The RYA/MCA™
Yachtmaster certificates
DAY SKIPPER
The introduction to the RYA system
Experience required:
5 days, 100 miles, 4 nighttime hours on board a sailing yacht
Course content:
Preparation for sailing, work on deck, navigation, piloting, meteorology, traffic regulations, maintenance and repair work, engines, emergency situations, handling a yacht under power, handling a yacht under sail, shipping lanes, night crossings
RYA/ MCA Yachtmaster™ Coastal
UK coastal certificates – the RYA-YM basic level
The Yachtmaster™ Coastal has the knowledge required to skipper a yacht on crossings, but does not necessarily have the experience required to complete longer passages.
Minimum time at sea:
30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 nighttime hours
If you already have a Coastal Skipper certificate, the requirements are reduced to 20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, and 12 nighttime hours. Half the time at sea must have been spent in tidal waters.
Qualification required:
a GMDSS SRC or higher maritime radio certificate and a valid first aid certificate
RYA/ MCA Yachtmaster™ Offshore
Your entry into the world of professional sailing
This certificate is your entry into professional sailing and is considered a true mark of the quality of your skills. The Yachtmaster™ Offshore certificate permits you to sail a cruising yacht on any passage where the yacht is no more than 150 miles from the coast.
Minimum time at sea:
50 days, 2,500 miles, and at least 5 passages of over 60 nautical miles, of which at least 2 as skipper and 2 overnight. 5 days experience as a skipper
At least half the miles and passages must have been completed in tidal waters. The total qualified time must be within 10 years of the exam.
Qualification required:
a GMDSS SRC or higher maritime radio certificate and a valid first aid certificate
RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Ocean
The crowning achievement and culmination of training to be a skipper in the RYA system
A skipper with a Yachtmaster Ocean qualification has the experience and competence to skipper a yacht on passages of any length in any part of the world.
Minimum sea time:
ocean passage as skipper or watchmate.
During the crossing, you must have covered a minimum distance of 600 miles without interruption, the yacht must have been at sea for at least 96 hours continuously, and the yacht must have been at least 200 miles from land or charted objects for more than 50 miles while sailing.
Required certificates:
RYA/MCA™ Yachtmaster Offshore competence certificate, as well as a GMDSS SRC or higher maritime radio certificate, and a valid first aid certificate
