Course | Suggested Minimum Pre-Course Experience |
Recommended Knowledge | Course Content | Ability After Course | Minimum Duration |
Start Yachting | None | None | Steering a yacht, sail handling, ropework & safety on board | Basic knowledge of yachting | 2 days |
Competent Crew | None | None | Basic seamanship & helmsmanship | Useful crewmember | 5 days |
Day Skipper | 5 days, 100 miles, 4 night hours | Navigation to Day Skipper Shorebased & basic sailing ability | Basic pilotage, boat handling, seamanship and navigation | Skipper a small yacht in familiar waters by day | 5 days |
Coastal Skipper | 15 days (2 as skipper), 300 miles, 8 night hours | Navigation to Day Skipper Shorebased standard. Sailing to Day Skipper Practical standard | Skippering techniques for coastal & offshore passages | Skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night | 5 days |
RYA Yachtmaster® Offshore Preparation and Exam
Although there is no requirement for you to attend a course prior to taking your Yachtmaster® Offshore practical exam it is often worth receiving tuition, if only to find out your strengths and weaknesses.
The RYA offers a range of one day courses which complement the practical and navigation courses. Some are essential to those who wish to take their Yachtmaster of Coastal Skipper Certificates of Competence or work commercially as a skipper.
We offer courses in:
Unlike in the UK, if you are planning to spend your holiday cruising in Europe, you are likely to need a certificate. The most common requirements is the International Certificate of Competence (ICC). You can obtain this by proving your competence to skipper a boat, either by holding an RYA practical certificate (Day Skipper or above), or by passing an ICC assessment.
We offer a variety of tuition, including: