rya yachtmaster offshore renewal

How to renew your Yachtmaster

All Yachtmaster Commercial Endorsement certificates must be renewed every 5 years, and for this you must be in possession or justify the following aspects:

• The  shipments  of the last 5 years, dates and data of the companies for which you have worked. At least 150 days navigated should be justified.
• Medical Certificate  (ENG1) .
• ID  photo
• Course  ‘Professional Practices & Responsibilities  (PPR)’. It is a RYA course that can be done online and is priced at € 50.
• Original Certificate  that you want to renew

** If you can’t justify the required maritime service, but you can show that, for at least half of the five-year period, you have worked on tasks closely associated with the management and operation of one or more appropriate types of boats, you can renew your certificate. **

Here you are the  Revalidation Form . We can help you, any question contact us: [email protected]

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RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail – Everything You Need to Know

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail ticket is considered the most useful and credible of all sail cruising qualifications. Administered on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastgaurd Agency by the RYA the qualification is accepted as a worldwide standard. To gain an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail qualification you must sit a practical exam. 

What Does the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Allow You to Do?

Gaining an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail will allow you to work commercially on sailing vessels not exceeding 200GT.

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail exam certifies that you are competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage that is not more than 150nm from a harbour.

How Can You Sit an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Exam?

The exam can be organised via the RYA to be done on your own vessel or via an RYA training centre, to be done on an RYA training vessel. It should be noted, that to complete the exam on your own vessel, your vessel must be up to an appropriate safety standard.

Most RYA training centres offering the RYA Cruising Scheme offer some form of pre exam preparation or coaching for those looking to take an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail exam.

These courses are often referred to as ‘RYA Yachtmaster Prep’ courses. This is unique within the RYA training framework in that it does not have a fixed course syllabus, length or course completion certificate.

Who Can Do an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Exam?

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail exam is open to anyone who meets the minimum criteria, with all experience within the last 10 years.

• 18 years of age or older
• 50 days spent at sea
• 2500nm sailed, with at least 50% in tidal waters
• 5 days as skipper
• 5 passages of over 60nm, with at least 2 as skipper

If you have skippering experience but not the required days or passages, then the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail might be for you.

If you have the miles, but not the skippering experience, then again, the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail might be for you.

Additionally, exam candidates must also hold a relevant GMDSS VHF certification and an RYA First Aid certificate or recognised equivalent.

Can You Go Straight to the Exam?

You can indeed jump straight into the RYA Cruising Scheme at this stage, however, it is imperative that you understand the levels that are required of you, both in your knowledge and practical skills.

It is suggested that as a minimum you have completed (and passed) the RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Theory course as the knowledge in here is both required for you to be at the level required, but will be formally tested during your RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail exam, both orally and in practical applications.

What Do You Need to Know before Attending an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Course and Exam?

You, of course, need to be a suitably experienced skipper and this involves meeting the prerequisites mentioned above to be eligible. You should be able to handle your vessel competently in close quarters and at sea. You should be comfortable applying this in various day and night time passages.

As mentioned, it is strongly recommended to have completed the RYA Coastal and Yachtmaster Theory as the depth of knowledge gained from this shore based course will be tested throughout your exam. 

How Long Does a Prep Course and Exam Take?

The exam itself can take anything from 8 hours to 2 days depending on how many candidates are being examined on one vessel at a time. Up to 4 candidates can sit the exam at once and this would last for a maximum of 48 hours if so.

An RYA Yachtmaster Prep course is generally four and a half days long and is usually directly followed by the practical exam.

Is There a Set Syllabus for the Prep Course?

No, this is the one time that while there is a recognised ‘course’, there is no syllabus. It is up to the experienced instructor on the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Prep course to tailor the learnings to your needs. This is more about refining your skills rather than teaching new ones.

You should be honest with yourself and your instructor in order for learnings throughout the week to be tailored to improve yourself on any weak areas that you may have.

What Should I Expect from an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Prep Course?

These courses run as a standalone course and while there may be students on another course, generally everyone onboard is a candidate for an RYA Yachtmaster Exam. The courses should however be run with no more than 4 students on board.

The content will depend on the needs of all students and is aimed at fine-tuning existing skills rather than teaching new ones. This will involve a lot of night time sailing and navigation, carrying out challenging boat handling while using theory knowledge and ensuring general skippering skills are up to scratch.

There is a basic syllabus that is used to help shape the exam content, but in reality, you can be tested on anything from the RYA Cruising Scheme within the exam.

Before choosing the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Prep course you need to be honest with yourself and your own abilities. While on the course you need to take on the advice and guidance given by the instructor on what areas need work. If you speak to your instructor before the course, they can tailor the instruction to your needs.

What Should I Expect on an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Exam?

