yachtmaster offshore sail

• Information
• Call Us: 0203 006 3717 (9:30am-4:30pm)

What is the Difference Between Yachtmaster Ocean and Offshore?

First Class Sailing is one of the UK’s leading schools for those seeking to complete their RYA qualifications and certificates. We offer the full ranges of courses, including RYA Yachtmaster Ocean and Yachtmaster Offshore .

We are often asked what the differences are between the two courses, so this short blog posts will explain all you need to know.

The simple difference between the two qualifications, is astronavigation. You should take the Yachtmaster Ocean exam if you want to sail large distances over long periods of time. It will mean you can navigate by the sun and stars, fixing your position with a sextant if your electronic navigation fails.

The difference between Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean once qualified

Once you hold a qualification, it will make a difference as to what you can do in addition to the astronavigation aspect we discussed. The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualification makes you a competent skipper of a yacht of up to 24 metres in length, in waters up to 150 miles from land.

If you are qualified with RYA Yachtmaster Ocean, the difference is you can skipper a vessel of 24 metres in length and up to 200 gross tonnages anywhere around the globe.

Differences between the practical courses

To take the Yachtmaster Offshore course, you must have at least 50 days’ sailing time, with two of those days as the skipper. You also need to have logged 2,500 nautical miles, 5 passages over 60nm including two overnight and two as skipper, all within the last ten years.

Half the qualifying sea time must have been conducted in tidal waters & on a sailing vessel 24 metres or under.

You will also need a VHF radio licence, a First aid certificate and sound knowledge of using a Radar.

To take the Yachtmaster Ocean course, you must first have the Yachtmaster Offshore certificate.

You also need to have completed a qualifying passage that meets the following criteria:

• 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 the spare gear, water and victual and organizing 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.
• Qualifying passages for Yachtmaster Ocean and Offshore should be non stop by the shortest navigable route with no change of skipper. Passages such as recognised races which may not comply exactly with these requirements may be submitted to the RYA for approval before the voyage.
• Hold a First Aid qualification, as for Yachtmaster Offshore
• For Ocean Passages, the following definition will apply: Throughout the passage the candidate must have acted in a responsible capacity either in sole charge of a watch or as a skipper.

Posted by: Heighway

Post a Comment Cancel reply

Name (required):

Email (required):

Your comment (required):

• All Categories
• Antigua – Portsmouth
• Atlantic Adventures
• Boat Handling Master Classes
• Channel Crossing – Channel Islands
• Coastguard Closures
• Crowdfunding
• Experiences and Challenges
• Fastnet Race
• Global Ocean Race
• Golden Vanity
• Learn to Sail
• Night Sailing
• Norway Challenger
• OnLine Learning
• Passage Planning
• Portsmouth – Gran Canaria
• Round the Island Race
• RYA Competent Crew
• RYA Courses
• RYA Day Skipper
• RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance Course
• RYA VHF Radio Course
• RYA Yachtmaster
• Sail Round Britain
• Sailing Around Britain
• Sailing Events
• Sailing Holidays
• Sailing in media
• Sailing in the West Country
• Sailing Tales
• Sailing Trips
• Skippered Charter
• Southampton Sailing Week
• Traditional Sailing
• UK Sailing Holildays
• Whole Boat Charter
• Yacht Design

Sorry. No data so far.

We love to hear from our customers and we are happy to call/email you to discuss your sailing needs.

Chieftain Training

RYA & STCW Courses – Sail, Power, Super-Yacht & Workboat

How to Pass the Yachtmaster Exam

Yachtmaster certificate of competence exam top tips, which yachtmaster.

First we need to be clear which Yachtmaster exam we are talking about. Leaving things like the Yachtmaster Instructor and Examiner Qualifications aside there are no less than 8 separate RYA certificates that are called “Yachtmaster”. This includes the 3 independently examined levels of Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence, (coastal, offshore and ocean).

RYA MCA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course

( Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased for short). This is a 6 day course which includes three written papers. It is assumed knowledge for all of the certificates that follow, so we will assume for the purposes of this article that you have already completed this course.

Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence (power or sail)

This certificate follows the successful completion of a practical exam which is discussed in this article. The exam can be taken on board a sailing yacht or motor boat, (and the qualification is endorsed for the relative type of craft). The Yachtmaster Coastal CoC certifies skippers to operate  up-to 20 miles from a safe haven on board commercial vessels up-to 24m, carrying up-to 12 passengers. It can also be used as an entry requirement for super yacht Officer Training ( OOW 3000 ).

Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence (power or sail)

A higher level practical exam, also discussed in this article. This certifies skippers to operate up-to 150 miles from a safe haven on board commercial vessels up-to 2000 tonnes, (again with up-to 12 passengers). It can also be used as an entry requirement for super yacht officer training and is a requirement to progress onto Yachtmaster Ocean CoC (below) and/or  MCA Master 200 .

RYA MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Certificate

aka Ocean Shorebased . This is a 5 day (or 40 hour online) course which includes one written paper. It is assumed knowledge for the oral exam that follows and beyond the scope of this article. You can read all about the Ocean Yachtmaster Course and Exam here .

Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence (power or sail)

An even higher level certificate that qualifies the holder to skipper beyond the 150 mile from a safe haven limit of the Yachtmaster Offshore CoC. The Yachtmaster Ocean exam is an oral exam and one of its pre requisites is the Yachtmaster Offshore CoC (above).The Yachtmaster Ocean Exam is beyond the scope of this article, but by popular request we have written a separate article about it,   MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence .

RYA MCA Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore Certificate of Competence Practical Exam

Getting back on topic this article specifically relates to the two practical exams (Coastal and Offshore), each can be taken onboard a sailing yacht or motor boat.

The exam for the Yachtmaster Coastal CoC and the Yachtmaster Offshore CoC is very similar and in fact different candidates can be examined together even if they are not taking the same level.

Exams are conducted with 1-4 candidates on board the vessel.

You can take the Yachtmaster exam on a sailing yacht or motorboat, and you will become a Sail or Power Yachtmaster as appropriate. This article covers sail and power exams as much of the advice is generic.

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster qualification is the global standard for sailing and motor boating. The definition of a Yachtmaster Coastal/Offshore is: ‘A yachtsman or woman competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage that can be completed without the use of astro navigation.’

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence remains the logical target of many a self-motivated sailor. It also represents the icing on the cake for those looking for the reassurance of an external assessment.

How long is the Yachtmaster Exam?

There can be up to 4 candidates on the boat with the examiner. A examiner will not conduct more than 4 exams at once and will not plan to examine more than 2 candidates in a 24 hour period. He/she will need to see each candidate skipper the boat underway by night.

Yachtmaster Coastal Exam Duration

• 1 Candidate – 6 to 10 hours
• More than one candidate  – 4 to 8 hours each

Yachtmaster Offshore Exam Duration

• 1 Candidate – 8 to 12 hours
• More than one candidate  – 5 to 9 hours each

For many candidates this means there will be a pause mid-exam while they and the examiner get some sleep before restarting in the morning. It is not unknown for exams to span two nights if there are 4 candidates (for example Friday evening 1800- Sunday morning 1100)

Listed below are some top tips to help you prepare for your RYA/MCA Yachtmaster exam.

Prepare early for your yachtmaster exam.

Most candidates spend some time with an Instructor, whether this is a 5-day preparation course with a sea school or some bespoke tuition on board their own boat. A half decent Yachtmaster Instructor will take you through many of the exercises that an Examiner will expect you to demonstrate and will put you in the mind-set of an exam candidate.

On the day  of the exam make sure you are ready in good time so that you aren’t involved in a last-minute faff. If you’re relaxing in the cockpit with a cup of tea when the examiner arrives, the examiner will be more impressed than if you’ve put yourself under stress attempting to work out the day’s tidal heights or secondary ports last minute!

When given a navigation task, prepare fully, make notes, prepare pilotage sketches and plan well! Nip below every so often en route to keep an eye on what’s going on in the chart department and whizz back on deck pronto to carry on skippering the boat. Don’t panic and don’t spend all your time sat behind the chart table, taking no notice of what’s going on around you, this is an obvious sign of someone who is ill prepared for the passage they are skippering.

HAVE YOUR YACHTMASTER EXAM PAPERWORK READY (and the kettle boiling)

The very first part of the exam will be paperwork. Before the examiner can proceed he/she will;

• Ask for your completed exam application form, be sure it is completed in advance and details your qualifying sea time.
• Ask for payment, (the examiner can not proceed if you do not pay up front)
• Ask for sight of your Short Range Certificate , (or a pass form if you have recently taken the course and exam and are awaiting the actual certificate). Higher level GMDSS certificates are acceptable.
• Request a passport photo of you (write your name on the back).
• Chat with you about your yachting background and qualifying sea time
• Outline what he/she expect from you over the coming day(s).

If you are applying for a commercial endorsement at the same time you will also require as a minimum;

• PPR Certificate
• Sea Survival Certificate
• Seafarers Medical Certificate
• Commercial endorsement form and payment

You will also need to hold an in date  First Aid Certificate .

BE TIDY AND ORGANISED THROUGHOUT YOUR YACHTMASTER EXAM

First impressions count! Make yourself presentable and ensure you’re looking professional. That’s you and the boat!

Make sure the yacht is clean, tidy and seamanlike. The waterline crisp, sail covers looking ship shape, ropes coiled neatly and carefully stowed and fenders aligned. An experienced skipper once told me, you should know your boat so well that you should be able to find anything you need at any moment in time, including at night during power failure! A tidy boat is a sure sign of a safe boat.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT PREPARATION, FOR YOUR YACHTMASTER EXAM

Repetition, repetition, repetition. There is no point in having sailed (or motored) thousands and thousands of nautical miles if you can’t carry out Day Skipper tasks. If you can not confidently demonstrate all boat handling or seamanship skills, such as picking up a mooring buoy or putting a reef in, then you’re not ready for the exam yet!

There is nothing worse than entering or leaving a marina, wondering if you’re going to hit something. Brief your crew, make sure everyone knows what they are doing, and proceed with confidence. If the boat slides smoothly out of her berth with crew briefed and knowing what’s expected you will look good. Your calm manner, and a sensible amount of revs for power handling will immediately put the examiner’s mind at ease and give no reason for concern. If Plan A fails, take a breath, and start over. The examiner understands that mistakes can be made under exam conditions, he/she will be more impressed if you stop, recompose yourself and get the manoeuvre right, rather than continue to try and complete a bodged first attempt. There is no such things as a perfect exam, every candidate will make small mistakes, the stronger candidates will spot them, themselves and do something about them.

Without a doubt, you will be quizzed on COLREGS . There’s no reason for a candidate, not to have these regulations engrained into their brain. A good way of ensuring you have these nailed, is to study ‘A Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road.’

YACHTMASTER EXAM IRPCS

There is no need to learn the collision regulation parrot fashion but you should have a working knowledge of every rule and you should be able to;

• Identify any vessel at night by lights
• Describe the day shape for any vessel
• Describe the fog signal for any vessel
• Explain any rule
• Apply the collision regulations practically through the exam
• Explain what actions you would take in fog if you have detected another vessel by radar alone.

Candidates who forget a particular rule such as “ what does a vessel constrained by night display at night? ” MAY still pass if they know the rest of the rules and are otherwise strong, however a candidate who fails to apply the rules correctly when he/she is skippering will fail. If a large vessel sounds 5 horns at you during your exam you are going to have to work very hard to recover! Do not put yourself in a position where this might occur.

YACHTMASTER OFFSHORE SHOREBASED KNOWLEDGE

Be ready, know your subject.

You can be quizzed on anything within the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course,  you will also be expected to put the navigation, IRPCS, passage planning and forecast skills from this course into practice. If you don’t have this knowledge then you are waisting your exam fee as you will fail. You will also be tested on a basic understanding of Radar and Diesel engines . I am a strong believer that all Yachtmaster candidates as well as having passed the Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased course should also have attended the following courses before taking their practical exam as you can be tested on any and all of these areas.

