper the boat underway by night.

Yachtmaster Coastal Exam Duration

• 1 Candidate – 6 to 10 hours
• More than one candidate  – 4 to 8 hours each

Yachtmaster Offshore Exam Duration

• 1 Candidate – 8 to 12 hours
• More than one candidate  – 5 to 9 hours each

For many candidates this means there will be a pause mid-exam while they and the examiner get some sleep before restarting in the morning. It is not unknown for exams to span two nights if there are 4 candidates (for example Friday evening 1800- Sunday morning 1100)

Listed below are some top tips to help you prepare for your RYA/MCA Yachtmaster exam.

Prepare early for your yachtmaster exam.

Most candidates spend some time with an Instructor, whether this is a 5-day preparation course with a sea school or some bespoke tuition on board their own boat. A half decent Yachtmaster Instructor will take you through many of the exercises that an Examiner will expect you to demonstrate and will put you in the mind-set of an exam candidate.

On the day  of the exam make sure you are ready in good time so that you aren’t involved in a last-minute faff. If you’re relaxing in the cockpit with a cup of tea when the examiner arrives, the examiner will be more impressed than if you’ve put yourself under stress attempting to work out the day’s tidal heights or secondary ports last minute!

When given a navigation task, prepare fully, make notes, prepare pilotage sketches and plan well! Nip below every so often en route to keep an eye on what’s going on in the chart department and whizz back on deck pronto to carry on skippering the boat. Don’t panic and don’t spend all your time sat behind the chart table, taking no notice of what’s going on around you, this is an obvious sign of someone who is ill prepared for the passage they are skippering.

HAVE YOUR YACHTMASTER EXAM PAPERWORK READY (and the kettle boiling)

The very first part of the exam will be paperwork. Before the examiner can proceed he/she will;

• Ask for your completed exam application form, be sure it is completed in advance and details your qualifying sea time.
• Ask for payment, (the examiner can not proceed if you do not pay up front)
• Ask for sight of your Short Range Certificate , (or a pass form if you have recently taken the course and exam and are awaiting the actual certificate). Higher level GMDSS certificates are acceptable.
• Request a passport photo of you (write your name on the back).
• Chat with you about your yachting background and qualifying sea time
• Outline what he/she expect from you over the coming day(s).

If you are applying for a commercial endorsement at the same time you will also require as a minimum;

• PPR Certificate
• Sea Survival Certificate
• Seafarers Medical Certificate
• Commercial endorsement form and payment

You will also need to hold an in date  First Aid Certificate .

BE TIDY AND ORGANISED THROUGHOUT YOUR YACHTMASTER EXAM

First impressions count! Make yourself presentable and ensure you’re looking professional. That’s you and the boat!

Make sure the yacht is clean, tidy and seamanlike. The waterline crisp, sail covers looking ship shape, ropes coiled neatly and carefully stowed and fenders aligned. An experienced skipper once told me, you should know your boat so well that you should be able to find anything you need at any moment in time, including at night during power failure! A tidy boat is a sure sign of a safe boat.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT PREPARATION, FOR YOUR YACHTMASTER EXAM

Repetition, repetition, repetition. There is no point in having sailed (or motored) thousands and thousands of nautical miles if you can’t carry out Day Skipper tasks. If you can not confidently demonstrate all boat handling or seamanship skills, such as picking up a mooring buoy or putting a reef in, then you’re not ready for the exam yet!

There is nothing worse than entering or leaving a marina, wondering if you’re going to hit something. Brief your crew, make sure everyone knows what they are doing, and proceed with confidence. If the boat slides smoothly out of her berth with crew briefed and knowing what’s expected you will look good. Your calm manner, and a sensible amount of revs for power handling will immediately put the examiner’s mind at ease and give no reason for concern. If Plan A fails, take a breath, and start over. The examiner understands that mistakes can be made under exam conditions, he/she will be more impressed if you stop, recompose yourself and get the manoeuvre right, rather than continue to try and complete a bodged first attempt. There is no such things as a perfect exam, every candidate will make small mistakes, the stronger candidates will spot them, themselves and do something about them.