On the exam, you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and competence. You will be expected to take full responsibility of your vessel and crew. The examiner will be looking for you to demonstrate competence and show your broad range of experience.

The exam will be an intensive experience and even when you are not the designated skipper, you will still be asked questions and observed and examined as a participant of the crew.

During the exam you will be asked to complete various tasks, ranging from leaving the dock, skippering a short passage, casualty recovery, night pilotage and even blind navigation. Additionally, you will be tested on theoretical aspects such as how to deal with an engine failure, knowledge of your vessel’s stability, meteorology and IRPCS.

As a potential RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail, these tasks are ones that should now be second nature to you and should take minimal time to plan while the theoretical knowledge should be able to roll off your tongue. 

What Is the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Exam Syllabus?

The following topics make up the basis for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail exam syllabus. IRPCS, safety, boat handling, seamanship, responsibility as skipper, navigation, meteorology and signals.

But, as mentioned above, anything from the whole RYA cruising syllabus scheme can be tested.

What Is the Cost of an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Course and Exam?

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.

The exam fee is usually not included, which is currently £231.

Where Should I Do My RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail?

As always there are many thoughts and pros on cons on this, and as a potential RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail you should consider yourself experienced enough to sit the exam anywhere. However, if you choose to sit the exam in an area that you are familiar with then you will take a little bit of the stress out of learning a new area and start with a small advantage of having that all important local knowledge at your disposal.

What Happens If I Struggle on the Prep Course?

Your instructor should be able to update you on your ability levels throughout the course. They will be highly experienced and it is suggested that you listen to their advice given.

If you are learning something for the first time you should consider if you are ready for the exam. Talk to your instructor and they will be able to guide you on if you are ready for the exam, if they would advise further training or if they recommend that you aim for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail exam instead.

What Is the Pass Mark for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Exam?

There is no pass mark as such and the examiner will be looking to see that you are a competent and complete skipper, capable of looking after both your vessel and crew in a safe manner.

Every exam is different and no examiner will be setting out to fail any candidates, but they must ensure and check that each candidate is able to demonstrate their ability, knowledge and skills in a safe and timely manner.

If you were to fail to reach the levels of an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail certificate of competence then the examiner will give you a thorough debrief complete with action points to work on before you have another attempt at the exam. 

What Comes after RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail

After completion of the exam, you will have gained the highly sought after RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail certificate of competence and you can get this commercially endorsed by adding a sea survival certification, a personal medical and a PPR course, all of which, along with your GMDSS VHF and First Aid should be sent off to the RYA for certification upgrade. This will now allow the holder to skipper a vessel commercially, so long as it is less than 200 gross tonnes, up to 150nm from a harbour.

The next step is of course to get out on the water and to keep learning, keep gaining experience and keep improving on the skills and knowledge learned so far. No skipper is the finished article and we should all keep seeking to improve.

Within the RYA cruising scheme, there are a couple more steps that are possible. This is to progress and upgrade your RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail certificate of competence to an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Sail certificate of competence.

To do this there is 3 main steps, first, you will need to complete an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course, where you will learn about astro navigation, ocean meteorology and ocean navigation, join the waiting list for our ocean theory course here . Next, is to complete an ocean qualifying passage that meets the necessary requirements. Finally, you will then need to complete another exam, this time an oral exam, where you will discuss your ocean qualifying passage and general ocean skippering skills.

On successful completion of this, you will be awarded the highest accolade within the RYA cruising scheme, the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Sail certificate of competence.

One other direction of travel is to become an RYA Cruising Instructor for Sail. To do this, you will first want to consolidate your skippering skills and knowledge then look to come back and start off with an RYA Cruising Instructor course. On this course, RYA Instructor Trainers will assess and guide you through what is required and expected in order to work as an RYA Cruising Instructor for Sail.

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Why get qualified? An RYA Yachtmaster Instructor Explains Why You Should

A typical class on a school boat takes in a diverse range of ages, backgrounds and aspirations.

First published in Sailing Today , Clive Loughlin looks at why RYA qualifications are worth more than the paper they are printed on. As published in Sailing Today – August 2018 ( pdf version )

5 + 40 + 5 = Certificate

Five days spent on an RYA Competent Crew course, followed by at least 40 hours of sustained effort on shorebased theory , and then another 5 days on a Day Skipper practical , should see most people walking away with an RYA Day Skipper certificate.

It is then largely a formality to obtain an ICC (International Certificate of Competence), and these two combined or individually are usually sufficient to allow chartering a yacht in the Med and many other international destinations.

For many this is as far as they want to go, and having acquired the means to this end why should anyone bother paying good money and using up valuable holiday time to attain higher qualifications?

Why Bother With The RYA?

