yachtmaster meaning

Certificates of Competence
RYA Yachtmaster

What is an RYA Yachtmaster?

The RYA Yachtmaster® 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. Unlike other qualifications in the cruising programme, there is no formal training course to become an RYA Yachtmaster. Instead, provided you have sufficient experience, certification and seatime, you can put yourself forward for an exam to test your skills and knowledge. There are a number of RYA navigation courses that will help you prepare for your exam. Many RYA Yachtmaster candidates also choose to book themselves into an RYA training centre for some specialised exam preparation training, but this is not compulsory.

You are capable of coastal passages

You are competent to undertake passages up to 150 miles offshore

You have the knowledge and experience to sail worldwide

Arranging your exam

The Coastal and Offshore exams are practical tests afloat, and the Ocean is an oral exam. Find out more about qualifying passages, exam fees and how to book.

With an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore or Ocean Certificate of Competence you can start a career at sea.

You'll need to have the appropriate qualification for the vessel and area of operation.

If you want to work commercially, you'll need a commercial endorsement.

Find out more about other RYA professional qualifications.

Getting the most from a Yachtmaster Fast Track course

Can you really become an RYA Yachtmaster in as little as 14 weeks? Check out our top tips for getting the most from a Yachtmaster Fast Track course...

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What's the difference between RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and RYA Yachtmaster Coastal?

04 March 2016

The RYA Yachtmaster qualification has long been recognised by many as the premium sailing qualification for the experienced leisure sailor. In recent times, the Yachtmaster qualification has been further defined and is now split into three subsections, namely Yachtmaster Coastal, Yachtmaster Offshore and Yachtmaster Ocean. Unlike the RYA Day Skipper qualification, all three qualifications are gained through external examination.

The holder of a Yachtmaster Coastal qualification should be competent to skipper a yacht of up to 24 metres LOA in waters up to 20 miles from a safe haven. A Yachtmaster Offshore is qualified to skipper a vessel of the same size up to 150 miles from a safe haven. Yachtmaster Ocean extends the Yachtmaster Offshore qualification and qualifies the holder to skipper a vessel of the same size and up to 200gt anywhere in the World.

As one would expect, each examination requires that the candidate have a minimum level of experience prior to the examination. Prior to the Yachtmaster Coastal examination , a candidate must have a minimum of 30 days at sea, with 2 days as skipper and at least 800 miles logged, including 12 night hours. If you hold the Coastal Skipper course certificate already then this is reduced to 20 days at sea with 2 days as skipper, 400 miles logged and 12 night hours. Half the qualifying sea time must be conducted in tidal waters.

To qualify to undertake the Yachtmaster Offshore examination , you must have a minimum of 50 days at sea, 2,500 miles logged, including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. The candidate must have 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must be in tidal waters. All qualifying seatime must be within 10 years prior to the exam.

In both instances you will also need to hold a GMDSS short range radio certificate.

For advice on what examination you should be studying for, call our senior instructor and RYA Yachtmaster Instructor for a chat on [email protected] or call 07925 784407.

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

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

How to Become a Yacht Master in the RYA

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

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

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

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

Understanding the Role of a Yacht Master

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

Responsibilities and Duties

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

Skills and Qualifications

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

Prerequisites for Becoming a Yacht Master

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

Sailing Experience

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

Required Certifications and Licenses

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

Physical Fitness and Health Requirements

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

Yacht Master Training and Certification

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

Choosing the Right Training Program

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

Essential Courses and Modules

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

Preparing for the Yacht Master Examination

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

Gaining Practical Experience

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

Building Sea Miles

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

Networking and Finding Opportunities

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

Learning from Experienced Yacht Masters

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

Advancing Your Yacht Master Career

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

Continuing Education and Professional Development

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

Joining Professional Associations

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

Exploring Job Opportunities and Specializations

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

Tips for Success as a Yacht Master

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

Developing Strong Leadership Skills

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

Staying Updated on Industry Trends and Regulations

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

Balancing Work and Personal Life

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

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All about the Yachtmaster qualification

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

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

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

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

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

Minimum experience

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

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

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

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Professional qualifications

Working as an RYA Yachtmaster

Your qualification must be appropriate to the vessel and area of operation. For commercial use, all certificates must be commercially endorsed .

Working with an RYA Yachtmaster® Coastal certificate

A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence will enable you to skipper vessels up to 24 metres in length, operating in category 3,4,5, and 6 waters - up to 20 miles from a safe haven.

Working with an RYA Yachtmaster® Offshore certificate

A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence will enable you to work as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt in category 1 to 6 waters - that is up to 150 miles from a safe haven.

This Certificate of Competence can used commercially in its own right, or as a pre-requisite for the MCA's Officer of the Watch qualification, which enables you to work worldwide on vessels of up to 3000gt.

Working with an RYA Yachtmaster® Ocean certificate

A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence will enable you to work worldwide as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt.

This Certificate of Competence can be used commercially in its own right. It is also a pre-requisite for the MCA's Chief Mate, Master 500 and Master 3000 qualifications.

For more information about working with RYA qualifications, the categorisation of waters and required certification click here .

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Yachtmaster Offshore: When, Why, and How

In a seafarer’s career, there comes the time when Yachtmaster ticket becomes either a necessity, or the next logical step in professional development. No matter what the reason for the course is, Yachtmaster Offshore requires a thorough preparation and planning as well as some prior knowledge and experience.

When am I ready to take the course?

The candidate’s eligibility for Yachtmaster Offshore program is defined by a number of requirements. First and foremost, the logged sea time must show a minimum of 2500 nautical miles, about half of which should be in tidal waters. There is a huge debate as to what tidal waters are, and the RYA leaves it to the Yachtmaster candidate to decide whether the passage they undertook happened in a tidal area. The definition offered by the RYA is as follows:

An area is deemed tidal if published stream, current or tidal range data is available, the influence of which is significant enough to require the effects to be taken into account to plan and execute a safe and efficient passage .

