rya yachtmaster offshore theory

RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster ™ Offshore Theory (Online)

• This course looks to refine the techniques learnt in your RYA Day Skipper Theory course
• International Maritime Law
• Passage Planning
• Meteorology
• Environmental care

RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster™ theory is a more advanced course that builds on the knowledge gained at the RYA Day Skipper Theory level. Its aim is to take your theory knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster™ Coastal and Yachtmaster™ Offshore practical course.

This course is open to anyone who has already completed Day Skipper Theory, and ideally has some practical boating experience. You should be comfortable applying concepts such as tidal heights and streams and interpreting weather information. You will be familiar with pilotage and passage planning. You will feel at ease with the practical and thorough application of the IRPCS. You will understand how to fix position using a variety of methods. Your knowledge of safety systems and practices will be substantial.

Your full training pack contents include:

• Two RYA practice charts
• The RYA Coastal / Yachtmaster course notes
• The RYA Coastal / Yachtmaster exercises
• The RYA Training Almanac

Please note: Your online course is provided by Navathome. Booking conditions are not the same as for courses delivered by Andrew Simpson Yachting.  

Notes on shipping of training materials.

All training materials for the online courses are shipped to you the buyer. Please be aware of the Navathome policy relating to shipping. This forms part of their terms and conditions.

• Navathome is unable to ship to addresses which contain PO Box Numbers. A physical address will be required.
• Buyers must provide a valid contact telephone number at the time of booking
• Packs being shipped to Russia must be delivered to a business address.
• All packs must be signed for, so the buyer must ensure that there will be somebody available to accept the package
• Navathome will not accept responsibility for packs sent to marinas, or c/o addresses. If the pack goes missing after it has been signed for, the buyer will be liable for the cost of the replacement pack. 

Course Outcomes

• With this qualification combined with additional practical experience, you should be equipped with the knowledge required to consider the RYA Yachtmaster ™ Coastal or Yachtmaster ™ Offshore examination.

Course Dates

If you can't find what you are looking for online, please contact us directly to discuss options available to you.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore

Find out About the Yachtmaster Offshore Theory & Practical Training, (both Online & Shorebased)

Use the global Yachtmaster Offshore Directory to Find a Course Near me (Select any Location)

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• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore 200GT
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Requirements
• Course Breakdown
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Limited Theory
• RYA Yachtmaster of Yachts Practical Course
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical Examination
•  RYA Yachmaster Offshore Certificate
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Commercial Endorsement

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore (Yachtmaster 200GT & 150NM Limited)

An RYA Offshore certifies an individual as competent to captain a vessel up to 24m in length and no more than 200 Gross Tonnes. The offshore certification is applicable passages during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour.

The Yacht master offshore consists of two components:

• Yachtmaster Offshore Theory 
• Yachtmaster Offshore Practical 

Both components can be done on an individual basis but in order to achieve a commercial endorsement for the yachtmaster offshore certificate of competency, both the theory and practical examinations must be passed.

Yachtmaster Offshore Requirements:

In order to be eligible to take the Yachtmaster Offshore practical exam, candidates must meet the minimum sea time requirements.

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore minimum sea time prerequisites are as follows:

• 50 days at sea on yachts up to 500GT
• 5 days as skipper on vessels less than 24m LOA
• 2500 miles on yachts up to 500GT
• 5 passages over 60 miles long, which must include 2 overnight passages and 2 as skipper

If a candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence for a different vessel type (Ie. power or sail) then the above prerequisites are adjusted as indicated on the RYA's Yacht Master Offshore Exam page.

Yachtmaster Offshore Course Breakdown

The Yachtmaster Offshore course consists of a 40-hour (minimum) theory course (excluding exam time), 5 days of practical training and preparation followed by a 2-day practical examination.

Yachtmaster Offshore Theory:

The following topics are covered during the Yachtmaster Offshore theory course:

• Position fixing,
• Course shaping and plotting,
• Tidal knowledge,
• Use of almanacs and admiralty publications,
• Electronic position finding equipment,
• Taking and interpreting forecasts,
• Plotting weather systems,
• Weather predictions using a barometer.
• Certificate issuing criteria

Yachtmaster Offshore Theory Online

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Theory can be studied in an online or virtual distance learning format. The online version of the course allows students to work through the training content at their own pace, which may benefit those who are working with little time off.

Yachtmaster Offshore Practical

Although there is no formal training course leading up to the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical exam, it is common for yacht crew to complete a practical training course, leading up to the exam. This may vary slightly between schools but should be done at an RYA accredited center.

The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical Exam:

A valid GMDSS-approved SRC Radio Operators Certificate and a First Aid Certificate are requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Practical examination. The Elementary First Aid Certificate as acquired during STCW Basic Training is an accepted version. For recreational sailors, an RYA First Aid certificate is sufficient.

In addition to this, candidates need to ensure that they have met the minimum sea time prerequisites as highlighted above.

Practical Exam Assessment:

The exam will include an assessment of:

• The candidate's skills as a captain,
• Boat handling ability
• General seamanship,
• Navigation planning and execution
• Safety awareness and procedures
• Knowledge of the IRPCS,
• Meteorology,
• Lights, shapes, sounds, and other signals.

Practical Exam Duration:

• 8-12 hours for 1 candidate,
• 10-18 hours for 2 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.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate

Students who pass their Yachtmaster Offshore practical and theory examinations will be awarded an RYA Yachtmaster offshore certificate of competency. It is important to understand that CoC is a recreational license until it is commercially endorsed by the MCA.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Commerical Endorsement

In order to commercially endorse your Yachtmaster offshore certificate, you will need to submit the following:

• Original Yachtmaster Offshore certificate
• RYA Professional Practices and Responsibilities certificate
• an RYA commercial endorsement application form
• Your original, completed ML5, ENG1 , or an ENG1 equivalent medical form.
• A copy of your RYA Basic Sea Survival certificate or STCW Personal Survival Techniques
• A copy of your RYA Marine Radio SRC Certificate or other acceptable GMDSS Marine Radio Operator's Certificate .
• A passport-sized photo with your name on the back
• The application fee

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore License

A license card/ book will be provided to those who pass the relevant Yachtmaster offshore examinations. The license will include a photo, and details about the license holder, and will also include information about the endorsements associated with the license.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Training School Locations

Brazil Sao Paulo

Croatia Split

Greece Corfu

South Africa Cape Town Langebaan

Spain Barcelona

Turkey Marmaris

United Kingdom England Ireland Scotland

West Indies Antigua

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• Commercial Requirements – STCW, ENG1 and RYA PPR
• Course Calendar

Contact details Melani Kruger | Sales Cell:+27 (0)82 088 7186 [email protected]

Perry-Anne Davies | Principal & General Manager Cell:+27 (0)73 187 3746 [email protected]

Yachtmaster Ocean Sailing School Duncan Road, Table Bay Harbour Cape Town, Western Cape 8001, South Africa

RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased

Coastal skipper / yachtmaster offshore shorebased.

Advanced training for more experienced skippers building on the RYA Day Skipper qualification. This course equips you to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages.

About the course

The Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased course covers all of the theory knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams, concentrating on advanced navigation and meteorology skills.

The course includes:

• position fixing
• course shaping and plotting
• tidal knowledge
• use of almanacs and admiralty publications
• electronic position finding equipment
• taking and interpreting forecasts
• plotting weather systems
• weather predictions using a barometer and by observation
• collision regulations
• customs and excise regulations for cruising abroad

Course syllabus

• Understand dead reckoning and estimated position
• Understand satellite-derived position
• Use of waypoints
• Radar fixes
• Techniques of visual fixing
• Understand fixes using a mixture of position lines
• Relative accuracy of different methods of position lines
• Understand areas of uncertainty

The magnetic compass

• Allowance for variation
• Understand change of variation with tie and position
• Understand causes of deviation
• Swing for deviation (but not correction)
• Allowance for deviation
• Different types of compass
• Causes of tides – Springs and Neaps
• Tide tables – sources
• Tidal levels and datum
• Standard and secondary ports
• Tidal anomalies

Tidal streams

• Sources of tidal information
• Tidal stream information in sailing directions and yachtsmen’s Almanacs
• Allowance for tidal stream in computing a course to steer
• Tide rips, overfalls and races
• Tidal observation buoys, beacons etc
• IALA system buoyage in Region A
• Limitations of buoys as navigational aids
• Understand characteristics
• Ranges – visual, luminous and nominal
• Rising and dipping distances
• Light lists
• Harbour regulations and control signals
• Methods of pre-planning
• Clearing lines
• Use of soundings
• Transits and leading lines

GPS and chart plotters

• Principles of operation and limitations of use
• Raster and vector charts
• Understand datum
• Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source and keeping a separate record of position
• Importance of paper charts

Echo sounders

Logs (speed and distance measuring).

• Principles of operation and limitation of use
• Importance of log as yachts official document
• Layout of log, hourly and occasional entries

Meteorology

• Understand basic terms, the Beaufort scale
• Cloud types
• Weather patterns associated with pressure and frontal systems
• Sources of weather forecasts
• Ability to interpret a shipping forecast, weatherfax and weather satellite information
• Land and sea breezes
• Use of a barometer as a forecasting aid

Rules of the road

• A sound knowledge of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, except Annexes 1 and 3

Safety at sea

• Personal safety, use of life-jackets, safety harnesses and lifelines
• Fire prevention and fire fighting
• Distress signals
• Coastguard and Boat Safety Scheme
• Preparation for heavy weather
• Life-rafts and helicopter rescue
• Understanding of capabilities of vessel and basic knowledge of stability

Navigation in restricted  visibility

• Precautions to be taken in fog
• Limitations to safe navigation imposed by fog
• Navigation strategy in poor visibility

Passage planning

• Preparation of charts and notebook for route planning and making, and use at sea
• Custom regulations as they apply to yachts
• Routine navigating in coastal waters
• Strategy for course laying
• Use of waypoints and routes
• Use of weather forecast information for passage planning strategy
• Sources of local and national regulations

Marine environment

• Responsibility to minimise pollution and protect the marine environment

Prerequisites

Successful completion of RYA Day Skipper Shorebased course or a level of Navigational knowledge up to RYA Day Skipper level (Please assess your level of knowledge against the RYA Day Skipper Shorebased course syllabus).

How to Book

To book this course, register your interest below or  Book Online By Clicking Here 

Dates and pricing

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RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Theory

This course builds on the knowledge learnt on the RYA Day Skipper Theory course and is a prelude to the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Course . or RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exams.  This course concentrates on advanced navigation and meteorology skills and is aimed at sailors who are looking to undertake more complex, longer distance passages.

Along with the course pack your get access to an advanced electronic chart plotter specifically for use on training courses, giving you a realistic insight into electronic navigation which is an integral part of the course.

The course is delivered by Navathome, a RYA Recognised Training Centre specialising in online training.  To get a feel for the course  click here for a free trial .  You will be supported by our training centre qualified instructors on behalf of Navathome.com.  To complete the course there are two exam papers taken on-line that can be invigilated by a suitably qualified person or ASIA Pacific Yachting if the qualification is to be used commercially, otherwise the papers are done without invigilation.

The course is made available for a 6 month period. Should you need to extend this for a subsequent 6 month period an administrative fee will be levied (see T&Cs for details)

What to Bring

Course content.

Delivered via an on-line web based training course for you to complete at your own speed.

Support is provided by your assigned instructor.

The course is made available for 6 months.  Should you wish to extend that period there is a service charge ( see T&Cs for detials )

You will require the following equipment:

• Access to a computer or tablet device with internet connection.
• Course plotter and dividers.  If you don’t already have these then they can be purchased separately for APY.

Position fixing, course shaping and plotting, tidal knowledge, use of almanacs and admiralty publications, electronic position finding equipment, taking and interpreting forecasts, plotting weather systems, weather predictions using a barometer and by observation, collision regulations, customs and excise regulations for cruising abroad.

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course or Yachtmaster Exam Preparation course or RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore exam depending on your experience.  Also consider joining a course under the Experience & Mile Building programme to gain valuable experience before your next formal course.

Click the course below to access the booking page.

This course is available all year.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore/Coastal Theory

Rya coastal/yachtmaster offshore theory.

The  course builds on the navigation and other theory knowledge acquired on the D ay Skipper Course . It is intended for cruising yachtsmen, motor boaters, and those who are looking to undertake more complex passages, perhaps offshore or at night.

It is a demanding theory course covering advanced navigation techniques such as – Position Fixing, Course to Steer, Passage Planning, Pilotage, Meteorology, IRPCS, Stability and Buoyage. By the end of the course the successful student will have a comprehensive knowledge of what is required to navigate to Yachtmaster standard, and will have passed 3 exams on chart work, passage planning, and IRPCS.

It is highly recommended that you revise the collision regulations before attending the course and have acquired the Day Skipper Theory knowledge before doing this course, to ensure successful completion.

Please click here to see the progression and recommended path for RYA theory courses.

The course is 6 full days but candidates can choose to continue their study before taking the final exams.

If you are planning to follow this course with the Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore practical preparation and exams do ensure that you have an acceptable First Aid and VHF certificate - if not these can be booked with Ondeck.

Online - $475usd pp - Classroom $995usd pp. Please click on the ' Training Dates & Booking ' button on the right to check available dates.

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Everything You Need To Know About RYA Yachtmaster Theory

In last weeks blog we broke down RYA Day Skipper Practical and how it fits in to your learning progression. RYA Yachtmaster Theory is the next step in that journey and on its completion you opens up RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Course as well as several other interesting optional courses you could take. This blog will tell you Everything You Need To Know About RYA Yachtmaster Theory.

What is RYA Yachtmaster Theory? 

Being a theory course its shore based in a classroom or online via zoom. It assumes you have completed RYA Day Skipper theory or possess a comparable level of knowledge as it teaches you more advanced navigation techniques. You will learn about navigating safely on coastal and offshore passages. If you plan to progress to Coastal Skipper practical, Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore then you should be taking this course.

What RYA Yachtmaster Theory teaches you?

The course in essence will teach you advanced theory of navigation and meteorology.  For those with extensive sailing experience with previous navigational experience, the course builds upon those basic skills. You will be developing a comprehensive depth of knowledge and understanding of navigation theories, techniques and practices.

www.firstclasssailing.com/rya-courses/yachtmaster-theory-course

What can I expect to do?

RYA Yachtmaster Theory is an in-depth course with a wide subject field. But in short it will include position fixing, magnetic compass, tides, tidal streams, buoyage, lights, pilotage, and introduction to GPS and plotters, meteorology, collision prevention regulations, safety, navigation and passage planning among a lot more to numerous to go in-depth about in a short blog.

Where & When Can I take RYA Yachtmaster Theory?

There are three different ways you can take Yachtmaster Theory. We offer classroom based courses in our Southampton (Shamrock Quays) location and across London.  The classroom based course runs for 8 weeks ( 1 evening per week) and a weekend, or over 2 and a half weekends. If you have a suitable space we can also come to your office and run the program for your colleagues. Due to the impact of COVID we adapted our shore based courses for online zoom learning. This became very popular over the pandemic and the flexibility it offers means it has maintained it popularity. Like the in person course is typically run over 8 weeks however is sometimes compressed with multiple lessons a week. Finally we have a purely online version that allows you to dip in and out as and when it suits you. Support from an instructor is only a phone call or email away

What Equipment Will I Need?

No matter if you doing RYA Yachtmaster theory in a classroom, via zoom or online, each format comes with a extensive set of materials to make use of.  All students will receive a RYA work pack of charts, tide tables, port information and mock questions. A website with course slides will also be accessible after each lesson to help you refresh you memory. Those taking the Classroom or Zoom versions will also receive s Cockpit Companion.

To complete the course you will need a set of plotter and dividers. We can provide them to you for £20 to be collected at your first lesson. If your doing the Zoom or Online versions we will courier them to you. You can also opt to buy your own however they will likely be more expensive. If you have already completed RYA Day skipper theory or have the comparable experience you should already have everything you need.

Lastly If you haven’t already got a logbook you should make sure you get one. They are £7.49. The Logbook is a place to record your miles and keep your certificates. It outlines the whole RYA Cruising Scheme giving the course content for each course again if you completed prior course you should already have one of these.

What skills will I have after the course?

On competition of RYA Yachtmaster Theory you should now have the Background knowledge you need to skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night. You can now develop your skills further by moving up a level and taking the RYA Yachtmaster Practical , which in itself opens up several more course options. You can find more information about course options by following the link below.

www.firstclasssailing.com/first-class-sailing-rya-course-progression-plan

Want to get started?

Hopefully this blog has answered Everything You Need To Know about RYA Yachtmaster Theory. If you have any further questions or  you are interested in taking RYA Yachtmaster Theory click here to see availability and dates. You can also E-mail [email protected]  or call 0203 006 3717

Find out more about this course by following the link below. 

www.firstclasssailing.com/rya-courses/day-skipper-theory-course

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RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster offshore

Advanced training for more experienced skippers building on the Day Skipper course. This course equips you to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages.

This course will take your theory knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster™ Coastal and Yachtmaster™ Offshore practical exams, concentrating on advanced navigation and meteorology skills.

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RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory Online Course

This course follows on from the Day Skipper course and builds on many of the subjects covered on that course but in much more depth, whilst also introducing many other new and equally important subjects. This course is aimed at those wishing to go onto complete the Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster practical courses and exams as well as the recreational boaters wishing to widen their knowledge base. By the end of the course you should be equipped with the knowledge to navigate a  sailing yacht or powered craft in unfamiliar coastal and offshore waters during the day and night.

Pre-requisites

A knowledge/skill base to the level of RYA Day Skipper Shorebased .

What's Involved?

This is an eLearning course, but an RYA instructor is on hand to provide as much support as you require, this is done predominately by email, but Skype/Zoom chats can be organised at pre-arranged times.

Course Content

• Position fixing
• Course shaping and plotting
• Tidal knowledge
• Use of almanacs and admiralty publications
• Electronic position finding equipment
• Taking and interpreting forecasts
• Plotting weather systems
• Weather predictions using a barometer and by observation
• Collision regulations
• Customs and excise regulations for cruising abroad

Course Duration

Recommended reading, delivered by.

Approximately 6 days

Pay online, we create and send you all the login details and post your course pack.

Sailing Courses Online, an RYA Training Centre specialising in online courses.

Book this course

This is an online course so all you need to do is to select 'Book Now' and then pay and we will send your login details and instructions for taking the course. The login will arrive the next business day as we need to manually set you up for this course.

We're always really keen to chat to you when you’re booking a course as whilst we are happy to take bookings through this system for your convenience - nothing beats chatting about boats and courses!

Whilst this is an online course you will be prompted for a date,  just leave the date it gives you as it doesn't matter what date is selected. Select as many spaces as you need and then follow the booking process.

PLEASE NOTE:  When you book this course we need to MANUALLY set you up on the Interactive system. This is the same for ALL schools. We will set you up by close of play the next working day. We apologise for this delay but this is a course requirement and not down to us. :)

If overseas customers book the UK option we cannot set you up online until you have paid the additional postage amount of £25.

What's included?

• Online e-Learning course
• Training charts
• Course handbook & exercises 
• RYA Training Almanac
• Assessment papers
• Electronic chart plotter CD
• Support from a RYA instructor

Use Of Your Personal Data (GDPR Compliance)

To enable access to your online course we need to share some of your personal data with 'Sailing Courses Online'. This training website and database is held and maintained on a secure server.  Sailing Courses Online  is an RYA training centre which specialises in online navigation training and will not use your personal information for any reason other than enabling your course.

How Does It All Work?

Once you've received a confirmation email from us,  you can login with the username & password that is emailed to you.

Your course pack will be posted to you but you don't need to wait for this to start your course.

Carry out the online training course at your own pace. (Maximum 6 months)

If you have any questions at any stage during your course, simply email your instructor.

At the end you need to sit tests. If you need this qualification commercially please talk to us as you may need to be invigilated. On successful completion, you will receive your certificate in the post.

What about if i need to use this commercially?

You do not necessarily need your Yachtmaster Theory online course assessment invigilated.. have a read through the below as this may answer the question as to whether you do or not.. 

What is assessment invigilation and who can conduct it?

In some cases, it is necessary to arrange for an RYA Instructor to be present throughout the assessment to verify that you haven't received any outside assistance. This may be an RYA Instructor of any level.

When is invigilation required, do I really need it?

In most cases, invigilation of the final theory assessment is not necessary and is completely optional. We have summarised this for you below:

Invigilation is  not  required:

• If you are going to be using the qualification for leisure purposes (flotilla, charter, own boat cruising etc).
• If you wish to qualify as a RYA Cruising Instructor or an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor.
• For Skippering vessels below 200GT
• If you are wishing to add a Commercial Endorsement to a RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence.

Invigilation  will be  required:

• If you wish to enter MCA large yacht qualifications such as Officer of the Watch or Master 3000 all of your theory assessments must be invigilated 
• If you intend to Skipper vessels of over 200GT 
• If you intend to use your RYA Day Skipper Certificate or Competence for commercial purposes such as sea angling or commercial dive-boat operations within the UK you will require a professional endorsement to a Day Skipper Certificate of Competence. This will enable you to skipper a small commercial vessel. If your Day Skipper shorebased exam is invigilated by an RYA Instructor you will be able to operate up to 12 mile limit from the vessel's home port. If your theory exam has not been invigilated, operation will be authorised for a 3 mile limit from the vessel's home port. 

How can invigilation be arranged?

You may choose to make your own arrangements independently, please note: the chosen RYA recognised Training Centre may wish to charge a fee to cover their instructor time. This will need to be agreed by your instructor to ensure the centre you wish to be invigilated is acceptable to do it at.

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Sailhunter Ltd

Creating Opportunities • Changing Lives

Classroom Courses

Shorebase courses are available at our training rooms in the Wakefield area, further information for which can be found below.  Courses are available as either a single block of days or spread over several weekends.  We can offer tailored, private tuition for more discerning clients at locations in UK and abroad.  Please contact us for further information and to discuss your requirements.

RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Theory

An advanced course for experienced skippers studying towards formal certification to command vessels up to 200GRT or to apply for a MCA Master 200 Oral Examination.

The RYA Yachtmaster 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 Offshore practical qualification.

• Assumed knowledge To Day Skipper theory level.
• Minimum duration 40 hours study is specified by the RYA.
• Ability after course Theory knowledge to skipper a vessel on coastal and offshore passages by day and night.

What does it Cost?

Costs: £560 including VAT and UK P&P (£466.67 exc. VAT) Duration: 6 days.

Course Dates

Price is excluding VAT

Course Topics include

Thinking of more than one course.

Register today and get £50 off

Enter voucher code HOME STUDY in the booking form

Online Theory Course

An outstanding course - I can highly recommend this. The details, feedback and support is excellent - makes celestial navigation understandable!

Unravel the mysteries of astro navigation, the sextant, global meteorology and ocean passage making

The online RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean theory course teaches advanced techniques to those aspiring to blue water cruising and is ideal for holders of the Yachtmaster Offshore certificate who are preparing for their first ocean passage, and for commercial Skippers or Mates planning on operating more than 150nm from a safe haven.

This course will introduce you to the principles of astro navigation, the practical use of the sextant, the measurement of time, position fixing by the sun and stars, compass checking and great circle sailing.  

You’ll also study the concepts of worldwide meteorology, including tropical revolving storms, and passage planning for ocean voyaging.

• Assumed knowledge Yachtmaster level.
• Minimum duration 40 hours study is specified by the RYA.
• Ability after course Theory knowledge to undertake an ocean passage.

Simply click below to try a free lesson.

Introduction to Astro Navigation

• Introduction & Basic Astro Navigation Theory
• Using a Sextant
• Meridian Passage
• Plotting Your Position
• Planet Sights
• Moon Sights
• Star Sights
• Latitude by Polaris (The Pole Star)
• Compass Check by Sun’s Amplitude
• Ocean Weather & Tropical Storms
• Passage Planning
• Satellite, HF communications and obtaining weather data

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

14-day unconditional money-back guarantee.

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

Embedded quizzes with instant feedback in each lesson.

Self-assessment exercises with fully worked answers.

Final exam with detailed instructor feedback and free repeat attempts if requried.

RYA Ocean 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.

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.

Whilst the process of translating a sextant sight into a position line is straightforward it is quite challenging to get to grips with. Unlike classroom training, where time is limited and students progress at different rates, online learning allows you to participate in lessons as many times as you wish to fully get to grips with the concepts.

At the end of each lesson there are excercises 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 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 the final exam.

This is 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 exam you will be awarded the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Course Certificate , which will be posted to you.

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

If you  are working towards your Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence, successful completion of this course exempts you from the written exam.

For most students exam invigilation is not required - see here for examples of when invigilation is required.

Call us for advice on 0238 218 2604

Course reviews.

Nigel Andrews

Helped me master it

This was my third attempt at an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean online course from different companies, and by far the best. For an admittedly difficult subject matter to get one’s head around, the instructor presents a very organized and understandable series of lessons that combine learning with wisdom and humour. Its still a tough subject, but this course helped me master it. Thanks!

Mathew Myatt

Ability to repeat when in doubt

Logical and clear. What was really good was the ability to go back and repeat or all or part of a lesson to ensure you truly understand a concept / principle, something which is more difficult to do when in a real classroom situation

David McIntyre

An excellent course

I found this course to be very comprehensive and informative. The format was very well presented and clear. The main advantage for me was the convenience of doing this in your own time. They are very generous with this. All my correspondence was very promptly replied. They are certainly very on the ball. The instructors gave clear and prompt feedback.

David Collins

Well worth the investment. Excellent!

A challenging course which stretches you but backed up with excellent coaching and instructor support. Worth the investment in time and money. Highly recommended.

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

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster theory

• Katy Stickland
• July 20, 2021

Racing turned cruising sailors Liz Rushall and her husband Mark go back to school to brush up on their Yachtmaster theory

Although accomplished sailors, Liz and Mark found their rusty knowledge was hampering their cruising enjoyment. The Yachtmaster theory course revealed a number of areas in need of a refresher. Credit: David Harding

Liz Rushall shares tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster theory course

‘Why on earth are you guys doing your Yachtmaster ?’ was the question our friends repeatedly asked. ‘Surely, you know all that stuff?’

We’ve both sailed since childhood, competitively racing dinghies, then keelboats. Sailing is our work and life.

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

Mark is a British Sailing Team coach, we’ve both won championships together and with others, and raced keelboats offshore.

In between times, since 2000, we’ve cruised Ragdoll our 28ft classic Honeybee, from Emsworth, having slow adventures around Brittany, Normandy, and the West Country.

Generally, we’ve arrived on the day we had planned, if not quite always at our estimated time.

Although I did my Yachtmaster theory some 20 years ago, it’s just like I have a Maths O-Level. It’s still a mystery to me.

Sitting the course at night-school, during an intensely busy job, with a bunch of powerboaters talking jargon knowingly, it was as if I was reliving the horror of maths at school.

Needless to say, as with my maths, I battled through the exam and unfortunately not much of it stuck.

Meanwhile, Mark learned his navigation on the hoof, cruising on friends’ boats during his student days and he is self-taught.

Good at all things involving science and numbers, he was always a bit dismissive of things like compass deviation.

We had a little hand-held GPS, a Walker trailing log, and more recently a very small detachable Garmin chartplotter and Simrad AIS. It all seemed to work – we were fine.

What could possibly go wrong?

You never stop learning

The real answer to the question ‘why do our Yachtmaster ’ was a wake-up call that came last summer.

We’d had a hectic few months, working late and trying to fit in our summer cruise around Mark’s Olympic coaching commitments.

We were both tired and needed a break.

Mark plotted our Channel crossing.

Normally I try to get involved and have a crack at the passage plan too, but it takes me ages.

Making sense of passage planning, including tidal heights and gates, is much easier once you’ve had a refresher. Credit: Liz Rushall

I helped a bit with the tidal streams (which I thought I was good at) and had a quick, over-the-shoulder look.

We decided to head for Cherbourg, to have options.

We dismissed the idea of heading straight to Saint-Vaast, as we’d anticipated a four-hour wait for the lock gates – tedious after a long crossing.

We left Chichester Harbour early, although I wanted to go even earlier.

As soon as we had popped out of the harbour, the wind clearly was not as forecast. It was more WSW than west, so not the reach we had hoped for.

Continues below…

Tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster practical

Having brushed up on their theory, racing turned cruising sailors Liz Rushall and her husband Mark now put it into…

How to pass your Yachtmaster exam

The global standard of sailing qualifications is achievable for any experienced, competent skipper. Tom Cunliffe explains how to pass your…

12 expert skills to take you beyond Yachtmaster

Rupert Holmes outlines the skills that mark out the good sailors from the 
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We were keen to get to France, however, so we pressed on.

It was a big spring tide, so we expected to get swept hard eastwards and then back westwards.

We reefed early, anticipating the wind against tide effect as we got towards France.

But it was a horrible sea. Our little boat was sailing beautifully but struggled to keep to our estimated speed.

We were consistently too far east of our course, even after the tide had turned, and the tide didn’t push us as hard west to Cherbourg as had been expected.

Still behind schedule, the water didn’t flatten out when the tide turned east again.

How to calculate position, estimate time of arrival and course to steer is all easily forgotten in a digital age. Knowing how to extract this information from your chartplotter is also crucial

Now very tired from hand steering, less than two hours from Cherbourg we had to concede that we simply could not punch upwind, with or without the engine.

The whole day had been a domino effect of one little thing after another.

So, as the sun faded, a quick change of plan.

We altered course for St Vaast, rocketing down on the tide, arriving just as the lock gates opened at 2300.

In the end, it was a good result, landing in our favourite spot, although it had been a very long day on a little boat with no self-steering.

After two days’ sleeping, having a sailing coach on board and racing in our blood meant, of course, a thorough debrief.

Naturally, over some lovely seafood and French wine.

We realised that our brains were not getting younger, and clearly there had been some ‘gaps’ in our navigational planning.

For a long time, I’ve felt aware that I didn’t have a complete handle on chartwork, despite owning a certificate that says I do.

The decision was made. Let’s have a crack at our RYA Yachtmaster and find out what we do and don’t know.

A course in ‘Johart’s Window’

Stage one of our plan was enrolling on an Intensive RYA Yachtmaster Theory course with the Emsworth School of Navigation – six days completed over two weekends.

Using dividers to transfer a position line from a scale is easier on a small boat than lining up a plotter or parallel rules. Credit: David Harding

Compared to my memories of scary night-school, the experience was a refreshing change.

Karen Dorontic, the principal, turned out to be an amazing teacher, with astounding levels of patience and a gift for not making you feel stupid, despite most of us coming up with some bizarre calculations and answers.

Her empathy with our learning process, the pitfalls and the mistakes we would make as we progressed through the topics and papers, was clearly based on her own experiences.

We had an interesting, mixed group on the course; a couple refurbishing their yacht to cruise around the world, two people who take people sailing on club-owned yachts, a Solent based cruiser, and my brothers.

One who, like me, did his Yachtmaster theory exam many years ago, the other a confirmed dinghy sailor now doing a bit more yacht racing.

Straight into the first session, and many of us were picking up some great tips.

Frequently things that sounded obvious, although only once you had been told.

For us, it was time-saving things, such as using the dividers to transfer positions from the side of the chart rather than struggling with parallel rules, and unlocking the delights of a Portland plotter.

Both were far more useful for our tiny navigation table. Then, there were the really useful ways of remembering things.

Who knew the cones on cardinal marks point to the black section? Easy.

Bizarrely, one of the most entertaining sessions was learning the Colregs (collision regulations).

We were in hoots visualising all those bells and gongs going off in poor visibility.

Yet once again, Karen gave us really helpful tips for working out lights, especially for towing vessels, which initially felt like a sea of colour we’d never remember.

The intensive nature of the course means there is a vast amount of information to process but without the luxury of a few days to absorb and reread what you are learning.

Almost inevitably, that meant some of us ‘hitting the wall’.

By day two of plotting estimated positions and courses to steer, I could no longer figure out Variation and Deviation.

The phrase ‘Error East Compass Least’ rapidly became another maths maze. Plus or minus?

The more I tried to think about it, the more it went wrong.

One candidate put his dividers down saying: ‘I’ve completely forgotten what it is I’m trying to achieve’.

I began to wonder how we’d ever got our boats anywhere around the Solent, let alone to St Malo, Chausey, and Tréguier.

Homework humiliations

With a lot of exercises to practise before the second weekend, it was hard to cram our homework into a busy fortnight.

Somehow we did, although mealtime conversation got down to the level of ‘what do two red lights mean?’ Riveting stuff!

The family WhatsApp was busy that week with shrieks of frustration as we all made chartwork errors.

Back in the classroom, we all compared notes. Everyone had struggled with their homework.

Mark didn’t get a single question right first time.

Liz found it useful to identify areas of weakness ahead of her Yachtmaster Theory course. Credit: David Harding

Number blindness set in as we all plotted the wrong information, dates and data and tried to use the tidal height tables to calculate tidal stream rates. We’d done it all.

One man owned up to plotting the date as a position on his chart.

At least we were all suffering in the same boat.

Undoubtedly, it was a painful process to go through, as we all fell into the pitfalls and traps deliberately set in the exercise questions.

However, it was true that practice makes perfect.

Through comparing our random attempts with the answers, we were all learning from our errors.

The fog is clearing

With homework horrors behind us, our practice paid off as we went through our exam papers.

Everyone passing the Colregs paper was a confidence boost. Bang the gong!

While we waited to hear our results, the bemused conversation went along the lines of, ‘Were those yellow and red lights a Hovercraft that was fishing?

Or an air-cushioned, displacement fishing vessel?

Details of the RYA Yachtmaster Theory course

Officially speaking, the RYA Yachtmaster Theory course builds on that which is taught in the shore-based Day skipper course.

However, for most people who have sailed regularly, then jumping straight to Yachtmaster theory is unlikely to be a major problem.

The course covers advanced navigation techniques including: position fixing; course shaping and plotting; tidal knowledge including secondary port calculations; navigation in restricted visibility; Admiralty publications and electronic position-finding equipment.

Much of this will be familiar to even the most casual cruiser, but as Liz discovered, some of the specifics might well need a bit of study.

The meteorology tuition includes the taking and interpretation of forecasts, plotting of weather systems as well as weather prediction.

Further courses

Many people who jump straight into Yachtmaster Theory may find that it turns up a weakness or gap in their knowledge.

It can often be helpful to identify areas of weakness and consider a training course that might help raise your level ahead of a Yachtmaster practical exam.

Several schools offer courses on many of the subjects in a Yachtmaster exam and they can help you to improve your knowledge.

On the other hand, it might just be an area you devote more time to in the lead up to Yachtmaster Practical.

Know your COLREGS

The one area where there are no shortcuts are Colregs; you just need to know your stuff – and finding the time to learn isn’t difficult.

So far as the MCA is concerned, this is the crunch.

Examiners are encouraged to demand high standards in this subject, and there’s no reason for a candidate, knowing full well they are going to be grilled extensively on this, not to have the regulations solidly in their mind.

The best way to be exam-proof is to invest in A Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road (Morgans Technical Books Limited (£12.50), available for modest money online or in any chandlery.

Place it prominently in the heads some months before the exam and devote five minutes of each day to digesting its contents.

The book makes it easy and should leave you with no excuse for not having a thorough working knowledge.

Aside from the certificate, we both got a lot out of the course. Mark felt that it reminded him what he did know and reinforced what he didn’t.

Liz found she had forgotten some useful shortcuts during her Yachtmaster Theory course and put these into practice during her Yachtmaster Practical assessment. Credit: David Harding

Learning the processes and the ways to remember them, was so helpful.

For me, cracking the tidal stream rates was a revelation, and fears of secondary ports and tidal height calculations are mostly gone.

It will definitely help us explore places we never felt confident to visit because we have a long keel.

Karen’s many wise tips such as not trusting the electronics unquestioningly, and rapid plotting techniques will be invaluable.

Pilotage plans for new ports will now be a joy rather than a scrabble around through the pilot books.

We love our little boat, we sail her well, yet she will never be anything like the quickest boat on the water.

She needs all the help we can give her, which includes accurate navigation to arrive on time.

Having returned to the Yachtmaster theory I now feel that my confidence is up.

Mark and I now can’t wait for our next big voyage, to see what we’ve really learned.

Now there’s the small matter of our practical exams on the horizon.

5 key points to take away from our Yachtmaster Theory course

• Quick Plotting Techniques: Karen’s quick plotting technique really helps if, like us, you have a very small chart table. 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
• Deviation and Variation: In the end, I solved this by learning to literally translate ‘error east/compass least’ and ‘error west/compass best’ into plain English! In other words: Compass error West – compass will be bigger than True; Compass error East –compass will be less than True. Learning how to use a pencil mark on the error scale on the Portland plotter to avoid the mental arithmetic entirely was another gem.
• Extrapolating tidal streams : One particular ‘lightbulb moment’ was calculating tidal streams. We’d only ever interpolated the tidal streams, estimating the rate between the mean spring and neap rates shown in the tidal atlas. The exercises highlighted that a big spring tide will be higher than the mean rate, and extrapolating this accurately makes a big impact on your course to steer.
• Remembering lights: Learning the lights felt really complex, but Karen taught us to look for the patterns. Remember a clock face for the number of flashes of the N, E, S and West cardinals (E is three flashes, South six, West nine and North continuous) is a great tip. For remembering the lights for towing vessels, adding an extra masthead light to represent the vessel it is towing, plus another for boat length over 50m, and another for tow length.
• Templates for secondary port and tidal stream calcs:  Rather than working it out from scratch each time, Karen encouraged us to develop our own, or use standard templates for calculating tidal information. It helps reduce errors, speeding up the planning process and saving brain cells for other tasks.

Key information on the Yachtmaster practical and theory courses

Why yachtmaster.

Although a Yachtmaster qualification is required for anyone planning to become a professional, thanks to the continuing efforts of the RYA, Brits who sail for leisure still don’t have to carry any proof of competence in home waters.

The certificate certainly remains the logical target of many a self-motivated sailor, though.

It also represents the icing on the cake for those looking for the reassurance of an external assessment.

Theory and Practical

Yachtmaster training can take place on a boat or in a classroom.

A shore-based course, either at desks in a school or via the popular Internet distance learning programmes, ends with a theory exam.

Success in this will help a student in later qualification upgrades, but it is not officially recognised.

The only certificates accepted by the authorities are those issued after an at-sea examination. To become a fully-fledged Yachtmaster, this practical test is the one that counts.

Coastal or offshore

In recent years, the old Coastal Skipper has been superseded by the new Yachtmaster Coastal certificate.

The qualifying mileage for this MCA-recognised qualification is 800 miles, with passage and night-hour requirements being regarded as fairly relaxed in comparison with Yachtmaster Offshore, which keeps its 2,500-mile entry level.

Either will serve as a proper Yachtmaster qualification and can be described as such.

Only the often-dropped suffix distinguishes the two.

Apply for ‘coastal’ and the examiner, recognising that you have less sea-time, will be more inclined to cut you a bit of slack.

The RYA has noted that most candidates are really only making ‘coastal-status’ passages.

In real terms this includes an annual trip across the Irish Sea, the North Sea or the Channel in a calculated weather window.

• Online RYA Yachtmaster Theory
• RYA Courses

Online Theory Courses

5 days theory 8.00am – 6.00pm Or 2 weekends (8.00am – 6.00pm) PLUS 2 evenings (6.00pm – 10:30pm)

This is an advanced navigation course for those who wish to take the Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate. We assume that you are already qualified as a Day Skipper and although there is some time set aside for the revision of subjects covered in the elementary course you should arrive with a good understanding of the basics.

Previous experience necessary: This course assumes that you are a qualified Day Skipper or have equivalent experience.

On this course you will cover more complex aspects of navigation at sea including how to work out secondary tidal heights, position fixing, navigating in restricted visibility, passage planning and the capabilities and limitations of electronic navigation aids.

International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

Compass swinging

Nautical terms

Emergencies – safety equipment, towing

Tides and currents

Navigation with restricted visibility

GPS & chart plotters

Echo sounders & logs

Passage planning

Safety at sea

Meteorology

What do I bring? Plotter* Dividers* Two soft 2B pencils Pencil sharpener Eraser Note pad and pens

* Must be pre-ordered at least 2 weeks prior and will supplied on the day, please phone or email details.

How long is the course? The course involves five days classroom theory, 8.00am – 6.00pm.

RYA logbook and certificate presented upon successful completion of exam.

• Course Diagram
• Online Coastal Navigation
• Online RYA Day Skipper Theory Bridging
• Online Safety & Sea Survival Certificate (SSSC)
• Online Marine Radio Operators Certificate
• Online RYA Diesel Engine Course

RYA Yachtmaster Handbook

Buy paperback.

£20.49

Buy the ebook and get 25% off both

This book is also available as an audiobook. Visit our audiobooks page for more information, or click below to purchase through Spotify .

The RYA Yachtmaster Handbook is the first official and definitive guide for anyone preparing for the world-renowned RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and Coastal examinations. It will not only appeal to both leisure sailors and motor cruisers; there is a section covering commercial endorsement requirements for those who wish to use their qualification professionally.

It describes what you can expect on the day of the examination, the thinking behind the test and what the examiner is looking for.

With the aid of some stunning illustrations, it is designed to make you focus on areas where skills can sometimes be lacking, with the aim of setting you up for life beyond the Yachtmaster exam as a competent and confident skipper.

Although the chapters include subjects that are covered in earlier books, this assumes knowledge at (or close to) RYA Yachtmaster level and highlights what a candidate needs to be thinking about.

• What is an RYA Yachtmaster?
• Where do I go from Here?
• Tidal Streams and Heights
• Passage Planning & Passage Making
• Seamanship and Stability

The author James Stevens can take much of the credit for the success and international acceptance of the RYA Yachtmaster scheme, and is now the chair of the RYA Yachtmaster Qualification Panel.

'It does cover all the need to know material necessary for success in the exam... Given that the author is the creator of the current RYA Yachtmaster scheme for sail and power boats, it must be a near-perfect guide and it must surely offer a better guarantee of success than many similar book' – Sailing for Southern Africa , September 2013.

'Clear-sighted and easy-to-understand' – Yachting Monthly , August 2013.

• Where Do I Start ?
• RYA Essential Navigation & Seamanship

RYA Day Skipper

• RYA Coastal Yachtmaster

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean

• Fastrack To RYA Coastal Yachtmaster
• RYA CEVNI Test
• Navathome Basic Training
• Navathome Diesel Engine Course
• Navathome ICC Theory Course
• Upgrade From Navathome ICC to RYA Day Skipper
• Book A Course
• Vouchers & Gifts
• Extend Your Course
• Ways To Pay
• Other Payments

RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore

Theory course, rya coastal skipper/yachtmaster offshore theory course, get instant access £315.

• Free Navathome App
• Free Diesel Engine Course worth £95
• Fully Animated & Interactive Lessons
• Multi Device Support
• Study At Your Own Pace
• Proven Pass Rate
• No Classroom Pressure
• MCA & RYA recognised
• Lifetime Access To Revision Material
• Plotter & Dividers - Additional £15
• 6 Months Access - Extra 6 Months For £30

Navigate By Day & Night

Gain essential skills to navigate coastal waters by day and night. From mastering charts and navigating with precision to understanding tides, position fixing, course calculation, weather forecasting, meteorology and navigation aids, this course equips you with the knowledge and practical skills needed for coastal sailing.

Revise and retry until you pass

Most students pass first time but no stress if you don’t; we offer further help and tuition until you are successful.

Is this course right for you?

The RYA Coastal Skipper course is designed for sailors who already have a foundation knowledge of navigation, tides, and basic seamanship skills gained with the completion of the RYA Day Skipper course.

Qualifications

The RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore theory course is designed to meet the requirements for attendance onto the RYA Coastal Skipper practical course and the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence Examinations. In order to enrol onto this course, you must have previously completed the RYA Day Skipper theory or alternatively, if you have not formalised your existing knowledge you can complete our Fastrack to RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster theory Course.

The course is approximately 50-60 hours of study, followed by an assessment consisting of three parts: IRPCS (1.5 hours), Chartwork (2 hours), and Passage Making (3.5 hours). You have the flexibility to take the assessment in one sitting, or as three separate papers.

Upon successful completion, this course awards the RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased theory certificate.

This course is suitable for commercial endorsement by having your assessment invigilated.

Not convinced?

Over 2,500 reviews on TrustPilot

‘What sets the course apart is the responsiveness of the support team should you have any questions.’ ‘All in all a super convenient and very efficient way to pass the RYA theory examinations.’

RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Course SYLLABUS

Chart basics:

• How to use the chart and check chart datum.
• Checking and making chart corrections.
• Different types of charts for various situations.

Compass variation and deviation:

• Variation and deviation explained using animated drawings and sketches.
• Solving problems of healing error and dip.

All about tides:

• Tidal terminology.
• Using tide tables advanced.
• Using and working out secondary port information.
• Using and applying time zones.
• Tidal stream and the tidal stream atlas.
• Working with tidal diamonds.
• Using the computations of rates graph.
• Simplifying multiple tidal vectors.

Position fixing:

• Dead reckoning and working up an estimated position taking into account tides and leeway.
• Techniques for visual fixing.

Course to steer :

• Plotting a compass course to steer taking into account tides, leeway, time zones and computation of rates.

Electronic aids to navigation:

• Including the free Navathome radar simulator, use of GPS, chart navigation systems, AIS and much more.

Collision regulations:

• Including lights, shapes, collision avoidance, quizzes, example yacht and motor switchboards for using the correct lights plus all that is needed to understand the rules.

Passage planning:

• Planning routes, routines and watch systems.
• Execution and monitoring a passage.

Visual aids to navigation:

• Buoyage and lights.
• Leading lines and lights.
• Distance off by rising and dipping.

Safety at Sea:

• Essential safety practices and equipment onboard.
• Handling life rafts, life jackets, and flares.
• Mayday calls and communication during emergency situations.

Meteorology:

• Including using synoptic charts, weather patterns, causes of fog and much more.

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All courses are completed online, study at your own pace, from anywhere in the world.

No Experience Necessary Learn Basic Navigation & Seamanship

No Qualification Necessary Complete RYA PPR in one course.

No Qualification Necessary Complete Day Skipper and Coastal YM in one course.

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Frequently asked questions.

Our goal is to assist you by addressing common questions and offering valuable information about our courses and services. If you’re unable to find the specific answer you’re seeking, we encourage you to reach out to our dedicated team. We are always ready to provide further assistance and support.

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RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor – All You Need To Know

What is the rya coastal skipper practical motor.

The goal of the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course is to teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a motor cruiser safely on coastal and offshore passages by day and night. 

If you have not already done your RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory, then you should do that first. You can find more information about our online course here; RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory .

Or if you look here if you are looking for an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail .

What Does the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor Allow You to Do?

You will gain practice in planning and skippering longer passages with a significant number of night hours where watch-keeping rotas become relevant. At the end of the course, a successful candidate would be awarded a course completion certificate.

An RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course gives you the confidence to skipper a motor cruiser in unfamiliar waters, out of sight of land, both during the day and at night. It also gives credibility to the holder’s higher skill levels and will likely be looked at positively by insurance companies.

Occasionally, charter companies may ask for an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor certificate for their larger sizes of vessels or for chartering in more complex waters.

Nobody will be ready to jump straight into a commercial RYA Coastal Skipper Motor exam on completion of an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course, but the skillsets taught will enable the student to continue building their knowledge and experience as they progress in their motor cruising career.

Who Can Do an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor?

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course is open to anyone who meets the basic minimum criteria.

• 17 years of age or older
• 15 days spent at sea
• 300nm at sea
• 8 night hours experienced on the water
• 2 days as skipper

If you have boating experience but not skippering experience, then you will want to take the RYA Day Skipper Practical Motor course. You can read more about that here.

Can You Go Straight to the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course?

You should aim to complete your RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory before attending your RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course.

While this is not a beginner’s course, so long as you have the relevant experience and skippering skills as described above then you can indeed, go straight into RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor.

It should be noted however, that on the RYA Day Skipper Practical Motor course certain building blocks in your learning will have taken place and so if you do not have at least a few days of experience as a skipper of a small vessel then it is recommended that you start at the RYA Day Skipper Practical Motor to consolidate your knowledge of boat handling and skippering techniques.

How Long Does an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor take?

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor is a minimum of a 5-day live-aboard course, however, some schools may choose to extend this.

Is There a Set Syllabus?

There is indeed a syllabus. Each of the following topics represents a specific part of the learnings that will be covered on an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course in varying levels of detail.

Passage planning, preparation for sea, pilotage, passage making, ability as skipper, handling under power, adverse weather conditions and emergency situations detail the various aspects of the syllabus.

Read on to learn in a little more detail about how each of these is covered in a little more detail.

What Might I Learn on an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor Course?

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course is one of the most rewarding courses within the RYA cruising scheme.

On this course, you will advance your cruising and navigational skills from those previously learned. The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor will take your RYA Day Skipper Practical Motor skills to a higher level. With this, you will gain more independence in your skippering.

The highlight of the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course will see you take on a passage that involves some kind of watchkeeping, something you may not have been part of before, especially while also responsible for skippering and navigation. This passage will ideally be out of sight of land and include numerous hours both during the day and at night.

Inevitably, the passage will also cover more than one tidal period or window while also overlaying various weather forecast times. Covering these in a practical scenario, under the guidance of an experienced instructor will allow you to truly see and feel how much these will affect your passage and why we need to take careful consideration of them at all times.

Further passage planning and preparation to a coastal level will be covered, while pilotage will now be covered by night as well as day. 

Handling the vessel under power will not be forgotten about as you will be put through more advanced learnings both at sea and in close quarters. 

Finally, of course, during the week you will cover various emergency situations, including the recovery of a casualty and understanding how to handle adverse weather.

What Is the Cost of a Course?

As ever, many schools differ in price. We would recommend that you take a look around at the various options and find what suits your needs the best. Cheapest is not often better.

This can range from knowing if you will have to share a cabin while onboard to whether food and berthing charges are included to how many other students you will be sharing your week with.

Where Should I Do My RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor Course?

There are many thoughts on where is best, but to be truthful, it is what works for you best. 

One thought is to do it in an area that you wouldn’t normally cruise in, that way, you can gain learnings and experiences that are uncommon to you.

It is also important to know where you might be cruising. Ideally, you want to be cruising out of sight of land at some point on an extended passage that covers a number of night hours. You do not want to be returning to the same home port every night.

Check here for RYA practical schools.

What Is the Pass Mark for the Course?

There is no specific pass mark as such. The instructor’s aim is to introduce you to the skills, techniques and experiences of cruising out of sight of land, on a watch system and making landfall.

These may all be introductions to you in this area and as such, each student will find they are at a different level.

The instructor for your course will guide and personalise any learnings so as to improve your knowledge and skills as best as possible.

As long as you are willing to put the effort into learning these skills and have come with the relevant knowledge and experience then you should be confident in achieving the desired standard to be awarded the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor course completion certification.

What Comes After RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor

This is the highest practical course within the RYA cruising scheme. Ideally, you want to go on and consolidate all your learnings and gain experience in a range of conditions, boats and passages.

As you venture out on your travels, be sure to study any special characteristics you will come across in new unfamiliar waters such as med moorings, unusual winds or IALA B.

Once you have consolidated your knowledge, you can start to think about aiming for your RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor.

Releated Posts

RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail – All You Need To Know

RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Theory – All The Information You Need

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