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) was founded in 1953 in response to the highly variable training that was on offer from private individuals. By providing a structure for training in a variety of water-based activities, combined with some excellent publications, the RYA makes it relatively easy to obtain first-class instruction and experience, and its qualifications are recognised throughout the world.

Of course it is quite possible to become a very good sailor and to skipper a yacht successfully without any qualifications at all – plenty of notable sailors have proved that point.

Similarly rocks, shallows, pontoons and mega yachts care not a jot how many certificates you can wave at them.

Living The Dream

Preparing to go sailing for the day. RYA courses establish a strong routine making it easy to learn

Chartering a yacht can make a truly wonderful holiday for friends and family alike. In the glossy charter magazines the sun always shines, the waters are crystal clear, and relaxing lazy afternoons are spent sailing in a gentle warm breeze, or swimming off the boat in a secluded anchorage.

Life can be like this, but its rich tapestry also includes scary blasts of katabatic wind that push the boat over to jaunty angles, fouling someone else’s anchor, and arriving in harbour to find the only space available requires shoe-horning your way in between earlier arrivals.

All this happens while previously deserted cockpits become crowded with spectators offering conflicting ‘helpful’ suggestions and scorn and derision in equal measure.

Accepting The Challenge

Not all will agree with me, but I think that one of the great appeals of sailing is that it continually presents new challenges. Learning how to handle these is how we build up experience, and as we gain more competence so our enjoyment is further reinforced.

Things can and do go wrong when you are sailing, and even a qualified instructor will mess things up occasionally. What really matters is how you approach the problem and this only comes with experience and training.

A very important part of learning to be a skipper is learning how to handle the crew, and this is very much part of the Day Skipper and higher qualifications.

The crew may well be very inexperienced and it may even be their first time on a yacht. It is therefore most important that the skipper is able to explain what is going on and what will happen in advance – ‘when we change direction the boat will tip over’.

It can be quite frightening for novice crew when things go wrong, and if they can sense that the skipper is not in control then it can be really scary and this is when accidents are most likely to happen.

Scared crew don’t go sailing again, but happy crew will always come back for more. There is no sadder a spectacle than a would–be skipper who’s crew have mutinied and no longer wish to go sailing with them.

Good skippers make full use of their crew and make sure they know what to do. Bad skippers try to do everything themselves and shout a lot.

So – to return to this articles theme of ‘Why get qualified?’, my answer is that it helps make sailing less scary and in so doing makes it more fun for everyone on board.

Working Up The Ranks

Although RYA courses are about learning – often in tight corners – yet there is plenty of time to enjoy yourself.

My sailing used to be limited to a week’s or fortnight’s charter every year, and I found that I had forgotten just about everything I had ever previously learned by the start of the next charter, and then was just about getting the hang of things again when it was time to fly home.

My solution was to book a 5-day course with a sailing school a month or so before I was due to go on a charter holiday. This not only gave me an extra holiday but also meant that I was far more confident to skipper the charter yacht.

I actually did my Yachtmaster Prep course five times. Not I hasten to add because I kept failing, as I was fortunate enough to pass first time, but because it was such super fun.

Cheap Holiday

Although RYA courses are about learning – often in tight corners – yet there is plenty of time to enjoy yourself. One of the really great things about doing a sailing course is that not only do you get 5 days sailing for less than the cost of a weekend’s charter, but you also get the benefit of personalised tuition and loads of hands-on experience.

You also get the chance to practice a lot of the manoeuvres that you hope you will never need, such as MOB recovery; as well as the more challenging activities like entering an unlit anchorage, or navigating a river at night.

Many of these are activities that you simply would not have the time or inclination to do if on holiday with family or friends.

These are all great fun but probably best done, at least the first few times, with an instructor on board who has done them many times before. And you never know when you may need these skills for real and be very glad of them. The ability to sail onto a mooring buoy will be worth its weight in gold dubloons if ever your engine conks out with a rope around the prop.

Coastal Skipper

The Day Skipper course covers a very wide variety of seamanship training so that the candidates achieve a good basic standard of boat handling expertise under sail and power, as well as a pretty good working knowledge of navigation.

The emphasis for Day Skipper is on making short passages in familiar waters by day.

The Coastal Skipper course places emphasis on longer passages, and includes quite a bit of night sailing. This requires a different mind-set to the short hops of a Day Skipper course.

Coastal Passages

Chart plotter work has become part of the RYA syllabus

I am currently planning a 5-day Coastal Skipper course with four crew doing Coastal Skipper and one Comp Crew.

I am hoping we can go from Southampton to Dartmouth and back (about 240nm) taking in a variety of Lyme Bay, Jurassic Coast and Solent attractions in the form of rivers, harbours, marinas and anchorages. This is probably aiming to cover more miles than a typical course, but with four Coastals I want to be sure to give each a good chance to be skipper for an extended passage, and the Comp Crew will also get a great variety of experience.