But even if the decision to call experience tidal is the candidate’s, the RYA wisely warns that the final judgement will be made by the examiner and recommends to list only those miles that can be backed up with evidence. The qualifying sea time should be gained on motor vessels if the candidate applies for Yachtmaster Offshore Motor license. Sail miles do not count.

The RYA also sets a requirement as to the number of qualifying passages. As defined by the Association, ‘a passage is a non-stop voyage from a departure port / safe haven to a destination port / safe haven ’. For the Yachtmaster Offshore , there must be a minimum of 5 passages over 60 nm each; 2 of those passages should be overnight and 2 when the candidate acted as a skipper. The skipper, as understood by the RYA , is a person nominated and responsible for the planning and execution of a passage including vessel and watch management . It’s important that throughout the 60-mile passage there occurs no change of skippers; otherwise, the passage cannot be deemed as qualifying.

Proper understanding of the skipper’s role is vital for ticking the box of another requirement – 5 days on board acting as a skipper. A day in this case is a period of 8 consecutive hours, and the majority of them should be at sea . In every 24 hours, Yachtmaster candidate can have only one qualifying day onboard.

Last but not least, the RYA’s Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites put some restrictions as to the tonnage and length: days on board and miles should be gained on vessels up to 500 gt and less than 24 meters LOA.

When is the best time to take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore course?

The full program – RYA Yachtmaster Offshore theory and RYA Yachtmaster Practical – takes 10 days to complete; the exam is usually scheduled right after, and candidates need to allow 2 days for it. With the sea, winds, and weather being unpredictable, to the candidates coming from abroad we advise to add an extra day before taking flights back home. Thus, the course is quite a commitment, and most seafarers take it during low Med season. Our Yachtmaster Offshore course is scheduled every month from December throughout April to give options to potential candidates.

Why take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore?

Yachtmaster is not for beginners. Commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence entitles its holder to master a yacht of up to 200 gt, and that is a big responsibility. That said, one of the reasons to get Yachtmaster is to advance the qualifications from entry to higher level including MCA Officer of the Watch (OOW) or Chief Mate, for which Yachtmaster Offshore CoC is among the required documents. Yachtmaster Offshore Shore-based (theory) certificate is another pre-requisite to apply for the OOW, and it has to be sent along with STCW and other records as a part of the Notice of Eligibility.

In a scheme of RYA training , Yachtmaster Offshore is preceded by RYA Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper, which allow to navigate 20 and 60 nautical miles offshore accordingly. With Yachtmaster Offshore qualifications, it is possible to skipper a cruising yacht up to 150 miles from harbour, so recreational boaters can have larger areas to explore and longer distances to cover.

How to apply for Yachtmaster Offshore Program?

If you believe you are ready and meet the pre-requisites mentioned above and outlined on our website , your first step is to get in touch with us by email, phone, or through contact form . Once we receive your enquiry, we will email to you Sea Time Summary and Self-Evaluation forms to fill out, which we will then forward to our instructor to confirm your eligibility. If you are eligible for the course, we will proceed with course booking and securing your place on the training.

Some important things to remember: the candidates for the training should hold a valid Elementary First Aid certificate . For the STCW EFA , it should be issued within the last 5 years, for the RYA First Aid - within the last 3 years. VHF Marine Radio certificate can be offered as a part of Yachtmaster Offshore package , but if you already hold the certificate, we can offer a 100 euros reduction.

Our next Yachtmaster Offshore session starts on the 6 th of December. Click here for more dates.

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Yachtmaster Offshore (Power or Sail)
Recreational

Yachtmaster Offshore Training

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

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

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

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

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

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

Certificate Limitations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What does the exam consist of?

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

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

How do I apply for enrolment?

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

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

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

What is required for my final Yachtmaster examination?

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

What does the final exam consist of?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recreational Student Information

Benefits of an iyt certification.

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

Certificate Renewal

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

IYT Yachting Passport

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

Course Progression

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

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Yachting Monthly

Digital edition

Tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster practical

Katy Stickland
July 21, 2021

Having brushed up on their theory, racing turned cruising sailors Liz Rushall and her husband Mark now put it into practice and tell you how to pass your Yachtmaster Practical exam

Liz Rushall during your Yachtmaster Practical course

The humble fender and bucket, used to simulate a man overboard, is surprisingly effective in revealing things about your boat handling, leadership and decision-making skills. Credit: David Harding

Having got through her Yachtmaster Theory , Liz Rushall shares her tips and hints for the Yachtmaster Practical

It’s not often I wish to not be aboard a boat, writes Liz Rushall .

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

But in the dead of night, stressing about to what extent should I be using the instruments, when the examiner hasn’t said you can or can’t, and not being able to ‘chat’ with my crew as I would normally, and I was well out of my comfort zone.

This was after making myself feel a complete idiot from being unable to articulate the type of diesel engine, it’s cooling system and the location of the heat exchanger on an unfamiliar boat, and getting my words impossibly muddled up about flares and liferafts.

I was a bag of nerves.

Whilst I hadn’t committed any of the instant fail sins (running aground, involuntary gybes and hitting anything), I certainly spent the first night feeling broken.

Luckily, James Pearson, our extremely patient examiner asked many ‘helpful questions’ and allowed us to correct some of our verbal gaffs over the two-day exam.

Why do a Yachtmaster exam?

Having completed, and passed the Yachtmaster exam with my husband and brother, we are still justifying to curious friends the ‘why on earth, with all your experience’ we did it.

Mark, an Olympic coach, and I have raced successfully all our lives, and more recently cruised Ragdoll , our little 28ft long-keeled classic boat some respectable distances.

