Building Skills and Knowledge

Having learned the basics and transformed yourself from docile passenger to valuable crew member it might be time to think about what's next. If you want to charter a boat in the Med for a few days you will probably need to hold the Day Skipper's qualification at the very least.

The hardest rung on the learning ladder is climbed the first time you are given responsibility not just for performing a task or function but for the whole boat and all of the people aboard. At that point you realise that the skippers job is a pretty hefty one, combining multiple skill sets with the ability always to stand back and take a look at the bigger picture. You can self train or simply build up experience crewing for a friend but in order to gain a nationally recognised qualification, it's probably best to follow a structured path. The right school can help you to gradually grow and develop into the skippers role. Once again the RYA's training scheme is recognised world-wide and has effectively set the training benchmark. The next levels of the crusing scheme are outlined below.

RYA Day Skipper (Tidal or Non Tidal)

The Day Skipper syllabus is divided into forty hours of shore based learning (with examinations) and a five day practical course (tidal or non tidal) which apply the principles learned in the classroom to real situations afloat. To obtain the Day Skipper certificate obviously takes a fair degree of commitment and application but is within the reach of most people willing to put in the time and effort. The non tidal practical certificate is obviously more limited in it's scope but the tidal element can be added at a later stage.

RYA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore

Having arrived at the Day Skipper level you may decide that's enough for your requirements and stop there. But if you wan't to be able to navigate and skipper a yacht by day and night and in a wide range of conditions you'll wan't to move on to the next part of the scheme. The difference between a Coastal Skipper and a Yachtmaster is really just the level of experience, the shorebased syllabus being the same for both. Once again there is forty hours of shorebased tuiton with examinations and a five day practical. Each are awarded a separate course completion certificate.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased

This is a shorebased forty hour course with examinations, which effectively bolts the elements of astro-navigation and ocean meteorology onto the Yachtmaster syllabus. Students need to have completed an ocean passge as skipper or mate of the watch before applying.

RYA/MCA Certificates of Competence - Coastal Skipper, Yachtmaster Offshore & Yachtmaster Ocean

Obtained only by examination these are the equivalent of a driving test on the road and are conducted by an RYA examiner who is independent of the school at which you have been training. They can last from six to over twenty hours depending on the level and number of candidates (apart from the ocean which is about 90 minutes of oral examination and assesment). Further certification is required before being able to take these exams. The Yachtmaster certificate of competence (also known simply as the ticket) is widely regarded as demonstrating a high level of skippering ability. These certificates are recognised by the MCA and can be commercially endorsed for professional use.

RYA One Day Courses

These are supplementary, one day shorebased courses in VHF Radio Operation, First Aid, Radar, Sea Survival and Diesel Engine Maintenance.