Yachtmaster

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore exams are like the Day Skipper on steroids. Whereas the Coastal Skipper requires much the same level of skills as Day Skipper, but with more endurance thrown in, the Yachtmaster exams represent a significant step up in terms of required knowledge and boat handling skills.

The Yachtmaster Offshore qualification is often regarded as the gold-standard for seamanship, and you will need to demonstrate that you have logged over 50 days and 2,500 miles, including at least 5 passages over 60 miles, with two being overnight and two while acting as skipper. Cruises on passenger liners do not count!

Although you do not need to have passed any previous RYA courses you can expect to be examined on any part of the RYA syllabus except RYA Yachtmaster Ocean, and you will need to have obtained certificates for First Aid and VHF radio.

Yachtmaster Coastal candidates have lesser requirements for logged passages and are only examined on the syllabus up to Coastal Skipper standard.

The exam takes place on board and lasts either 6-10 hours per candidate for Yachtmaster Coastal or 8-12 hours for Yachtmaster Offshore. The exam comprises a combination of practical exercises and also tests your theoretical and navigational knowledge and expertise.

Yachtmaster Prep

For many, taking their Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam is a rather daunting prospect and most will choose to go on a Yachtmaster Prep course immediately before the exam itself.

The idea of the Yachtmaster Prep course is not for you to learn something new, but to practice what you already know.

You will be quizzed on theory and collision regulations and given the chance to practice the trickier manoeuvres, such as picking up a mooring under sail and MOB recovery. The Yachtmaster is primarily a sailing exam and so you will be expected to demonstrate high levels of boat handing under all points of sail.

Be sure to use your crew and delegate tasks clearly. This is what being a good skipper is all about and is a very important part of the exam.

Clive Loughlin is an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor and regular Sailing Today contributor. Clive teaches for First Class Sailing in the Solent area.

Discover more about the RYA here:  www.rya.org.uk

Posted by: First Class Sailing

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National Yachting School  » Commercial Endorsment

Commercial Endorsment for professional skippers

Commercial endorsment, authorizing the management of vessels up to 200gt for commercial uses, may be obtained for all types of RYA certificates – RYA Day Skipper, RYA Coastal Skipper, RYA Yachtmaster Coastal, RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and RYA Yachtmaster Ocean. Commercial endorsment is issued by the British government's Ma­ritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

Certificates to RYA Yachtmaster Coastal with commercial endorsement are valid for recreational and commercial vessels up to 24 meters length, permissions differ in navigation and distance from shore.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificates with commercial endorsement are valid for recreational and commercial vessels up to 200gt, distance of 150 miles from a safe haven, respectively indefinitely. This certificate is then used as a basis for further qualification levels (MCA Officer of the Watch, MCA's Chief Mate, Master 500GT and 3000GT) that allow you to work professionally on vessels up to 3000gt.

This is the British system, officially valid on ships under the British flag. Higher certificates (Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean) with commercial endorsement are commonly recognized as sufficient qualification in many other states. To obtain internationally recognized commercial endorsement it is necessary to complete STCW courses. But it is always necessary to ask the local authorities about specific conditions of the flag state and the territorial waters.

Commercial endorsement is valid generally for 5 years (skippers over 65 years must renew their medical certificate more often). Toobtain the commercial endorsement you will need:

• Completed application RYA / MCA
• A certificate of medical examination according to the standards of MCA
• Survival at sea course. Recognised courses are RYA Basic Sea Survival, ISAF Sea Survival Training or standard STCW courses.
• „Professional Practices and Responsibilities“ online course ( more infoabout the online course )

If you are interested in obtaining the Commercial endorsment please contact us. For more detailed informations about the Commercial endorsment visit the RYA website

Due to the coronavirus crisis, we are canceling all practical courses in Croatia until further notice. For new course dates, please keep an eye on our website.

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In NYS we believe that there’s no such a thing as winter in sailing and you can always find a good place to enjoy your hobby any time throught the year. So we offer popular winter courses again, this time on Canary Islands, starting from Tenerife because of the best flight connections.

RYA Sailing Accreditation Rated as the World’s Best

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) sailing qualifications have been voted the premiere sailing accreditation for excellence and global reputation following a recent survey targeting 200 professional yacht and motorboat charter companies. The professional charter companies that were surveyed own and manage in excess of 6,000 charter boats across the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Asia.

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RYA commercial endorsement

What certificates can i commercially endorse.

Commercial Endorsement is required to  work , as skipper, on a British flagged vessel that takes “paying passengers”. A commercial vessel can be defined as:

“A motor or sailing vessel in commercial use (i.e. Charter) for sport or pleasure, carrying no cargo and not more than 12 paying passengers.”