However, whatever our friends kindly say, we knew that following a few cruising errors in previous seasons, it was time to hit the refresh button and fill in some knowledge gaps.

The adage that you never stop learning in sailing could not be more true.

During our training, and more so during the exam itself, we certainly discovered our fourth Johari window – the stuff ‘we didn’t know we didn’t know’.

A crew and skipper sitting in a cockpit of a Dufour

Liz and Mark did their Yachtmaster Practical and subsequent Yachtmaster Offshore exam with Universal Yachting in Hamble. Credit: David Harding

Before starting the Yachtmaster process, we knew we were coming at the exam via a slightly unusual route.

We’d never done the conventional pathway of practical Day Skipper or Coastal Skipper exams.

In fact, despite winning a number of championships, we didn’t have a sailing qualification to our name.

Due to hectic work schedules, and our perhaps ‘assumed’ experience, we were steered towards doing a three-day ‘crash’ course ahead of the exam, with Hamble- based sea school Universal Yachting.

Our three-day Yachtmaster Practical training was probably as taxing for us as for our senior instructor, Clive Vaughan.

With acres of knowledge, Clive patiently drilled us through multiple boat-handling techniques.

Universal Yachting supplied us with a brand new Dufour 412 for our Yachtmaster Practical course and exam – a completely different experience to our wooden classic, with few electronics.

Leadership style

One of the immediate ‘culture shock’ challenges we all experienced was the expected leadership style.

When we race, whether as skipper, helm or crew, it is always a collaborative set-up. Barking orders rarely wins races.

Discussing situations, sharing thinking and playing to your team’s strength does.

However, to get us ready for the exam, Clive had to actively encourage us to direct each other.

Being so used to sailing together, it felt odd having to issue instructions and to ‘tell’ rather than share thinking.

Liz is used to a more collaborative approach to sailing, so needed to adapt to a different leadership style. Credit: David Harding

The exam leads you to a scenario where individual leadership is highly valued.

However, it felt very unnatural, and not how any of us would typically operate either in racing or in business.

In my case, it definitely began to affect my decision-making capabilities and confidence in myself.

I found it best to consider the role of skipper for Yachtmaster as a more managerial position.

For this to work, planning ahead was crucial so I was prepared to give my crew specific instructions when situations arose.

Clearly, being ahead of those situations was a key as was coming up with a step-by-step plan for my crew in a variety of situations.

Berthing skills

In a short space of time Clive taught us new techniques for berthing a modern, high-sided, 40ft yacht.

With its high topsides, shallow forefoot, deep fin keel and spade rudder, it naturally seeks the wind when going astern.

Reversing up-tide and upwind into a berth is amazingly easy, and is a skill suited to this boat.

However, this manoeuvre is simply not an option in our long-keeled Ragdoll , as she exhibits very limited manouverabiility when going astern, while in the more modern, fin-keeled Dufour it was a dream.

As such, using just a stern line we could then motor forward with the engine to bring the bow in, rather than a spring.

A yacht being reversed into a berth during a Yachtmaster Practical

Liz and her husband Mark were not used to reversing into a berth but it proved a very useful technique and would be especially handy when sailing short handed. Credit: David Harding

It’s a brilliant technique if you are sailing shorthanded, but not one we had ever used before.

We practiced a lot of going astern and parking scenarios, which left me puzzling why I’d spent so much of my sailing career using springs as a sure way of getting our little boat on and off the dock.

What is obvious, however is that, once we are back onboard Ragdoll reversing onto a pontoon berth may be that much harder.

Going astern is always going to be tricky on a long-keeled yacht where prop walk has a much larger influence but there are conditions in which it will work for us and the ease of using the engine to pull the bow in will certainly make it worth the practice time.

A yacht being berthed during a Yachtmaster Practical assesment

It is easier, when shorthanded, to make off the aft mooring line and then use power ahead to hold the boat in to the berth. Credit: David Harding

As ever, we need to spend a little more time finding what works best and when.

The key is to try different options on our boat in a variety of scenarios to better understand what she will and won’t do, and how she differs to other boats.

Inevitably, you cannot simulate every scenario, and switching from training mode to exam mode was tricky too.

During the Yachtmaster Practical, one of us had to park the boat on a crowded outer hammerhead pontoon with a strong crosswind.

We’d been so drilled into our new mooring techniques, it took two failed attempts before the realisation that it was OK to do it the way we’d normally do, with a spring line!

Close-quarter manoeuvres

We’d all been advised in an exercise not to turn this boat on the spot using just small amounts of forward and astern, something we always do to turn our long-keeled boat in a tight space.

Faced with a tight turn in a marina, with cross tide, my decision making fell apart.

On a long-keeled boat that carries her way for ages, there needs to be much more momentum and water flowing over the rudder to generate the turning moment, whereas on this boat, a combination of prop wash over the rudder and lack of full keel could turn her around smartly.

Manoeuvring astern, focus will be on where you are aiming, but don’t forget to check what the wind and tide are doing to your bow. Credit: David Harding

It was an alien experience to be relying on engine and fenders to come into a berth and stop.

I was still not used to how much quicker a light, fin keeled boat could be made to turn on the spot by putting the helm hard over and giving the engine some revs, and we tended to be too tentative applying engine power.

In hindsight, taking a break between our Yachtmaster Practical course and the exam could have given time to let new knowledge sink in, and to practise it in different scenarios.

Night passages

Both the Yachtmaster Practical training course and the exam were a brilliant way to challenge our sailing skills.

Lacking an autohelm, we don’t do many night passages.

When we do it tends to be into harbours we know.

We are very familiar with sailing racing dinghies out of strange harbours all over the world, racing in fog and some very extreme conditions.

However, it’s a very different experience when cruising.

Sailors looking at a chartplotter on board a yacht

Ahead of our night passage, looking at sources of likely light pollution was helpful for situational awareness. Credit: David Harding

Completing a number of night passages and pilotage exercises during the Yachtmaster Practical was so useful.

It’s much easier to recognise lights on vessels and buoys for real, rather than pictures on a page, but to have brushed up on the lights for fishing vessels, and commercial vessels other than the most basic – restricted in ability to manoeuvre, constrained by draught and towing – really paid dividends in making sense of what we saw on the water.

We also spotted some very curious light combinations, including sailing yachts impersonating a fishing vessel by displaying both masthead tricolour and steaming light and it was helpful to decipher what was what.

One of the biggest obstacles on a close-in night passage is light pollution.

Close to shore there were many other uncharted lights to contend with.

A big lesson was to look beyond the chart markings and having a sensible check of what is on the shore near where you are going to be sailing before you set off so you have a good chance to anticipate potential confusion.

Blind passages

The exercise I’d been most dreading was the blind passage making.

You are navigating from down below, relying on your crew to tell you depths, speed and log readings.

My biggest issue is doing the maths on the hoof. The contours give you one number, the depth sounder another, and the height of tide another.

Under pressure, figuring out which subtracts from which promptly turns me into a gibbering wreck.

As it happens, during Yachtmaster Practical training, I managed to navigate pretty much exactly to the desired point using a bit of dead reckoning and some bad maths, so that was a huge confidence boost.

However, this is where I do take issue with a number of the Yachtmaster course books. The authors all assume a level of maths capability.

There’s no scope for those of us who have a touch of dyscalculia, a learning difficulty associated with numeracy.

Distance may well equal speed multiplied by time.

But I also soon realised that it makes things much easier if the time segments you are working to also need to be a percentage of the hour.

So, calculating positions every six minutes in fog allows you to divide your speed neatly by 10 to give you how far you will travel in 6, 12 or 18 minutes.

Having spent hours close to tears of frustration trying to figure out these calculations, I devised my own crib sheets that meant I could read off a percentage to use against each minute of an hour.

Fifteen minutes is therefore clearly 25% of an hour, 14 minutes is 23.3% and 13 minutes is 21.7, for example.

This crib sheet and others are something I will be using on my own boat to avoid future frustrations.

Mooring under sail

Other exercises included sailing onto anchor or mooring buoys.

Doing this downwind and uptide was something we’ve never had occasion to do in a race.

It’s more normally been a case of there’s no wind so fling the kedge out.

Dropping the mainsail well out from the buoy and using the headsail to steer in offered a great deal of control.

It was also very useful making a practice approach to give a good idea of how hard the current is running and from how far out we need to start scrubbing speed.

It was also particularly useful to set up a variety of clear transits so we had a good idea of actual boat speed on the approach as the log becomes essentially useless in tide.

You may decide to moor under motor most of the time, but I found the exercise trained us to have real control of how to place and stop the boat exactly where we want it and not rely on the engine.

Man overboard

Doing hours of man overboard exercises under engine and sail during our Yachtmaster Practical was brilliant, as evidently, we all needed some practice

Since the drill involves doing three or four things instantly, we were keen to work through techniques for short-handed MOB.

It was fascinating to quick stop the Dufour.

Rather than the conventional ‘figure of eight’, we learned to throw the boat into a tack, heaving to with the wheel hard over.

A sailor lifting up a fender from a Dufour yacht

The Dufour was easy to control under sail using the fill and spill method during our Yachtmaster Practical. Credit: David Harding

She happily turned on the spot, giving you time to sort yourself out.

We’re still not sure how Ragdoll will behave, although we’ve come away with new ideas to try.

It was certainly eye-opening how quickly our recovery times came down after only a few short attempts.

Getting hove to quickly was a key so that we could remain in sight of the ‘casualty’ and it also helps slow everything down when you have a number of tasks to complete under stress.

As with manoeuvring in a marina, we also found under sail the Dufour easier to scrub speed off using the ‘fill and spill’ method than we suspect Ragdoll will be, as she both carries more way, and requires more way to maintain steerage, but we will certainly be doing some practice on her to improve our skills.

Switching between Yachtmaster Practical training and starting the exam, with just a couple of hours, was harder than I’d realised.

Suddenly, three days of Clive’s expert advice was switched off.

James explained the exam format, and how he would set us tasks, not give any feedback, just take notes. He also said we would make a lot of mistakes. And we did!

Within minutes we were on deck talking safety gear.

Despite hours successfully collecting our MOB bucket, now we weren’t just discussing recovery techniques, but demonstrating them with the examiner as our body on the dock.

It literally was in at the deep end and it continued relentlessly.

‘Question time’ highlighted that whilst I’d attended diesel maintenance and sea survival courses, clearly my memory hadn’t.

We were then into the sailing elements of the exam.

Liz found the Yachtmaster Practical and subsequent exam stressful. Credit: David Harding

It’s a good test of practical scenarios both ashore and afloat, testing your knowledge and skills in a variety of difficult situations.

Having successfully managed to navigate our night passages, day two started early.

Whilst it was a relief to go sailing, it promptly turned into your metaphorical ‘worst ever day in the office’.

After a few straightforward exercises sailing on and off moorings, I was set the first passage from Portsmouth Harbour to Wootton Creek.

On route, the instruments ‘went down’, the MOB bucket went overboard whilst I was down below chart-plotting, then the steering cable ‘broke’.

Of course, the engine had ‘failed’ too.

It seemed endless, and hard not to wonder ‘am I doing the right thing?’

Fortunately, we sailed in with emergency tiller fitted without running aground or doing circles in front of the Wightlink ferry!

Continues below…

Liz and Mark Rushall doing their RYA Yachtmaster

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A sailor going man overboard in the Solent on a grey cloudy day

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The day continued and each one of us went through our practical exercises with yet more scenarios thrown at us on the way.

Just as you think about breathing freely, it’s time to be hauled below for more questions. Result!

My lights knowledge was better than my crewmates. But, we were all stumped by the exercise to interpret a radar chart.

We’d never used radar as we use AIS on Ragdoll instead.

In desperation, I even checked the Yachtmaster books I’d borrowed, but no joy.

At this point I was ready to volunteer to be the next MOB.

By the afternoon the breeze was pumping a good Force 6 off Cowes and my brother got his MOB exercise.

Despite being over- canvassed for the brisk conditions, the Dufour handled brilliantly, our bucket was safely retrieved with a bit of engine assistance.

But it really hit home that simply getting back to your MOB is only half the problem, and just how difficult full recovery onboard is in these conditions.

It was a huge relief to get back to Universal Yachting’s dock, and thankfully I parked the boat first time.

Looking in the mirror

We each had a really useful one-on-one feedback session with James, leaving us with a clear picture of our strengths and areas to work on.

We were seeking our knowledge gaps, and we certainly found them. Evidently for me, even having done courses like shore- based engine maintenance, how to do basic engine trouble shooting was something

I was weak on. I also found that my maths was an area that needed attention.

The experience highlighted what stress and tiredness can do to your ability to function ‘normally’.

Adapting to the pre-requisite to tell your crew what to do, and not discuss things, made if feel a bit surreal, but it does mean you can’t hide behind the knowledge of others, and is realistic if you are sailing with beginners.

Discoveries

Am I glad I did the Yachtmaster ? Absolutely. Did it achieve my goal? Yes, it did, but not in the way I expected.

Having felt complete failures at the time, however, it was amazing to pass and come away with a clear idea of our weaknesses, and ones I hadn’t been aware of before.

There’s much we want to try on Ragdoll , and have already discovered that our ‘highly recommended’ MOB ladder is impossible to use, even in a flat clam.

The learning curve continues…

4 Takeaways from the Yachtmaster Practical

Understand the engine: Don’t rely on having had a look at the engine manual and your notes from your diesel engine course. Make sure you know the location of the fuel dipstick and the coolant header tank, know how to tighten the alternator fan belt, where the fuel and oil filters are, how to bleed air out the fuel system and have a plan to troubleshoot if the engine stops or overheats.
Understand the boat: Try to do challenges regularly onboard, such as taking away instruments and engine; it’s surprising how quickly knowledge escapes you in times of stress. Take your boat out and get to know her characteristics. Find an empty marina and spend some time pontoon bashing – try coming in forward and astern. You need to know whether you have enough steerage astern and other boat-specific characteristics such as prop walk one way or another.
Leadership roles: Although we don’t usually sail with one person solely in charge it was interesting to have the exam take place under these conditions. It did highlight how little official pre-emptive trouble shooting we tend to do. It’s well worth having a variety of ‘what if’ scenarios pre-planned ranging from safety critical MOB drills through to more off the cuff situations. ‘What if’ plans will also be useful for night sailing where what you are faced with might look quite different to what you think you will see from your planning at the chart table.
Cheat sheets: Struggling through much of the maths for blind navigation forced me to create a number of cheat sheets. Even for those who do not struggle with such things, I’d strongly recommend writing some out anyway. The basic maths for tide and depth calculations might not seem that hard but when you are tired and stressed there is nothing better than having something that allows you do a quick common sense check.

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Coastal / Offshore

RYA Yachtmaster

Online Theory Course

A challenging course which stretches you but backed up with excellent coaching and instructor support.

Advanced training for more experienced skippers to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages

The RYA Yachtmaster online theory course takes your theory knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams.

This course advances your skills as a skipper of a yacht or motor boat, with an emphasis on navigation and passage planning for more complex coastal or offshore passages by day and night

Includes some time for the revision of Day Skipper subjects then moves on to cover a greater depth of knowledge and more advanced skills in navigation, pilotage & meteorology.

Successfully gaining your RYA Yachtmaster theory certificate will enable you to confidently work towards your Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore practical qualification.

Assumed knowledge To Day Skipper theory level.
Minimum duration A minimum of 40 hours of course study time is specified by the RYA, plus time for exercises and exams.
Ability after course Theory knowledge to skipper a vessel on coastal and offshore passages by day and night.

Simply click below to try a free lesson.

Pilotage for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore

Charts & Other Publications
Definition of Position, Time, Speed & Distance
The Compass (including allowance for deviation and swinging the compass)
Tidal Theory
Tidal Heights (including secondary ports)
Tidal Streams (including interpolation of drift)
Estimated Position
Course to Steer
Visual Aids to Navigation
Electronic Aids to Navigation
Passage Planning
Meteorology (including interpreting surface pressure charts)
The Collision Regulations
Safety & Protection of The Environment

Unlimited support from our dedicated RYA Instructors - 365 days a year via email, phone or Skype/Zoom.

14-day unconditional money-back guarantee.

17 fully-narrated online lessons including animations, videos and realistic 3D graphics.

Embedded quizzes with instant feedback in each lesson.

14 self-assessment exercises with fully worked answers.

Over 50 downloadable or linked resources.

Videos covering: updating paper charts, engine checks, dismasting, jury rig, flood control, firefighting, gas explosions, capsize, lifejacket checks, how to put on a lifejacket and what happens when it inflates, man-overboard recovery, launching and boarding a liferaft.

Free Radar course.

RYA Student Pack (including 2 training charts, training almanac & course handbook).

Mock exams to prepare you for the real thing and give you the confidence to pass.

3 final online exams with detailed instructor feedback and free repeat attempts if requried.

RYA Yachtmaster Shorebased Theory Course Completion Certificate.

