RYA Yachtmaster Scheme

Minimum duration: 2 days

Experience: none

Minimum age: 8

This course is for beginners wanting a taster of yachting or for budding sailors too young for Competent Crew. While it is a 2-day course in the UK, we can run this over a week in our Mediterranean Schools.

Minimum duration: 5 days
3 days (with start yachting certificate)

Experience: none

Minimum age: 12

This course is ideal for beginners to learn the basics and for those who would like to become active crew members rather than passengers.

None

Experience: Some practical sailing experience to help understand the content

The Day Skipper Shorebased course is a comprehensive introduction to cruising for inexperienced skippers. We offer this as an online course in cooperation with Navathome, giving you the flexibility to fit in with your busy lifestyle.

Minimum duration: 5 days

Minimum age: 16

Experience: 5 days, 100 miles, 4 night hours on board a sailing yacht

Assumed knowledge: Theory to the level of Day Skipper. It is recommended you obtain the Day Skipper shorebased course beforehand.

This is the most popular course in the syllabus. This certificate represents the standard required to skipper a yacht in numerous worldwide destination.

A course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills.

None

Experience: Some practical & theoretical sailing experience to help understand the content.

Advanced training for more experienced skippers building on the Day Skipper course. This course equips you to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages. We offer our practical training at a discount when you purchase this course.

Minimum duration: 5 days

Minimum age: 17

Experience: 15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours

Assumed Skills: Boat handling to the standard of Day Skipper

Assumed knowledge: Navigation to shorebased Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster™ Offshore

Advanced skippering techniques requiring considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation, aimed at those skippers wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night.

Minimum duration:6-10 hours for one candidate, 8-14 hours for two candidates

Minimum age: 17 at the time of the exam

Experience:

• 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 held
• 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 held
• 12 night hours

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

Assumed Skills: Boat handling beyond the level of Coastal Skipper

Assumed knowledge: Navigation to shorebased Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster™ Offshore

Certification Required:

• A GMDSS compliant Marine Radio Operator’s Certificate such as the RYA Short Range Certificate or higher.
• An RYA First Aid Certificate or another valid first aid certificate, as detailed on the RYA website.

An 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 courses in the cruising programme, there is no formal training to complete to become a Yachtmaster™. Instead, provided that you have sufficient experience and sea time, you can put yourself forward for an exam to test your skills and knowledge.

We can provide a range of training and preparation courses for you, please contact us for more information.

Minimum duration:8-12 hours for one candidate, 10-18 hours for two candidates. No more than two candidates can be examined in 24 hours and no more than four candidates can be examined in one 2 day session.

Minimum age: 18 at the time of the exam

Experience:

• 50 days at sea on yachts up to 500gt² which may be reduced to 25 days if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence
• 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 Competence
• 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
• 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

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

Assumed Skills: Boat handling beyond the level of Yachtmaster Coastal

Assumed knowledge: Navigation to shorebased Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster™ Offshore

Certification Required:

• A GMDSS compliant Marine Radio Operator’s Certificate such as the RYA Short Range Certificate or higher.
• An RYA First Aid Certificate or another valid first aid certificate, as detailed on the RYA website.

An 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 courses in the cruising programme, there is no formal training to complete to become a Yachtmaster™. Instead, provided that you have sufficient experience and sea time, you can put yourself forward for an exam to test your skills and knowledge.

We can provide a range of training and preparation courses for you, please contact us for more information.

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As an independent company, we are able to keep our prices highly competitive – if you see a like for like product featured elsewhere cheaper, let us know and we will beat it! This guarantee applies to yacht and accommodation rates on our Beach Club, Flotilla, Learn to Sail and & Cabin Charter programmes operated by Seafarer and is subject to availability at the time of booking.