You are able to apply for a Commercial Endorsement on any of the following qualifications:

• RYA Powerboat Level 2
• RYA Advanced Powerboat   Certificate of Competence
• RYA Day Skipper Practical (Power or Sail). You must have completed RYA Day Skipper Theory too
• RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence
• RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence

How do I apply for commercial endorsement?

Send the following items to RYA Certification, RYA House, Ensign Way, Hamble, Hampshire SO31 4YA:

• ENG1 or ML5 medical .
• Your original certificate that you intend to get commercially endorsed.
• Professional Practices and Responsibilities course , known as PPR. Note, that the PPR qualification lasts for life.
• Commercial endorsement  application through the RYA.
• Sea survival certificate

Note: If you hold STCW Basic Safety Training certificates then by sending in STCW plus 1-4 above

STCW upgrade to Master 200GT

If you hold all four  elements of the STCW Basic Safety training modules (Fire Fighting, Sea Survival, Elementary First Aid and PSSR) then you can apply for the STCW Master 200 endorsement. With an STCW endorsement your certificate of competence will be endorsed with the term “Master of Yachts 200GT”. With the STCW endorsement  your qualification allows you to skipper a UK registered vessel upto 200GT, which could be larger than 24m.

How long does commercial endorsement last?

All commercial endorsements are  required to be renewed every five years . To renew your commercial endorsement please use this link . You will need to be in the possession of:

• A valid ENG1 or ML5 medical certificate
• Your original certificate
• Passport photo

If you have any questions relating to RYA Commercial Endorsement then feel free to  contact us

What can I do with my Commercial Endorsement

Once you have commercially endorsed your RYA certificate, you are able to use the certificate commercially. The following describes what you can do with each certificate:

Powerboat level 2 – Allows you to work in Category 6 waters: within 3 miles from a nominated departure point(s) and never more than 3 miles from land, in favourable weather and daylight

Advanced Powerboat (with 12 months of relevant experience) – Allows you to work in Category 6 waters, within 3 miles from a nominated departure point(s) and never more than 3 miles from land, in favourable weather and daylight

Advanced Powerboat (with two years of relevent experience) – Allows you to work in Category 6 – 3 waters, up to 20 miles from a safe haven, day or night.

RYA Day Skipper Practical & Sail (Power or Sail): Allows you to work in Category 5 and 6 waters, within 20 miles from a nominated departure point in favourable weather and daylight.

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal : Allows you to work in Category 6 – 3 waters, ip to 20 miles from a safe haven, day or night.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore : Allows you to work in Category 1 waters, up to 150 miles from a safe haven

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean : Allows you to work in Category 0 waters, Unrestricted service

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Yachtmaster Offshore: When, Why, and How

In a seafarer’s career, there comes the time when Yachtmaster ticket becomes either a necessity, or the next logical step in professional development. No matter what the reason for the course is, Yachtmaster Offshore requires a thorough preparation and planning as well as some prior knowledge and experience.

• When am I ready to take the course?

The candidate’s eligibility for Yachtmaster Offshore program is defined by a number of requirements. First and foremost, the logged sea time must show a minimum of 2500 nautical miles, about half of which should be in tidal waters. There is a huge debate as to what tidal waters are, and the RYA leaves it to the Yachtmaster candidate to decide whether the passage they undertook happened in a tidal area. The definition offered by the RYA is as follows:

An area is deemed tidal if published stream, current or tidal range data is available, the influence of which is significant enough to require the effects to be taken into account to plan and execute a safe and efficient passage .

But even if the decision to call experience tidal is the candidate’s, the RYA wisely warns that the final judgement will be made by the examiner and recommends to list only those miles that can be backed up with evidence. The qualifying sea time should be gained on motor vessels if the candidate applies for Yachtmaster Offshore Motor license. Sail miles do not count.

The RYA also sets a requirement as to the number of qualifying passages. As defined by the Association, ‘a passage is a non-stop voyage from a departure port / safe haven to a destination port / safe haven ’. For the Yachtmaster Offshore , there must be a minimum of 5 passages over 60 nm each; 2 of those passages should be overnight and 2 when the candidate acted as a skipper. The skipper, as understood by the RYA , is a person nominated and responsible for the planning and execution of a passage including vessel and watch management . It’s important that throughout the 60-mile passage there occurs no change of skippers; otherwise, the passage cannot be deemed as qualifying.

Proper understanding of the skipper’s role is vital for ticking the box of another requirement – 5 days on board acting as a skipper. A day in this case is a period of 8 consecutive hours, and the majority of them should be at sea . In every 24 hours, Yachtmaster candidate can have only one qualifying day onboard.

Last but not least, the RYA’s Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites put some restrictions as to the tonnage and length: days on board and miles should be gained on vessels up to 500 gt and less than 24 meters LOA.

• When is the best time to take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore course?

The full program – RYA Yachtmaster Offshore theory and RYA Yachtmaster Practical – takes 10 days to complete; the exam is usually scheduled right after, and candidates need to allow 2 days for it. With the sea, winds, and weather being unpredictable, to the candidates coming from abroad we advise to add an extra day before taking flights back home. Thus, the course is quite a commitment, and most seafarers take it during low Med season. Our Yachtmaster Offshore course is scheduled every month from December throughout April to give options to potential candidates.

• Why take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore?

Yachtmaster is not for beginners. Commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence entitles its holder to master a yacht of up to 200 gt, and that is a big responsibility. That said, one of the reasons to get Yachtmaster is to advance the qualifications from entry to higher level including MCA Officer of the Watch (OOW) or Chief Mate, for which Yachtmaster Offshore CoC is among the required documents. Yachtmaster Offshore Shore-based (theory) certificate is another pre-requisite to apply for the OOW, and it has to be sent along with STCW and other records as a part of the Notice of Eligibility.

 In a scheme of RYA training , Yachtmaster Offshore is preceded by RYA Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper, which allow to navigate 20 and 60 nautical miles offshore accordingly. With Yachtmaster Offshore qualifications, it is possible to skipper a cruising yacht up to 150 miles from harbour, so recreational boaters can have larger areas to explore and longer distances to cover.

• How to apply for Yachtmaster Offshore Program?

If you believe you are ready and meet the pre-requisites mentioned above and outlined on our website , your first step is to get in touch with us by email, phone, or through contact form . Once we receive your enquiry, we will email to you Sea Time Summary and Self-Evaluation forms to fill out, which we will then forward to our instructor to confirm your eligibility. If you are eligible for the course, we will proceed with course booking and securing your place on the training.

Some important things to remember: the candidates for the training should hold a valid Elementary First Aid certificate . For the STCW EFA , it should be issued within the last 5 years, for the RYA First Aid - within the last 3 years. VHF Marine Radio certificate can be offered as a part of Yachtmaster Offshore package , but if you already hold the certificate, we can offer a 100 euros reduction.

Our next Yachtmaster Offshore session starts on the 6 th of December. Click here for more dates.

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Commercial endorsements

Rya cruising and yachtmaster instructors must hold a commercial endorsement or an australia endorsement prior to attending an instructor training course..

They must continue to hold a valid commercial/Australia only instructor endorsement for their instructor award to remain valid. Please note that the Australia only endorsement does not allow commercial work on UK or Australian Flagged vessels.

Powerboat Advanced Instructors must hold a current commercial endorsement when teaching the Powerboat Advanced or Tender Operator courses.

Find our more information about

• Gaining a commercial endorsement
• Insurance for freelance commercial skippers
• Australia endorsements

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What is an rya yachtmaster offshore exam.

The RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence is a much sought after qualification for skippers.

This qualification is respected worldwide.

One will be able to acquire the RYA Yachtmaster Certificate if they are able to demonstrate that they have sufficient sea-time, experience and certification in order to sit for an exam.

There are also courses that can help one to be properly prepared for the exam.

Sea Time Experience

Course duration, course content, converting from offshore sail to offshore power, qualifying passages, all my sea time was on superyachts over 24m - is that ok, how to log miles for your rya yachtmaster exam, do i need any first aid qualifications, what about commercial endorsement, stcw basic safety training endorsement, is rya yachtmaster theory required, how do i become a yacht captain, do rya yachtmaster qualified yacht captains make much money, rya yachtmaster offshore course overview.

Sea time experience is one of the most important prerequisites.

You would need to have completed the following within the last ten years:

• At least 2500 miles logged.
• Spent 50 days at sea on yachts of up to 500GT.
• At least half the sea time must have been spent in tidal waters.
• Have completed five passages of over 60 miles, of which two passages were as a skipper, and two carried out at night.
• Have at least five days experience working as a skipper.
• Hold a valid First Aid Certificate. In the case of a STCW Elementary First Aid it needs to have been issued within the last five years, whereas in the case of an RYA First Aid it needs to be issued within the past three years.
• Be in possession of a GMDSS short-range VHF radio certificate.

The course duration is generally 5 days, including the exam.

The course content will comprise key areas that will allow one to be properly prepared for the exam.

The instructor will focus on areas where one needs to improve.

Notably, night sailing and blind navigation will be practiced.

There will be an overview of the lights, signals and collision regulations, among others.

Since different ports and harbours will be visited, you will be able to get tested in different waters, and your strengths and weaknesses will be better tackled in preparation for the exam.

The Yachtmaster Offshore Exam itself will take anywhere between 8 to 12 hours for a single candidate, or between 10 to 18 hours for two.

Candidates will be met onboard by examiners who will outline what will happen during the test.