12 months access to study with instructor support and exams - you can extend this if you want.

Lifetime access to training materials once you’ve completed the course.

Optional Extras

Plotter and divider You’ll need a course plotter and chart-dividers to complete the chartwork exercises - if you don’t already have these you can purchase a top quality set from us for £28 when you place your order.

Delivery UK delivery is free. European delivery is £20, outside Europe delivery is £40.

You can start studying immediately as many of the lessons don’t rely on the printed support materials.

This course is accessed online with no additional software required.

Lessons are accompanied by optional professional narration, and notes.

They are intuitive and easy to follow, whilst more complex subjects are accompanied by interactive animations and graphics to help you gain a full knowledge of each subject in the course syllabus.

Detailed step-by-step workings for navigational or tidal calculations make it easy for you to follow along as we show you how to plot positions, make tidal height and stream calculations, etc

You can go over these again and again, and test your knowledge with regular quizzes throughout each lesson.

At the end of each lesson there is an excercise containg similar questions to the exam, with detailed and illustrated answers sent to you immediately to confirm your progress and fully prepare you for your mock and final exams.

You can repeat entire lessons and excercises as often as you wish until you are confident that you fully understand each subject.

When you have completed the course you can request mock and then final exams.

These are assessed by our RYA Instructors and detailed feedback is provided in any areas that may require further study within the course.

If you pass the final exams you will be awarded the RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course Certificate , which will be posted to you.

Additional free resits, with suitable Instructor guidance, are available if required.

RYA Coastal Skipper-Yachtmaster Shorebased Certificate

Call us for advice on 0238 218 2604

Course reviews.

Laura Anderson

Very enjoyable and informative

Impressively prompt and thorough feedback on all queries, tests, mock and real exams. Very high standards and you feel you have earned the Yachtmaster certificate.

Ciaran McIntyre

Comprehensive and well delivered

Excellent course materials and high quality delivery. Very responsive and excellent instructor feedback

Andrew Harvey

Excellent Yachtmaster theory course - I’d definitely recommend it.

Does what it says on the tin and more. I was impressed how well the course managed to tackle teaching relatively complex skills in a logical and easy to understand way.

Oliver Fleming

Well put together course.

I found the Yachtmaster theory course to be really well structured and covered all of the syllabus in great detail. I was impressed by how well the course managed to tackle teaching relatively complex skills in a logical and easy to understand way.

Combined - RYA Day Skipper & Yachtmaster to fast track your theory learning

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Requirements for Yachtmaster Offshore exam

There is some confusion around the requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Coastal or Offshore exam. We hope this guide helps explain these requirements.

Whats covered

In this post, we will answer the following questions:

Sea time requirements for the Yachtmaster Offshore exam

Qualifying passages.

If my sea time is all on Superyachts
How to record my sea miles

Converting from sail to power

What first aid qualification do I need
Power or Sail?

Commercial endorsement

Do I need RYA Yachtmaster Theory
What other skills do I need for the RYA Yachtmaster

To sit the RYA Yachtmaster offshore exam, you are required to have, as a minimum, the following experience. All completed within the last ten years:

A minimum of 2,500 miles are logged before you sit the exam. At least half the sea time must be in tidal waters.
50 days at sea on yachts up to 500GT.
During your qualifying sea time, you would have completed five passages of over 60 miles **. Two of these passages would have been at night, and two acting as skipper. All five qualifying passages must have been on a vessel between 7 and 24m in length.
At least five days experience as skipper.
Please note if you hold an STCW Elementary First Aid, then it must have been issued in the last five years .
For RYA First Aid, it’s three years.
A GMDSS short-range VHF radio certificate

Click here if you need to refresh your STCW Elementary First Aid or complete a GMDSS short-range VHF course .

To sit the Yachtmaster Offshore exam, you MUST have completed at least five passages of over 60 miles.

A 60-mile qualifying passage is defined as:

A non-stop voyage from departure port/anchorage A to departure port/anchorage B (Points A and B can not be the same place).

The 60-mile passage must be a continuous passage. The distance, in this case 60 miles, must be measured as a straight line from port A to port B.

**Qualifying passages must be completed on a vessel less than 24 meters.

Acting as Skipper

The skipper is the person nominated and responsible for planning the passage. The skipper is not necessarily the most experienced or qualified person on board but must be the person with responsibility for the safe execution of the passage.

If the skipper’s role is transferred to another person at any time during a passage then neither person can claim to have skippered that passage.

What if all my sea time has been on Superyachts/vessels over 24m in length?

The RYA accepts that 50% (1,250) of the qualifying sea miles gained on a vessel over 24m can be used towards the 2,500 miles required for the Yachtmaster Offshore exam.

You should provide a testimonial or Discharge book confirming 1,250 sea miles.

The other 50% of the qualifying sea time must have been completed on vessels between 7 and 24 meters in length . Some Superyachts have large tenders and chase boats. In this case, any miles gained at the helm go some way to 1,250 sea miles.

Sea time requirements for RYA Yachtmaster Coastal

30 days at sea on a vessel less than 24m in length, and a minimum of 800 miles logged before you sit the exam. At least half the sea time must be in tidal waters.
Two days as skipper, on a vessel less than 24m in length.
12 night hours.
Short-range radio certificate (VHF), or equivalent.
A valid First Aid certificate.
You must be 17 years old at the time of the exam.

If you hold the RYA Coastal Skipper course completion certificate, then the miles required for Yachtmaster Coastal are reduced to 400.

To convert from Yachtmaster offshore sail to Offshore (Power) you must have completed, in the last 10 years:

Minimum of 1,250 miles on a vessel between 7 and 24 meters in length
25 days living onboard
3 days as skipper
Three passages of over 60 miles, including one overnight and one as skipper

How do I record my sea time for the RYA Yachtmaster exam?

