RYA Coastal Skipper: The Next Level of Sailing

Advance your coastal skippering and navigation skills

Here we take a closer look at the skills you develop on the RYA Coastal Skipper courses:

The RYA Coastal Skipper practical course allows candidates to develop advanced skippering techniques, and learn how to plan and undertake coastal passages by day and night. Initially building on the skills you learnt on the RYA Day Skipper course, your instructor will guide you towards advanced techniques for boat handling and passage making. Many students feel that this is one of the most highly rewarding courses.

RYA Day Skipper to RYA Coastal Skipper

The RYA Coastal Skipper course advances on from the RYA Day Skipper course by developing higher levels of ability and independence. The shorter passages you were trained to handle on the Day Skipper course are advanced to passages that require watch-keeping routines, crew management, and the ability to pilot a vessel both day and night.

A higher level of overall navigational and pilotage expertise is a must when dealing with longer passages, due to the likelihood of not knowing the area. The instructor works with you on the passage planning process which begins to involve consideration of the requirements for offshore passages. When skippering coastal passages, you often experience a range of weather conditions and are commonly out of sight, and protection, of land.

Bluewater Sailing recommends a hands-on RYA Coastal Skipper practical course over 7 days/6 nights. Your instructor will focus on coaching you up to the next competence level. It is important that you are already comfortable with the boat handling skills taught on the RYA Day Skipper practical course. It is also expected that your theoretical knowledge is equal to the level of the RYA Coastal Skipper/ Yachtmaster shore-based course. This allows you to put the relevant theory into practice while you train with us.

The RYA Coastal Skipper is not a beginners’ course – there are baseline prerequisites which ensure you are ready to enrol. It is required that you have a minimum of: 15 days sea time (2 of these days as skipper), 300 logged miles, and 8 night hours.

Become a Professional – RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence

The RYA Coastal Skipper is also the first level where the option exists to certify your competence as a skipper. Many candidates work towards being examined for the Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence. Successful completion of the RYA Coastal Skipper practical course means you have the knowledge and understanding (although not necessarily the experience) to be examined for the Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence. If you would like to gain more experience, prior to the exam, we recommend joining one of our mile building sailing charters that we run throughout the year. Bluewater Sailing also offers an intensive 4 day preparation course.

The prerequisites for the RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal exam are: 30 days sea time (including two as skipper), 800 miles, and 12 night hours. If you hold an RYA Coastal Skipper course completion certificate, you have a reduction to a logged sea time of 400 miles and 20 days at sea. The final assessment is carried out by an RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Examiner.

RYA Coastal Skipper Options in Summary

There are two types of coastal certificate:

1. The RYA Coastal Skipper practical course completion certificate. This is awarded by Bluewater Sailing on successful completion of our training course. We offer hands on training, that puts the knowledge into practice that you have learnt on the RYA Coastal Skipper shore based theory course.
2. The Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence. This is awarded by the RYA/MCA on successful completion of an exam. You are not required to have completed the RYA Coastal Skipper practical course prior to this exam, however, it is highly recommended. This is the first level of professional recognition, and if you are thinking of working professionally in the industry, you will also need a commercial endorsement – find out more about this here.

Sail up to the next level and become an RYA Coastal Skipper – book today to improve your sailing skills for life.

Prerequisites for RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Course:

Prerequisites for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Exam: