Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation Course
Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation is an advanced course that can lead to a professional qualification. The preparation course follows the Coastal Skipper syllabus although you should expect to have reached a higher level of competence and experience. You should have Yachtmaster Theory or knowledge to that level and sailing skills to Yachtmaster Coastal standard.
During the Yachtmaster Offshore course you will be taught skippering techniques for coastal and off shore passages however it is likely that the course will take place in the Solent and surrounding waters. It is unlikely that a long passage will be undertaken during the course as this is a course where emphasis is on honing skills gained through the recommended mileage and experience prior to this preparation course. It is recommended that you take the Yachtmaster Coastal course as preparation for the Yachtmaster Offshore. You may also find it useful to join one of our Milebuilding Weekends or longer Milebuilding Trips in order to gain experience, mileage and undertake skippered passages.
After passing the Yachtmaster Offshore exam you should be able to skipper a yacht on offshore passages by day and night.
Pre-exam requirement
You should be aged 18 or over and require a valid First Aid certificate and VHF licence. Please check with us if your First Aid certificate was not issued by the RYA.
Mileage - 50 days, 2,500 miles including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must be in tidal waters. All qualifying seatime must be within 10 years prior to the exam.
Exam You need to allow up to 48 hours for the exam.
How to pass your Yachtmaster exam
Cost £550.00 – £625.00 + exam fee currently £198.00 payable to the RYA
Course Information
| Duration | 5 days + exam period - 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. | Maximum students : instructor | 5:1 |
| Location | Solent | Minimum age | 18 |
| What’s included | Accommodation on board one of our Bavaria yachts Breakfast, lunch, evening meals and drinks on board, berthing fees. Free hire of wet weather gear | Extras | Evening meal ashore on joining night if required. Log books if required. Exam fee Yachtmaster Coastal £168.00, Yachtmaster Offshore £194.00 |
| When | Friday evening 1900hrs to Wednesday afternoon 1600hrs, Sunday evening 1900hrs to Friday afternoon 1600hrs. All year round | Don’t forget | Anything you cannot travel without as we cannot cater for everyone’s special favourites! First Aid certificate and GMDSS radio licence, passport sized photograph |
| Let us know about | Any special dietary requirements and needs. Please note, we will do our best to cater for vegetarian diets or food allergies but not general food fads! Please call the office if in doubt. | Cost | October – March £550.00 April – September £599.00 Exam fee £194.00 payable to the examiner |
Book your course
Feedback
FEEDBACK – Yachtmaster Offshore Student Reviews
Fantastic course, just wish there was another level to reach!
Andy - Yachtmaster Coastal, July 2010
Recommended reading
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 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 gives advice on basic crewing techniques an seamanship and is designed to help you make sense of your first few days on board a yacht.
Publisher: RYA · Format: Paperback · Pages: 76 · Dimensions: 210 x 145mm · Edition: 2002 (reprinted: 2012) · ISBN: 9780901501875
The RYA Navigation Exercises - 2nd Edition is the only book to accompany all RYA training courses.
As co-author of the Yachtmaster® and Dayskipper test papers, Chris Slade has revised and updated RYA Navigation Exercises to provide this 2nd edition of invaluable practise exercises and answers.
All vital aspects of seamanship are included, from estimated positions and tide tables to meteorology and maydays. Through full colour illustrations, this book follows the newly revised Yachtmaster® syllabus and includes recent developments in electronic chart plotting and GPS.
Questions range from beginner to advanced, making this title ideal for boaters on all levels.
- The ONLY book to accompany all RYA courses
- Invaluable questions and answers for boating students on all levels
- Two new training charts included
Item Author: Chris Slade · Publisher: RYA · Format: Paperback · Pages: 200 · Dimensions: 297 x 210mm · Edition: 2008 (reprinted: 2011) · ISBN: 9781905104185
Syllabus
RYA Coastal Skipper Syllabus
The aim of this course is to teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a cruising yacht safely on coastal passages by day and night.
- 1. Passage planning
- Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights, and tidal streams, publications required and strategy
- Know Customs procedures
- 2. Preparation for sea
- Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages
- Can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment and engine checks
- 3. Pilotage
- Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of surroundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerationsb. Can pilot a yacht by day and night
- 4. Passage making and ability as skipper
- Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew
- Can organise the navigation, deckwork, and domestic duties of a yacht on passage
- Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends
- Is aware of crew welfare on passage
- Can use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes
- 5. Yacht handling under power
- Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power
- All berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide
- 6. Yacht handling under sail
- Characteristics
- Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space
- Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide
- Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing
- 7. Adverse weather conditions
- Preparation for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds
- Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility
- 8. Emergency situations
- Recovery of man overboard under power and sail
- Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues
