Start Yachting Practical

Start Yachting Practical is a two day introductory course for complete beginners. The course provides a short introduction to sail cruising for novices.

Competent Crew Practical

Ideal for persons with no practical sailing experience or knowledge.
This 5 day course teaches you basic Seamanship and helmsmanship enabling you to become a useful crew member.

Day Skipper Practical

Ideal for persons with basic navigation and sailing ability and who have spent at least 5 days at sea (including 4 night hours) and have logged 100 miles.
This 5 day course teaches basic pilotage, boat handling, seamanship and navigation in tidal waters enabling you to skipper a small yacht in familiar waters by day.

Coastal Skipper Practical

Aimed at persons with navigation experience to Coastal Skipper shorebased standard and sailing experience to Day Skipper practical standard.
Ideally you will also have spent 15 days at sea (2 days as skipper) logging 300 miles and 8 night hours.
This 5 day course teaches the skippering techniques required for coastal and offshore passages and shall equip you with the relevant knowledge to skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night.

Yachtmaster Coastal Prep and Exam

The Yachtmaster Coastal has the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages.

Minimum seatime

30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night hours (if you hold the Yachtmaster Coastal course certificate this is reduced to 20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, 12 night hours)
Form of exam
Practical
Certification required
A restricted (VHF only) Radio Operators Certificate or a GMDSS Short Range Certificate or higher grade of marine radio certificate. A valid first aid certificate (first aid qualifications held by Police, Fire and Armed Services are acceptable).
Minimum exam duration
6-10 hours for 1 candidate, 8-14 hours for 2 candidates
Minimum age: 17

Yachtmaster Offshore Prep and Exam

Aimed at people with substantial sailing ability and experience. 50 days at sea (5 days as skipper) logging some 2,500 miles of which five passages have to be of more than sixty miles and 2 night passages as skipper. This course prepares you for the RYA/MCA examination where candidates have to demonstrate their ability as skipper on an offshore cruising yacht and answer questions on any part of the syllabus for all courses (except Yachtmaster Ocean). The yacht is also provided for the examination which is independently examined by an approved RYA examiner.
Note: Candidates for the exam also require the restricted (VHF Only) operators certificate and a valid first aid certificate.