This course prepares participants who are planning to undertake the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore examination. It is designed to be a practical refresher course for experienced sailors.
A Yachtmaster Offshore is a highly experienced yachtsman or woman, capable of skippering a yacht on any offshore or coastal passage anywhere in the world, up to the point where celestial navigation is required. They must have the ability to do this without recourse to electronic navigation equipment such as GPS (Global Positioning System) and must be capable of entering any port anywhere in the world, given sufficient navigational information and depth of water, for the first time at night.
Duration
4 days (Monday to Friday)
Previous experience required
A minimum of 50 days in total spent on board a sailing yacht at sea; 2500 miles offshore logged in a RYA/YA log book (of which 50% must be in tidal waters), including 5 passages of over 60 nautical miles; two of these passages must be as skipper and 2 on overnight trips.
Anyone contemplating this course should have knowledge of navigation to the level of RYA Coastal Skipper. Persons unsure of their level should undergo an assessment prior to commencement. Please contact us to arrange this.
Exam candidates must be 18 years or older, hold a recognised First Aid certificate and a Restricted Radio Operators Certificate.
For an MCA (UK’s Marine and Coastal Agency) commercial endorsement on the RYA Yachtmaster certificate you also require a Sea Survival certificate.
All students should have an RYA/YA logbook with their qualifying passages and personal log of experience entered.
Course Content
- Intensive boat handling under power
- Taking command of the vessel on short passages by day and night
- Pilotage exercises by day and night
- Blind navigation to assimilate restricted visibility
- Finding an un-lit buoy in the dark
- Boat handling both under power and sail and man overboard procedures
The course is extremely intensive with much of the training taking place after dark. The course offers the best possible preparation for the RYA Yachtmaster exam, since you have been on board the yacht with the same crew for 4 days and should therefore feel relaxed and confident.
The exam is conducted by an independent examiner on our vessel. We are usually able to arrange for your exam to take place following completion of your training course. It is of 1-2 days duration (the time involved depends on the number of candidates, only two being able to be examined in a given day.
The testing is rigorous, involving 8-12hrs per candidate, but once over the sense of achievement is great!
Additional Cost
In addition to the cost of the course, you will need to budget for:
- Application for Examination to RYA/Yachting Australia: $405 (Yachtmaster Coastal), $465 (Yachtmaster Offshore)
- Charter of vessel for exam: $400/person (includes provisioning)