What is an Yachtmaster RYA, a Yachtmaster Offshore RYA, Yachtmaster Ocean RYA and Coastal Skipper RYA.
The RYA administers Yachtmaster Certificates of Competence and examines candidates on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The exam is a one-day test of the candidates ability to skipper a yacht.
The definition is: a yachtsman or woman competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage that can be completed without the use of astro navigation.
In practice, this means coastal and offshore passages. As any skipper will tell you, those passages close to land or across shipping lanes are the most difficult, particularly if the weather is rough or the visibility poor. A Yachtmaster RYA needs a wealth of knowledge, not only to cope with plain sailing or motor cruising but also to be able to cope in demanding situations.
Independent examiners
Many yachtsmen and women agree that the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Examination is the most useful and credible of all yachting qualifications. This is perhaps because RYA Yachtmaster Examiners are independent assessors and cannot be involved in the training of candidates. They are therefore able to be objective when assessing ability.
The certificates are required by commercial yacht skippers on sailing and motor vessels under 24 metres and as entry to Megayacht qualifications.
Courses for potential Coastal Skippers and Yachtmaster RYA
If your ambition is to become a RYA Yachtmaster but you need to gain more experience and knowledge before taking the exam, remember that there are courses to help you. The RYA s sail and motor cruising schemes start with the Competent Crew Course for sailors or the Helmsman's Course for motor cruising and progresses through Day Skipper to Coastal Skipper. You can enter the schemes at any stage according to your knowledge and experience