The miles that you have gained on vessels between 7 and 24 meters in length in the past ten years can be recorded in either:

RYA’s G158 logbook
A CV detailing your sea time
An Excel spreadsheet

When recording experience at sea, make sure you detail the following:

Dates the passage/trip took place.
Name and type of vessel
Details of the passages
Miles sailed on the passages
Night hours (if applicable)

Flying Fish has created a simple spreadsheet that you can use to record your sea miles. Yachtmaster power personal log

What First Aid Qualification do I need for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore?

You must have a valid, in-date first aid qualification to sit the Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam. RYA first aid, STCW, Seafish first aid certificates are all accepted by the RYA.

If you hold the STCW Elementary First Aid certificate that was issued more than 5 years ago, then you will need to refresh your first aid qualification before sitting the Yachtmaster exam.

Power or sail?

The RYA offers two practical schemes depending on whether you want to skipper a Power or Sail. boat. Both schemes lead to the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence. The requirements for the Yachtmaster Offshore power or sail qualification are the same, minimum of 2,500 miles, etc.

Many choose to commercially endorse their RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam qualification after completing the RYA Yachtmaster exam. If this is your chosen path, then in addition to holding a valid first aid and VHF certificate listed above, you will need the following:

Either an ENG1 or ML5 medical
STCW or RYA Sea survival certificate
Complete the RYA’s online PPR course

Once you have completed these three steps, you can apply for commercial endorsemen t through the RYA.

STCW Endorsement

Complete STCW Basic Safety Training , then the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate will be endorsed to allow the holder to skipper a commercial or privately owned vessel up to 200 gross tonnes, which may be greater than 24m in length.

Do I need RYA Yachtmaster Theory?

In short, yes. To become an RYA Yachtmaster offshore then, you need to be able to navigate as well as handle the boat at sea. Furthermore, holding the RYA Yachtmaster Theory as well as your Yachtmaster Offshore certificate of competence is required if your goal is the Officer of the Watch 3000GT. If you have not sat at the chart table for a while, then consider a combined Yachtmaster Offshore Theory and practical prep course .

What other skills do I need before I join a prep course?

If you are considering a Yachtmaster Prep course then Flying Fish will provide some pre-course reading. If you did some background reading before your prep course, it would help if you had a good knowledge of the following:

I.R.P.C.S (rules of the road) and distress signals.
Weather. The passage of frontal depression, sea breeze, fog, effects of wind and tide, and terminology used in a weather forecast.
Navigation. Understand how to calculate tidal heights, course to steer, and estimated position.
Ability to tie the basic knots.
Have knowledge of Radar, rule 19, and how to use it for collision avoidance.
The G158 logbook provides all sea time requirements and a section where you can record all your sea time.

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The waterproof and robust qualities of this model make it the ideal watch for water sports and sailing in particular.

Exceptional legibility

Like all Rolex Professional watches, the Yacht-Master offers exceptional legibility in all circumstances, even in the dark thanks to its Chromalight display. The broad hands and hour markers in simple shapes – triangle, circle, rectangle – are filled with a luminescent material emitting a long-lasting glow.

The Yacht-Master 37 and Yacht-Master 40 are the only two models in the Rolex catalogue offered in Rolesium versions: the bezel is fashioned from platinum while the rest of the watch is in Oystersteel. These versions also harbour a turquoise- or red-lacquer seconds hand echoing the colour of the Yacht-Master inscription on the dial.

18 kt Everose gold

This exclusive 18 kt pink gold alloy – created and cast by Rolex – features a slightly stronger colour than traditional pink gold and exhibits subtle cool tones. Its sophisticated and contemporary colour resonates particularly well on watches that combine gold and Oystersteel, known as Rolesor versions (a combination of Oystersteel and gold).

Cerachrom bezel insert

The matt black monobloc Cerachrom bezel insert of the Yacht-Master is made of an extremely hard, virtually scratchproof ceramic whose colour is unaffected by ultraviolet rays, seawater or water that is chlorinated. In addition, thanks to its chemical composition, the high-tech ceramic is inert and cannot corrode. The numerals and inscriptions are moulded in the ceramic and coloured with gold or platinum using a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) process.

Bracelets and clasps

The Yacht-Master’s 60-minute graduated bezel is made entirely from precious metals or fitted with a Cerachrom insert in high-tech ceramic.

Calibres 3235 and 2236 Superlative movements

IMAGES

Rolex Yacht Master Guide Ultimate Buying Guide
Rolex Yacht-Master Overview & Features| Watch Chest
Introducing The New Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in RLX titanium 226627
Hands-On Debut: Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in Titanium RLX
Rolex Yacht-Master Review
Why the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 Is the Perfect Poster Boy for a New Age

VIDEO

Yacht Dealership
Yachtmaster negotiation #watches #rolex #luxurywatch #rolexwrist
Yachtmaster 40 Rhodium Dial…. #rolexcollector #rolex
Yachtmaster offshore examination
Yachtmaster Introductory Course Feb 2024 HD 1080p
The breathtaking Rolex Yacht-Master #226679TBR #rolex #yachtmaster

