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Yachtmaster preparation week

What is an RYA Yachtmaster?
There is no RYA standard curriculum for the Yachtmaster Prep Course. 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.

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 and gain confidence from working under pressure. This Course is designed to bring experienced yachtsmen up to speed before taking the exam. You will practice Yachtmaster level manoeuvres and techniques so when the RYA examiner steps on board during the last 2 days you are confident and ready for the exam.

Since there’s no set syllabus for the course, it is all about perfecting your techniques and perhaps correcting any posiible bad habits you may have picked up. The exam will assess your boat handling and skippering skills, including navigation, sailing ability, seamanship, safety awareness, collision regulations and knowledge of signals and meteorology.
Course Content: 6-7 days - 5 days of preparation time followed by exam (depending on number of candidates).
This course takes place aboard the school boat and is non-residential.

Required theory: Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Theory

Details about the YM exams are on RYA website. Candidates should access this RYA webpage where they can pre-pay for their exam and receive a personalised pdf application form by email.

Current price: 1000 eur with a 25% discount = 750 eur. Exam fee and examiner's expenses are not included.

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal exam pre-requisites

Minimum seatime

Documented minimum sea time¹ completed on a seagoing sailing or motor yacht (as appropriate) in the last 10 years:

30 days at sea on a vessel less than 24m LOA, which may be reduced to 12 days at sea on vessels less than 24m LOA or substituted with 30 days at sea on yachts under 500gt² if an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course completion certificate or an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence is held³;
2 days as skipper on a vessel less than 24m LOA;
800 miles, which may be reduced to 400 miles on vessels less than 24m LOA or substituted with 800 miles at sea on yachts under 500gt² if an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course completion certificate or an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence is held³;
12 night hours

See: Information on qualifying passages.

¹ At least half the qualifying sea time should be gain in tidal waters.

² Contact training@rya.org.uk if your sea time is on a yacht greater than 24m and 500gt.
³For example, an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail wishing to be examined for RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Power

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites

Minimum seatime

Documented minimum sea time¹ completed on a seagoing sailing or motor yacht (as appropriate) in the last 10 years:

50 days at sea on yachts up to 500gt²which may be reduced to 25 days if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence³;
5 days as skipper on vessels less than 24m LOA, which may be reduced to 3 days if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence³
2500 miles on yachts up to 500gt², which may be reduced to 1250 miles if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence^3;
5 passages over 60 miles long, which must include 2 overnight passages and 2 as skipper, which may be reduced to 3 passages including 1 overnight and 1 as skipper if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence^3.

1 At least half the qualifying sea time should be gained in tidal waters and on vessels less than 24m LOA, and all seatime must be on vessels of the same discipline as the exam to be taken, i.e. sail or power.

2 Contact training@rya.org.uk if your sea time is on a yacht greater than 24m and 500gt.

3 For example, an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail wishing to be examined for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Power