What is an RYA Yachtmaster?
The RYA Yachtmaster certificate of competence, your driving license, so to speak, is the aim of most skippers who are looking for reassurance that they have met the highest of standards. The RYA Yachtmaster is a highly regarded qualification and is respected around the world.
Becoming an RYA Yachtmaster allows the holder to work in the maritime industry as a professional skipper, Superyacht Crew, RYA instructor, plus so much more.
As a professional skipper, you can take charge (skipper) of a vessel up to 24 meters in length on a coastal, offshore, or ocean passage, depending on the qualification achieved. Qualifying as a Yachtmaster is a gateway to employment as a professional skipper. It shows that you are an experienced and competent skipper.
Becoming a Yachtmaster requires no format training, provided you have the correct experience and sea time, you can put yourself forward for the exam. You will need to provide your own boat and crew of course. You can contact the RYA who can put you in touch with an RYA Yachtmaster examiner.
Most people choose complete some training before sitting the RYA Yachtmaster exam. There is a structured route from beginner to RYA Yachtmaster so getting your Yachtmaster
Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore or Ocean
There are three qualification paths depending on whether you like to potter around the coast or sail across an ocean.
Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate
The Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate is for anyone who sail in coastal or protected waters, say no more than 20 miles from the coast. If you would like to learn more about navigation, sailing at night, rules of the road, safety, mooring, pilotage, and passage planning then the Yachtmaster Coastal is for you.
Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate
The Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence has been the certificate that most people gravitate to. A Yachtmaster Offshore will have all the knowledge of Yachtmaster Coastal but would also have extensive experience crewing and skippering offshore. Skippers who want confirmation they have the experience and competence to take a yacht offshore choose this option. Once qualified as a Yachtmaster, the certificate allows the holder to skipper a vessel up to 150 miles from shore. The Yachtmaster Offshore is the gateway to employment, most employers ask for the Offshore or Ocean qualification.
Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate
You would sit your Yachtmaster Ocean exam if you wanted to sail a yacht around the world. The main difference between Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean is Celestial Navigation. Celestial Navigation for Yachtmaster Ocean is the knowledge to navigate by the sun and stars. The theory being, if you lose all your electronic equipment on board, you can fix your position using a sextant.
To sit the Yachtmaster Ocean oral exam you would have already passed the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam. In addition to the knowledge gained as a Yachtmaster Offshore you are required to complete an ocean passage of more than 600 miles. During the ocean passage will need to have the ability to use a sextant to fix your position.
Yachtmaster Power or Sail?
You can qualify as a Yachtmaster Power or Yachtmaster Sail, depending on what type of boat you like to spend your time on.
Working as a professional Yachtmaster
As mentioned above once you have qualified as an RYA Yachtmaster then you are able to seek work as a professional skipper. There are hundreds of qualified skippers out there that have turned their passion into a job.
The Yachtmaster Offshore certificate, Power or Sail is now considered necessary if you are looking for a job as a Lead Deckhand on a Superyacht.
Becoming a Yachtmaster
If you are considering getting an RYA Yachtmaster Qualification and don’t know where to start then there are training courses that can help you achieve your goal.
There are fast-track and zero to hero yachtmaster courses, to get you up to the level you need to be.
The training courses offered will provide all the theory and practical experience required to qualify as an RYA Yachtmaster. Here at Flying Fish, we offer courses for a beginner Yachtmaster to Coastal, Offshore or Ocean.