Tasks will be set for the candidates to demonstrate their abilities as skippers of offshore cruising yachts.

Candidates should be well prepared as questions on any part of the syllabus can be asked at any stage.

Examiners will be independent assessors who evaluate candidates on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency .

In order to convert from Yachtmaster offshore sail to Offshore Power the following will need to have been completed within the past 10 years:

• At least 1250 miles on a vessel that was between 7m and 24m in length.
• Have spent 25 days living onboard.
• Have spent 3 days as a skipper.
• Have carried out 3 passages exceeding 60 miles, of which one was as a skipper and one overnight.

There are a number of rules that need to be followed when it comes to passages that can be deemed as qualifying.

An applicant will need to have completed at least five passages which exceed 60 miles.

These five passages must have been completed on a vessel that is less than 24 metres in length.

Two of these passages need to have been overnight passages.

In addition, two of them will need to have been where one acted as a skipper.

It’s important to mention that a 60 mile qualifying passage is one where the voyage has been non-stop from the departure port A to departure port B, where A and B cannot be the same place.

The 60 mile distance has to be measured as a straight line from A to B.

The RYA will accept passages that were on board yachts over 24m in length.

However, only 50% of the qualifying sea time can be derived from such passages.

Thus, not more than 2500 miles in all, and one would need to provide a testimonial or a discharge book to confirm them.

The remaining 50% of the qualifying sea time must have been carried out on vessels which ranged between 7m and 24m.

Since so much importance is placed on passages, it’s crucial to record the miles.

Recording miles can be carried out in a RYA logbook G158, or using an Excel spreadsheet.

It’s also good to have a CV detailing one’s sea time.

When logging miles it’s important to take note of key details, including the dates of the passage or trip, the miles sailed on the various passages, the name and type of vessel, and any night hours.

Yes, you must have a valid first aid qualification in order to sit for the Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam.

There are different types of first aid qualifications that are accepted, including:

• The RYA First Aid
• The STCW Elementary First Aid
• Seafish First Aid

It’s common to choose to commercially endorse the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam qualification once the exam has been successfully completed.

In this case, besides holding a valid first aid and VHF certificate, one will also need an STCW or RYA Sea Survival certificate, as well as either an ENG1 medical certificate or an ML5 medical certificate .

One will also need to complete the RYA’s online PPR course.

Subsequently, one can apply for commercial endorsement through the RYA.

Following STCW Basic Safety Training , the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate can be endorsed in order to allow the holder to be a skipper both on commercial as well as privately owned vessels.

This includes those exceeding 24m in length.

Yes, in order to become an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore it is highly recommended to know specific aspects of navigation and being able to handle a vessel at sea.

Thus, following a Yachtmaster Offshore Theory course is advisable to improve one’s abilities and competence.

This will inevitably improve one’s chances of successfully achieving the RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence.

Becoming a yacht captain takes several years of training, experience and qualifications.

Like many careers, you’ll need to start life on a vessel working your way up.

From humble beginnings like being a deckhand to a junior crew member, the journey towards becoming a yacht captain takes years of dedication and hard work.

Our guide to becoming a yacht captain explains this process in greater detail.

Yes, the potential to make a very lucrative income is high.

A lesser experienced yacht captain can expect to make in the region of $48,000 to $98,000 per annum, whilst a more seasoned captain can make an impressive $150,000 gross per year.

So the time and effort it takes to become a skipper on a vessel has its rewards.

Furthermore, if your time at sea exceeds 183 days each calendar year, there’s the strong possibility that you could qualify for the seafarers earnings deduction which means you are not obliged to pay any income tax on your earnings.

So the above salary figures could be your final take home.

A good yacht captain will lead the crew, be a good communicator and instil confidence.

Acquiring the RYA Certificate is a demonstration that one has shown such skills along with the necessary experience.

Disclaimer: Any advice in this publication is not intended or written by Marine Accounts to be used by a client or entity for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties that may be imposed on any taxpayer or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party matters herein.

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RYA Powerboat Level 2 Certificate - A Must for Yacht Captains

Gaining RYA powerboat level 2 certification is a must for any aspiring yacht captain. In our latest article, we explore what this crucial certificate is for, what you will learn, and how you go about getting one.

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• Certificates of Competence

RYA Certificates of Competence

Prove your ability and experience as a skipper with an rya certificate of competence.

Available at Advanced Powerboat and RYA Yachtmaster® Coastal, Offshore and Ocean level, RYA Certificates of Competence are well known qualifications that are highly respected worldwide.

Unlike other RYA qualifications, Certificates of Competence are not issued following a formal training course but are achieved by successfully completing an exam testing your skill, knowledge and experience.

So whether you’re a recreational boater looking to put your skills to the test, or need a professional qualification and commercial endorsement to work on the water, find out everything you need to know below.

The pinnacle of yachting qualifications. Find out what it takes to become an RYA Yachtmaster.

Provided you have sufficient experience, seatime and the required certificates, you can put yourself forward for an exam to test your skills and knowledge.

The RYA training schemes will take you all the way from beginner to exam level. As well as the required certification, there are a number of other RYA courses you might find useful.

With the backing of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) we ensure RYA qualifications are recognised and respected throughout the world.

We are constantly monitoring and improving our courses and exams. Find out more about how we measure exam feedback to ensure the highest levels of satisfaction and confidence.

GMDSS ROC (Restricted Operator Certificate)

GMDSS Radio Operator Certificate (GMDSS ROC)

Find out About GMDSS Short Range Courses

Find a GMDSS Short Range Radio (VHF) Course

The GMDSS Restricted Operator Certificate is a prerequisite for Officers and Masters on vessels over 24m operating in Sea Area A1 (i.e. within about 50 miles of a coast station). It is also a prerequisite for the MCA Master 200 (Code Vessel) within a limited area. A GMDSS GoC is required for seafarers of the same capacity operating in an unlimited area (outside of Sea Area 1 / > 50 miles from a coast radio station).

*For yacht crew only in need of a VHF SRC certificate to fulfill the needs of a commercial powerboat or Yachtmaster license, a 1 day VHF license may meet the requirements based on the candidates capacity and area of operation (Opposed to the GMDSS ROC). Please contact your course administrator or employer in order to best understand the requirements *

Course Topics:

- Radio equipment used in the GMDSS - Distress signals and alerting procedures - Use of Digital Selective Calling (DSC) - Survival craft communications - Procedures for the use of EPIRBs and SARTs - Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) regulations - Operational procedures - Maintenance of GMDSS equipment on board ship - Log keeping requirements.

This course is followed by an exam that is usually run by a different RYA assessor and has to be registered for separately to the course in most cases. The exam usually has a separate exam fee.

Examination and Certificate Validity

To obtain a GMDSS Short Range certificate, an operator must successfully complete a written examination and a practical examination administered by an accredited maritime training institution. The examinations test the operator's knowledge of radio equipment, procedures, distress signals, and other emergency information.

The GMDSS RoC is valid for five years and must be renewed every five years. The holder of a GMDSS Short Range certificate must maintain a current proficiency in radio operations and equipment maintenance. Candidates must complete a refresher examination in order to maintain license validity after the 5-year period.

VHF Training School Locations:

• Australia New South Wales
• Greece Corfu
• Croatia Split
• Cyprus Limassol
• Egypt Alexandria
• France Antibes Cannes Cote D'Azur Paris
• Ireland Dublin
• Poland Gdynia
• Russia Moscow
• Saint Maarten Marigot
• South Africa Cape Town Langebaan
• Spain Barcelona Palma de Mallorca Valencia
• Turkey Marmaris Mugla
• United Kingdom England Cornwall Cromhall Essex Hartlepool Liverpool Plymouth Poole Isle of Wight
• United States of America Fort Lauderdale
• West Indies Antigua

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Home / School, courses also ONLINE

Sailing schools and courses (ISSA, RYA, IYT) in Russia

The possibilities for yachting in russia are unlimited, since this is a country with a long maritime history. you just need to choose where you want to sail. small and big lakes, full-flowing rivers, warm and cold seas — all this is available to those who want to try sailing in this country..

Practical yachting

You will be able to master the skills of sailing; learn to feel the boat, approach and leave the pier, learn about the safety measures on the water and much more.

There are places in 1 team

International Bareboat Skipper (IYT) Course

Having received the International Bareboat Skipper Certificate, you can independently charter a yacht on a charter and operate it in the waters of any country.

More details

ISSA Offshore Skipper course

The certificated confirms the skills sufficient to sail the yacht in light and dark hours at a distance from a sheltered port up to 100 sea miles.

IYT International Crew course

This is a certificate of excellence for those candidates who wish to train to become an active crew member on a power or sailing yacht. It includes Introduction to Boating for power and sail yachts.

IYT Introductory Sailing Skills course

This course is great for groups of friends or like-minded people to get together for a few days of fun sailing while learning skills to better help as crew onboard.

IYT Try Sailing Course

It’s a fun hands-on course to enjoy being on the water while learning basic sailing skills.

Yacht management training in the Moscow region

In three hours of training, you will learn the basic techniques of managing a yacht, learn some of the specifics of working with a yacht, a helm, sails.

RYA Coastal Skipper course

Advanced skippering techniques for yachtsmen with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation, wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night.

RYA Competent Crew course

This course is for beginners and those who would like to become active crew members rather than just passengers.

RYA Day Skipper course

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

RYA Start Yachting course

A short introduction to sailing for complete beginners.