Without a doubt, you will be quizzed on COLREGS . There’s no reason for a candidate, not to have these regulations engrained into their brain. A good way of ensuring you have these nailed, is to study ‘A Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road.’

YACHTMASTER EXAM IRPCS

There is no need to learn the collision regulation parrot fashion but you should have a working knowledge of every rule and you should be able to;

• Identify any vessel at night by lights
• Describe the day shape for any vessel
• Describe the fog signal for any vessel
• Explain any rule
• Apply the collision regulations practically through the exam
• Explain what actions you would take in fog if you have detected another vessel by radar alone.

Candidates who forget a particular rule such as “ what does a vessel constrained by night display at night? ” MAY still pass if they know the rest of the rules and are otherwise strong, however a candidate who fails to apply the rules correctly when he/she is skippering will fail. If a large vessel sounds 5 horns at you during your exam you are going to have to work very hard to recover! Do not put yourself in a position where this might occur.

YACHTMASTER OFFSHORE SHOREBASED KNOWLEDGE

Be ready, know your subject.

You can be quizzed on anything within the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course,  you will also be expected to put the navigation, IRPCS, passage planning and forecast skills from this course into practice. If you don’t have this knowledge then you are waisting your exam fee as you will fail. You will also be tested on a basic understanding of Radar and Diesel engines . I am a strong believer that all Yachtmaster candidates as well as having passed the Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased course should also have attended the following courses before taking their practical exam as you can be tested on any and all of these areas.

• RYA Short Range Certificate , it is likely you will each be quizzed on VHF procedures, distress alerting, the mayday call or other calls during the exam. You may also need to make a routine call to a marina or harbour during the exam.
• RYA Sea Survival . The safety brief that you deliver will include lots of content from this course, (i.e flares, EPIRB, life raft and life jackets), you can expect to be questioned on more detail on these and other areas.
• RYA Diesel . Typically candidates will be examined on engine checks and they will also be given a part of the engine to talk about or a common problem to solve, for example, “ Can you talk me through how you would bleed the full system on this engine ,” or “ Show me the components of the cooling system and explain which part of it may need servicing at sea if the system has run dry for a brief period’ “
• RYA Radar.  If the vessel is fitted with a radar you will be tested on its basic set up and use. You should be able to fix position by radar, find a spot on the chart by radar and identify when a risk of collision exists by radar. If there is not a radar set on board, any of this can be tested theoretically. All candidates should be tested on radar and motor candidate tend to be pushed a little further on this area, (while they escape the sailing part of the assessment).
• RYA First Aid . While you are required to hold a First Aid Certificate, Yachtmaster examiners will not test First Aid beyond the treatment for hypothermia, the effects of cold shock, calling for medical assistance and discussing evacuation by helicopter.

TAKE CHARGE DURING YOUR YACHTMASTER EXAM

One of the key things an examiner is looking for, is to see how good the candidates are at taking charge. This is more than just a sailing (or motoring) exam it is a skippering exam. Can you manage your boat? Can you manage your crew? Clear, decisive and safe briefings followed by ongoing directions to the crew are required.

Good leadership and seamanship alike, do not involve barking orders, it is about being in control in a calm, effective and efficient manner while showing you can skipper (lead). Demonstrate your organisational and methodical thinking.

Play to your strengths. There is no definitive way to be a skipper, so don’t change your tried and tested methods to try and impress. Stick with what you know and carry them out smoothly and confidently. Don’t rush and panic. “Go slow like a pro.”

YACHMASTER EXAM MAN OVERBOARD

It is almost a, “dead cert,” that each candidate will be asked to demonstrate a MOB drill at some point during the exam. This is typically done using a fender or similar attached to a small weight, (never a real person). There is a myth that Yachtmaster Examiners expect the drill to be carried out by the “RYA method,” and this is true, what is not true however is the various myths of what constitutes the RYA method!

Yachtmaster Exam – Man Overboard RYA Method

Your examiner will expect you to a take charge, not to loose sight of the MOB (fender), to get back to it safely without endangering other crew and to get the boat stopped alongside the casualty with the casualty somewhere safe (i.e near the leeward shroud on a sail boat and not too close to the props on a motor exam), ready for pick up back on board.

Man Overboard Exam Tips

If you are training with other candidates agree a method that works for all of you. When you are the skipper under assessment you want your crew to react and know what is expected of them. If each candidate on the same boat opts for a different MOB method it can lead to confusion.

Along the way you should simulate/say everything relevant to the casualties survival (mention throwing the MOB gear overboard, appoint a spotter, press the MOB function on the GPS, tell the examiner you would assign a crew members to issue a distress alert and Mayday call).

Man Overboard Exam Tips (for sail candidates)

In addition to the tick list in the above paragraph, use the engine! The exact drill of how you reach/tack, slow down, speed up etc. will vary from candidate to candidate and boat to boat. The important thing is that the method you opt to use works and is safe. I advise against gybing during your MOB drill in medium and stronger winds.

A sail candidate who opts to approach the casualty from upwind (where the mainsail will be filled as you sail or motor downwind) would be demonstrating a gross misunderstanding of how to control speed and how to stop a sailing yacht.

Man Overboard Exam Tips (for power candidates)

In addition to the tick list two paragraphs above be mindful of the rest of the crew. If at high speed when the MOB occurs, don’t turn suddenly, instead slow the boat down and ensure crew know if you intend to make a sharp turn. We don’t want  a crew ember (or the examiner) to fall over or worse overboard! On many boats in light and moderate conditions you can turn the boat and follow your wake to return to the MOB, in rougher sea states this might not work. There are basically three steps.

• Dont loose the MOB’s position
• Get back to the MOB
• Get alongside the MOB for pick up, without running him over

On many motor boats having got the boat back to the vicinity of the MOB, it pays to orientate yourself beam onto the wind and upwind of the MOB and allow the vessel to be blown sideways towards the MOB, this protects him/her from the risk of the bow and engine and is often referred to as the drift down method. As with sailing there are lost of variations on this method and what is important is the method that you use is safe and that it works.

YACHMASTER EXAM SAILING MANOUVERS

It is likely that you will be asked to either sail onto or sail off a swinging mooring (mooring bouy), an anchor or a pontoon. Make sure you are comfortable and competent at all before your exam. By way of example I will focus here on the mooring buoy. In non tidal waters the boat will lie on the mooring head to wind so the approach will be on a close reach under mainsail. In tidal waters certain combination of wind against tide may dictate an approach under headsail on a different point of sail.

The examiner will expect to see you;

• Brief the crew on how the manoeuvre will be performed
• Helm throughout the manoeuvre
• Prepare the boat for the manoeuvre (using the crew)
• Select the correct direction and angle of approach
• Select the correct sail combination for this approach
• Control the boat speed on the approach bringing the boat to a stop in a controlled manner
• Picking up and secure to the mooring bouy safely

If at any point the manoeuvre is not working the examiner will expect you to make the decision to bail-out and to have an escape plan in mind. Remember it will be your call to bail out not his.

YACHTMASTER EXAM, BOAT HANDLING UNDER POWER

During the exam you will have to demonstrate some boat handling under power. This may be a natural part of a passage you are skippering (i.e. at the start and end of the passage) or may be a specific boat handling session. Most candidates will demonstrate they can moor up, depart a berth and turn the boat in a confined space. You may be asked to demonstrate more than one berth so the examiner can see how you respond to different states of wind and tide. Some times an examiner will be specific (for example ask you to berth starboard side to, stern first on pontoon XYZ), other times he will leave some of the decision making to you and simply say berth on pontoon ABC. In the second  example he will expect to see you make a sensible decision as to whether to moor bow or stern first and from where to approach. If you are asked to repeat a manoeuvre performed by another candidate do not make the mistake of blindly copying the last candidate, take a minute to consider if they did it well or if an alternative approach would work better. Every boat manouvers differently but there are some givens for close quarter handling;

• Slow is Pro!
• Approaching down forces i.e. down tide (or down wind if no tide) is poor seamanship if you have the option not to
• Using excessive engine revs in confined space demonstrates a lack of experience and control
• Turning against prop walk should be avoided if possible.
• Using wind, tide, pivot points, momentum and prop walk to assist you will all make your manoeuvring easier and, “score you points” in the examiner’s mind.

If the manoeuvre is not working, bailing out safely is far better than perceiving trying to a make the best of a bad job. I can assure you that if you are half way through a manoeuvre and suddenly realise you have selected the wrong approach the examiner has spotted this several minutes earlier. He/she will be quietly hoping you opt to rectify the error rather than compounding it by continuing. Don’t disappoint him by continuing an approach that is clearly too fast or not going to work.

Just like the sailing manoeuvres described above you need to helm the boat through these manoeuvres, brief the crew and perform the manoeuvre well. You should not rely on crew jumping ashore with lines to stop the boat, you as helm should stop the boat so that crew can step ashore safely. If a spring line is appropriate to depart a berth then use it, but don’t over complicate things. It is quite embarrassing when a candidate opts to “spring off” a “wind off” berth when they could have simply just let the lines go. If manoeuvring in close quarters still phases you then you are not ready for the Yachtmaster exam and need some more boat handling practice first.

YACHTMASTER EXAM SUMMARY

There are many more components to the exam (pilotage, blind pilotage, voyage planning etc.) and the above is just a taster. If I have not scared you off yet, you have your own boat and require bespoke training (power or sail) I can be contacted through this site.

Yachtmaster Instructor

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RYA Sailing Courses

Rya yachtmaster coastal and offshore – prep course and exam.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate – Prep Course & Exam

An RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate is the ultimate sailing qualification for UK sailors and for many aspiring professional sailors around the world. Whether you want the Yachtmaster Certificate of Competency to be able to charter yachts as skipper anywhere in the world, as proof you have reached the pinnacle of your leisure sailing ambitions, or you need it for a sailing career, you will need to pass the exam. It is nautical equivalent of a driving license, no matter if you are into racing yachts, classic boats, super yachts or motor boats.

If you pass and meet the pre-requisites to convert it into a commercially endorsed MCA/RYA Certificate of Competency, you are legally qualified to skipper a vessel up to 24 metres or up to 200 tonnes.

Why do a Yachtmaster Preparation Course ?

Unlike other courses in the cruising programme, there is no formal training to complete in order to become  a Yachtmaster Offshore. Instead, provided that you have sufficient experience and seatime (see pre requisites), you can put yourself forward for an exam to test your skills and knowledge. This exam takes place on an approved yacht with an external RYA examiner testing both your practical skills and your theoretical knowledge over 5-9 hours per candidate, or slightly longer if you are the only candidate being examined.

Our Yachtmaster Prep course has a generous 5 days (more than most schools) and 2 days set aside after the course for those that feel ready to take the exam.

Benchmark for a Successful Exam Pass

If you have not completed a shore based Coastal skipper/Yachtmaster theory course then please check the syllabus to make sure you are confident with your theoretical knowledge (especially Rules of the Road IRPCS)  and the practical application of navigational skills. We can now offer you a Long Distance Yachtmaster Coastal/Offshore Theory Course, which gives you the option of when, where and for how long, you study.

A RYA Yachtmaster Coastal (formerly Coastal Skipper) should have the knowledge to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages.

A RYA Yachtmaster Offshore should be able to enter any well-charted harbour for the first time, with sufficient depth, by day or night. The only way to gain confidence is by practice, particularly at night when skill is required in picking out navigation lights and buoys against a background of shore lights. (If you have colour blindness please talk to us before booking)

With a course over 7 days, your fully qualified instructor will be able to devote plenty of time to your individual needs with regular debriefings and coaching aimed at helping you to raise your standards.

Fee’s for Yachtmaster Certificate preparation

Voyage fee is for the full 5 days of instruction (or 8 days if you go on to do the exam)

Examination fee payable to the examiner -RYA Yachtmaster offshore Exam is £215 and Yachtmaster Coastal is roughly £185 per person (2019).

Yachtmaster Coastal Pre Exam Requirements

Radio Operators Certificate – for example (restricted) VHF Radio Operators Certificate or a GMDSS Short Range Certification or higher grade marine radio qualification.

Valid First Aid Certificate – First Aid certificates held by police / fire or armed servicesare also acceptable.

Seatime – 800 miles logged within 10 years of the examination. 30 days on board. 2 days as skipper and 12 night hours. (half the qualifying seatime must have been conducted in tidal waters)

Yachtmaster Offshore Pre Exam Requirements

Seatime – 2500 miles. 50 days on board. At least 5 passages over 60 miles and acting as skipper for at least 2 of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages.

Skipper experience – at least 5 days as skipper. (Half the qualifying seatime must have been conducted in tidal waters)

50 Days seatime & 5 days as skipper – 2500 miles logged – 5 passages over 60 miles -including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper.  Qualifying passages must be over 60 miles non stop by the most direct route and involve no change of skipper during the passage.

Bring with you to the exam

RYA logbook or evidence of your sailing experience and qualifying passages

• Passport photo
• cheque or credit card details for Exam fee payable to the RYA
• First Aid Certificate
• VHF Radio Operators Certificate
• You must be over 18 years of age & qualifying experience gained over the age of 15.
• Certification required before the examination:
• VHF Radio Operators Certificate – First Aid Certificate

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RYA YACHTMASTER PREPARATION

• Are seriously involved in sailing
• Want to become a valuable crew member
• Want to skipper your own yacht in coastal or offshore areas day and night
• Want to prepare for the coastal or offshore yachtmaster assessments
• Holder of a valid First Aid Certificate
• Holder of a SRC VHF (DSC) license
• Yachtmaster Coastal - 30 days sea time (2 days as skipper), 800 nm, 12 night hours all on a sailing yacht and Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster offshore theory or equivalent knowledge, alternatively have the Coastal Practical certificate with 20 days sea time (2 days as skipper), 400nm and 12 night hours.
• Yachtmaster Offshore - 50 days sea time (5 days as skipper), 2500 nm, 5 passages min 60nm with 2 overnight and 2 as skipper all on a sailing yacht and Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster offshore theory or equivalent knowledge.
• 5 days, taken over 5 weekdays
• 18 years (to sit the RYA Yachtmaster™ Certificate of Competence exam)
• To brush up on your acquired skills and go through what you can expect from the exam.
• For Yachtmaster Coastal you will be aiming to demonstrate an understanding of the syllabus but not necessarily had the opportunity to put the skills into practice under different conditions.
• For the Yachtmaster Offshore you will be aiming to show competence in all areas of the syllabus.
• Boat Handling
• General seamanship and maintenance
• Responsibilities as skipper
• Meteorology
• Ready for your RYA Yachtmaster™ Certificate of Competence exam.
• Full board whilst onboard the yacht
• Safety equipment, i.e. lifejacket and safety line
• Cooking gas
• Fuel, although hopefully you will be doing more sailing than motoring
• Mooring and marina fees
• Secure marina parking

learn to sail

Yachtmaster prep, rya yachtmaster coastal, rya yachtmaster offshore, yachtmaster prep scotland, rya yachtmaster prep, yachtmaster course, rya courses.

© 2024 Stavordale West Limited (trading as 'Britsail') is a Private Limited Company Registered in Scotland. Company No:SC387703

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Call us: +441983 280 641

+441983 280 641

Yachtmaster Power Prep Course

To prepare you for the RYA Yachtmaster Power Exam. The Course price included the £241 exam fee.

£2,040

Cowes, Isle of Wight

• Yachtmaster power

Our Yachtmaster Power Prep Course is a one-week practical course to consolidate your practical and theoretical knowledge in preparation for the RYA Yachtmaster exam.

This course is popular with experienced Superyacht Deckhands, crew from the commercial maritime sector, or those with RYA Yachtmaster sail looking to convert to Yachtmaster Power.

The RYA Yachtmaster qualification

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Power Certificate of Competence allows the holder to skipper of a motorboat up to 24 meters in length, 150 miles from a safe haven. Add STCW Basic Safety Training , and you have a qualification to skipper a motorboat up to 200GT, which may be more than 24 meters.

RYA Yachtmaster Theory

To pass the practical exam, candidates must have an excellent knowledge of navigation to RYA Yachtmaster Theory standard or equivalent. If you have not completed the RYA Yachtmaster theory course, we recommend joining our two-week theory and practical course.

Course Overview

Our Yachtmaster Power Prep Course has five days of practical training, putting the theory into practice and learning how to manage the yacht and its systems, mooring, and many other skills required to be a competent skipper. A day-by-day breakdown of what is covered can be found in the key facts below.

The RYA examiner steps on board on the evening of day five; your exam will run over the weekend, finishing Sunday afternoon.

Course prerequisites

You must have the prerequisite miles and experience for the practical prep, which you must document and provide to the examiner before you sit the Yachtmaster Offshore exam. Some essential requirements are:

• Completed 2500 miles in the last ten years.
• Within the 2,500 miles above, you have completed at least five passages (known as qualifying passages) of over 60 miles. You would have been acting as skipper for two of these passages.
• You must hold a valid First Aid certificate.   Please note that if you hold an STCW Elementary First Aid, it must have been issued in the last five years .
• Hold a GMDSS-compliant marine radio license, such as the RYA VHF short-range radio certificate.

Not sure about the requirements for RYA Yachtmaster?

We have a comprehensive guide on the  Yachtmaster Offshore and Coastal exam requirements . If you are still unsure, don’t hesitate to contact us for further guidance.

The RYA Yachtmaster Exam

The Yachtmaster exam is conducted by an RYA examiner independent of Flying Fish. Your instructor will not be onboard for the duration of the exam. The RYA examiner will look at all areas of the Yachtmaster syllabus and assess each candidate’s practical and navigational skills. Your examiner will complete a report form detailing skills covered during the exam. 

The Solent offers a great training ground with numerous challenging ports, tides, and traffic. Because of the conditions, you will improve your overall knowledge of skippering a small motorboat. 

Flying Fish is based in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. The Island offers protection, which means we can operate in almost any weather conditions.

There are a maximum of four customers  on this course.

Before you join the course

• You must be 18 years old to sit the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam.
• Have completed a minimum of 2,500 miles before you sit the Yachtmaster offshore exam. At least half the sea time must be in tidal waters on a Motorboat between between 7 and 24m in length .

Note: If you have been working on a Superyacht/a vessel over 24m, then at least 1,250 sea miles gained on the larger vessel can be used towards the 2,500 required.

Please click the link below for more details on recording your sea miles, converting from sail to power, and more.

Requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam  

For RYA Yachtmaster’s to work as professional skippers, you must apply for commercial endorsement through the RYA. If you plan to work in the maritime sector, please see our article on how to apply for Commercial endorsement .

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Power certificate of competence allows the holder to skipper of a Motorboat up to 24 meters in length, 150 miles from a safe haven.

Add STCW Basic Safety Training , and you have a qualification to skipper motor boats up to 200GT, which may be more than 24 meters.

Not all candidates have the sea time or command experience for the RYA Yachtmaster  Offshore   Certificate .

Candidates with 800 miles logged choose the Yachtmaster  Coastal certificate . Furthermore, some skippers have no intention of going offshore and want to stick to coastal waters.

If you own a motorboat, have no intention of going offshore, and are looking for a qualification that provides confidence, we recommend the Yachtmaster Coastal route.

This course is suitable for RYA Yachtmaster Coastal.

Fish Tales is a Fairline Phantom 40′. She has two Volvo Penta 370 HP diesel engines. She is a shaft-driven boat with a bow and stern thruster to help with maneuvers.

Fish Tales has two 12″ Garmin 8600 series plotters, a 24″ Garmin HD Radar, and an engine and rear-facing camera. All the instruments connect to a TV in the saloon so the entire crew can visualize the navigation exercise.

She is a comfortable, well-equipped boat with heating, a generator, and all the safety equipment you would expect to find on a CAT 2-coded vessel.

If you choose to stay with us, you will stay in one of our self-catering crew houses in Cowes, which are comfortable and centrally located.  There is plenty of space to complete homework and chat through the day with others on the course. Our accommodation is a 5-minute walk from the town and our training centre.

All customers booked onto our Yachtmaster Prep courses have their own room.

• All training, fuel and berthing fees included
• 100 miles logged
• Accommodation is not provided onboard.

£231 Yachtmaster Offshore/Coastal exam fee is not included.

• Introduction to the boat, systems, and safety producers onboard
• About the exam, what to expect
• Engineering, engines, control systems, and what to look out for
• Boat handling
• Marina berthing
• MOB and recovery at sea
• Engine checks/safety brief
• Navigational exercises in the Solent
• Picking up mooring buoys
• MOB and recovery
• Night-time navigational exercises
• Marina berthing/confined space boat handling
• Single engine berthing
• Navigational exercises day-time
• Night Navigation exercises
• Marina berthing/confined space exercises
• Boat handling exercises/single-engine berthing
• Revision of the Yachtmaster syllabus

Friday afternoon, the RYA examiner arrives

Saturday/Sunday

The examiner will join the boat, and your instructor will step off. The Yachtmaster Power exam will last between 12 and 48 hours depending on the number of candidates being examined, a maximum of 4 in any 2-day session. The exam will take place within the Solent. The examiner will ask each candidate to perform a series of practical and navigational exercises based on the weather and tidal conditions of the day.

What our previous customers have to say

What an absolute honour and pleasure it was being a part of Flying Fish family for the 2 weeks I completed with them! From the professional, helpful and attentive staff to fun, laughter and memories.

Staff are amazing and so kind! Great course and great accommodation. Lovely location and an all round great friendly atmosphere.

Book Yachtmaster Power Prep Course today!

Finance options available

Contact us for more information , about financing your career, or click on the icon below, and we will contact you.

If you prefer to pay by card, choose a start date, then review your booking.

• Choose an option
• 26th May 25

Accommodation

Single room in shared accommodation.

Accommodation is sold out for the dates you have selected, please contact us to discuss your options

Hold your space for 48hrs

Still not sure.

From training to career advise we’ll be happy to sit down and give you the guidance you need!

Have you completed your VHF course?

If you hold an STCW Elementary First Aid Certificate, it will need need to be refreshed if more than five years old.

If you have not completed the RYA Yachtmaster Theory and want to brush up on your navigational skills, why not join our two-week Yachtmaster Power, Theory, and Practical Course.

RYA VHF Radio Course

Rya yachtmaster theory course.

The RYA Yachtmaster theory is an advanced course for anybody who wants to master offshore navigation.

Yachtmaster Power Theory and Practical

Combines both RYA Yachtmaster Theory and the practical prep week.The Course price included the £241 exam fee.

£2,460

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