COMMENTS

Yachtmaster
A Yachtmaster qualification is a certificate of competence of the ability to handle either a sailing boat or motor boat (as endorsed) in certain prescribed conditions. Three different titles are specified; Yachtmaster Coastal (previously - and in some countries still - called Coastal Skipper), Yachtmaster Offshore, and Yachtmaster Ocean which ...
Yachtmaster
The RYA Yachtmaster® 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. Unlike other qualifications in the cruising programme, there is no formal training course to become an RYA Yachtmaster.
What is an RYA Yachtmaster?
The RYA Yachtmaster® 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. Unlike other qualifications in the cruising programme, there is no formal training course to become an RYA Yachtmaster.
What's the difference between RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and RYA
Unlike the RYA Day Skipper qualification, all three qualifications are gained through external examination. The holder of a Yachtmaster Coastal qualification should be competent to skipper a yacht of up to 24 metres LOA in waters up to 20 miles from a safe haven. A Yachtmaster Offshore is qualified to skipper a vessel of the same size up to 150 ...
How to Pass the Yachtmaster Exam
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.
How to Become a Yacht Master: A Step-by-Step Guide
Complete the Yacht Master theory course: This course covers advanced navigation, meteorology, collision regulations, and safety at sea. It is designed to give you the knowledge required to navigate safely in more challenging conditions. Complete the Yacht Master practical exam: This is the final step in becoming a Yacht Master in the RYA. The ...
How to pass your Yachtmaster exam
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. TAGS: Practical seamanship sailing skills Yachtmaster.
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites: Minimum seatime: Documented minimum sea time 1 completed on a seagoing sailing or motor yacht (as appropriate) in the last 10 years:. 50 days at sea on yachts up to 500gt 2 which may be reduced to 25 days if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence 3;; 5 days as skipper on vessels less than 24m LOA, which ...
RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam
The RYA Yachtmaster® Ocean is experienced and competent to skipper a yacht on passages of any length in all parts of the world. Full details of the exam syllabus and requirements are shown in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158), which is available from the RYA webshop. The exam consists of an oral and written test.
All about the Yachtmaster qualification
Yachtmaster (Offshore) is the key qualification, requiring a great deal more experience, and qualifies the holder to skipper a vessel on any passage that's within 150 miles of the nearest port. This distance covers iconic offshore races including the Rolex Fastnet, Round Britain and Ireland, and Round Ireland. ...
How to Become a Yacht Master
Like other British sailing schools, Sunsail's prep course (a highly recommended prerequisite to the RYA Yachtmaster exam) is a five-day on-the-boat affair. After that, the RYA examiner comes on board and tests two people at a time in succession. Since there were four of us, the exam would take two full days and nights.
Tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster theory
Simply plot your latitude using your Portland plotter or ruler. Then measure off your longitude along the top line of the chart from the nearest major longitude line eg 002°. Move the dividers down to in-line with your latitude plot and draw an arc on your first line.
Working as an RYA Yachtmaster
A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence will enable you to work worldwide as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt. This Certificate of Competence can be used commercially in its own right. It is also a pre-requisite for the MCA's Chief Mate, Master 500 and Master 3000 qualifications. For more information ...
The Complete History Of The Rolex Yacht-Master
Rolex originally introduced the 40mm Yacht-Master in 1992 it was a Reference 16628 in 18kt gold, with a white dial and 3135 movement, which was the same movement used in the Rolex Submariner. The Yacht-Master had a triple-lock crown, and it was water resistant to 100 meters (10 bars) which is 320 Feet. Essentially, the first Yacht-Master was ...
What is an RYA Yachtmaster?
A Yachtmaster Offshore will have all the knowledge of Yachtmaster Coastal but would also have extensive experience crewing and skippering offshore. Skippers who want confirmation they have the experience and competence to take a yacht offshore choose this option. Once qualified as a Yachtmaster, the certificate allows the holder to skipper a ...
Yachtmaster Offshore: When, Why, and How
The candidate's eligibility for Yachtmaster Offshore program is defined by a number of requirements. First and foremost, the logged sea time must show a minimum of 2500 nautical miles, about half of which should be in tidal waters. There is a huge debate as to what tidal waters are, and the RYA leaves it to the Yachtmaster candidate to decide ...
Yachtmaster Offshore (Power or Sail)
Yachtmaster Offshore Training. The IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster Offshore certificate is a recreational certificate of competency to command sailing and/or power vessels up to 24 metres in length up to 150 nm offshore. It is a comprehensive theory and live aboard course consisting of five days classroom theory and a practical component of six days ...
What is an Ocean Yachtmaster
The RYA/MCA Ocean Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence (CoC) is the highest level certificate in the RYA scheme. It can be used by blue water leisure sailors and by commercial skippers and crew. Under the MCA Codes of practice the Ocean Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence holder, (with relevant commercial endorsement etc.) can skipper a vessel;
Tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster practical
Having got through her Yachtmaster Theory, Liz Rushall shares her tips and hints for the Yachtmaster Practical. It's not often I wish to not be aboard a boat, writes Liz Rushall. Liz Rushall has won national dinghy and keelboat titles, but currently cruises a 28ft classic called Ragdoll. But in the dead of night, stressing about to what ...
RYA Yachtmaster Theory Online
The RYA Yachtmaster online theory course takes your theory knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams.. This course advances your skills as a skipper of a yacht or motor boat, with an emphasis on navigation and passage planning for more complex coastal or offshore passages by day and night
Requirements for Yachtmaster offshore exam
Sea time requirements for the Yachtmaster Offshore exam. To sit the RYA Yachtmaster offshore exam, you are required to have, as a minimum, the following experience. All completed within the last ten years: A minimum of 2,500 miles are logged before you sit the exam. At least half the sea time must be in tidal waters.
Yacht-Master II
The Yacht-Master II is equipped with a new dial, and new hands that are characteristic of Rolex Professional models, enhancing legibility and sharpening its aesthetic appeal. The dial now features a triangular hour marker at 12 o'clock and a rectangular hour marker at 6 o'clock for more intuitive reading of the watch. A luminescent disc on ...
Yacht-Master
The Yacht-Master 40 and Yacht-Master 42 are equipped with calibre 3235, a movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. This self-winding mechanical movement incorporates the patented Chronergy escapement, which combines high energy efficiency with great dependability. Made of nickel-phosphorus, it is also resistant to strong magnetic ...