An RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence is the blackbelt for professional skippers.
The RYA Yachtmaster certificate is highly regarded and respected worldwide as the cornerstone for professionals. This qualification proves your experience and competence as a skipper.
There is no formal training required in order to attain an RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence. However, Bluewater Sailing highly recommends attending our Yachtmaster preparation course. We tailor every course to focus on fine tuning the individual candidates sailing skills. Our instructor assesses the candidates knowledge base before the exam, and revises as necessary. We are proud of our great reputation for training competent and skilled RYA Yachtmasters. Our aim is to assist candidates to achieve their goals and be recognised as great skippers.
RYA Yachtmaster Commercial Endorsement
The RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence can be commercially endorsed in order to work on board a British flagged vessel – subject to the MCA’s codes of practice for small commercial vessels. A number of additional training courses and medical fitness certificates are required to be eligible for a commercial endorsement. They include the following:
- STCW 95 Basic Sea Survival Course
- RYA (SRC) VHF Marine Radio Certificate
- A Valid RYA First Aid Certificate
- An ML5 or ENG1 Medical Fitness Certificate (contact the MCA for a list of approved doctors)
- A Personal Practices and Responsibilities (PPR) course.
RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or the Yachtmaster Offshore?
The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal means that you have knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises up to 20 miles from a safe haven. You do not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages. A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence will enable you to skipper vessels up to 24 metres in length – operating in category 3,4,5, and 6 waters.
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore deems you competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from a safe haven. A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence will enable you to work as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt in category 1 to 6 waters. This Certificate of Competence can used commercially in its own right, or as a prerequisite for the MCA’s Officer of the Watch qualification, which enables you to work worldwide on vessels up to 3000gt.
RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence Preparation
Many RYA Yachtmaster candidates choose to complete our Yachtmaster preparation course for the benefit of tailor-made sailing tuition prior to the examination. Provided that you have sufficient experience and sea time, you are then put forward as a candidate for the Yachtmaster exam on board S/Y Chao Lay. The RYA has helpful exam information found here.
RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence Mile Building
If you do not have the required experience and sea time, we would recommend booking on one of our Bluewater Sailing mile building cruises. We offer these exciting and adventurous trips throughout the year in the Caribbean – please check our schedule for upcoming cruises.
Grenada – Ideal for Caribbean RYA Training
Grenada and the Grenadines, located in the windward islands of the Lesser Antilles, is the perfect place to complete your RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence. The islands offer tidal conditions, reversing currents, and full inter-island Atlantic swell.
Book your preparation course today and achieve your professional dreams of having an RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence!
Yachtmaster™ Offshore Exam Prerequisites |
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| Minimum seatime | 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 sea time must be within 10 years prior to the exam. |
| Form of exam | Practical |
| Certification required | A GMDSS Short Range Certificate (SRC) or higher grade of marine radio certificate. A valid first aid certificate – click here for a list of acceptable first aid certificates. |
| Minimum exam duration | 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. |
| Minimum age | 18 |
Yachtmaster™ Coastal Exam Prerequisites |
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| Minimum seatime | 30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night hours (if you hold the Coastal Skipper course certificate this is reduced to 20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, 12 night hours). Half the qualifying sea time must be conducted in tidal waters. |
| Form of exam | Practical |
| Certification required | A GMDSS Short Range Certificate (SRC) or higher grade of marine radio certificate. A valid first aid certificate – click here for a list of acceptable first aid certificates. |
| Minimum exam duration | 6-10 hours for 1 candidate, 8-14 hours for 2 candidates |
| Minimum age | 17 |
Yachtmaster Ocean Exam Prerequisites |
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| Minimum seatime | Ocean passage as skipper or mate of watch. The candidate was fully involved in the planning of the passage, including selection of the route, the navigational plan, checking the material condition of the yacht and her equipment, storing spare gear, water and victuals and organising the watch-keeping routine; During the passage a minimum non-stop distance of 600 miles must have been run by the log, the yacht must have been at sea continuously for at least 96 hours and the yacht must have been more than 50 miles from land while sailing a distance of at least 200 miles. Please see the ‘definition of passage’. All qualifying sea time must be within 10 years prior to the exam.Click here to see the definition of a passage. |
| Form of exam | Oral and written assessment of sights take at sea. If you hold the Yachtmaster Ocean shore-based certificate you are exempt from the written assessment. |
| Certification required | Hold a DoT Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate issued prior to 1973 or an RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence. An RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper Certificate does not qualify.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 – click here for a list of acceptable first aid certificates. |
| Minimum exam duration | Approximately 1.5 hours |