• RYA Short Range Certificate , it is likely you will each be quizzed on VHF procedures, distress alerting, the mayday call or other calls during the exam. You may also need to make a routine call to a marina or harbour during the exam.
• RYA Sea Survival . The safety brief that you deliver will include lots of content from this course, (i.e flares, EPIRB, life raft and life jackets), you can expect to be questioned on more detail on these and other areas.
• RYA Diesel . Typically candidates will be examined on engine checks and they will also be given a part of the engine to talk about or a common problem to solve, for example, “ Can you talk me through how you would bleed the full system on this engine ,” or “ Show me the components of the cooling system and explain which part of it may need servicing at sea if the system has run dry for a brief period’ “
• RYA Radar.  If the vessel is fitted with a radar you will be tested on its basic set up and use. You should be able to fix position by radar, find a spot on the chart by radar and identify when a risk of collision exists by radar. If there is not a radar set on board, any of this can be tested theoretically. All candidates should be tested on radar and motor candidate tend to be pushed a little further on this area, (while they escape the sailing part of the assessment).
• RYA First Aid . While you are required to hold a First Aid Certificate, Yachtmaster examiners will not test First Aid beyond the treatment for hypothermia, the effects of cold shock, calling for medical assistance and discussing evacuation by helicopter.

TAKE CHARGE DURING YOUR YACHTMASTER EXAM

One of the key things an examiner is looking for, is to see how good the candidates are at taking charge. This is more than just a sailing (or motoring) exam it is a skippering exam. Can you manage your boat? Can you manage your crew? Clear, decisive and safe briefings followed by ongoing directions to the crew are required.

Good leadership and seamanship alike, do not involve barking orders, it is about being in control in a calm, effective and efficient manner while showing you can skipper (lead). Demonstrate your organisational and methodical thinking.

Play to your strengths. There is no definitive way to be a skipper, so don’t change your tried and tested methods to try and impress. Stick with what you know and carry them out smoothly and confidently. Don’t rush and panic. “Go slow like a pro.”

YACHMASTER EXAM MAN OVERBOARD

It is almost a, “dead cert,” that each candidate will be asked to demonstrate a MOB drill at some point during the exam. This is typically done using a fender or similar attached to a small weight, (never a real person). There is a myth that Yachtmaster Examiners expect the drill to be carried out by the “RYA method,” and this is true, what is not true however is the various myths of what constitutes the RYA method!

Yachtmaster Exam – Man Overboard RYA Method

Your examiner will expect you to a take charge, not to loose sight of the MOB (fender), to get back to it safely without endangering other crew and to get the boat stopped alongside the casualty with the casualty somewhere safe (i.e near the leeward shroud on a sail boat and not too close to the props on a motor exam), ready for pick up back on board.

Man Overboard Exam Tips

If you are training with other candidates agree a method that works for all of you. When you are the skipper under assessment you want your crew to react and know what is expected of them. If each candidate on the same boat opts for a different MOB method it can lead to confusion.

Along the way you should simulate/say everything relevant to the casualties survival (mention throwing the MOB gear overboard, appoint a spotter, press the MOB function on the GPS, tell the examiner you would assign a crew members to issue a distress alert and Mayday call).

Man Overboard Exam Tips (for sail candidates)

In addition to the tick list in the above paragraph, use the engine! The exact drill of how you reach/tack, slow down, speed up etc. will vary from candidate to candidate and boat to boat. The important thing is that the method you opt to use works and is safe. I advise against gybing during your MOB drill in medium and stronger winds.

A sail candidate who opts to approach the casualty from upwind (where the mainsail will be filled as you sail or motor downwind) would be demonstrating a gross misunderstanding of how to control speed and how to stop a sailing yacht.

Man Overboard Exam Tips (for power candidates)

In addition to the tick list two paragraphs above be mindful of the rest of the crew. If at high speed when the MOB occurs, don’t turn suddenly, instead slow the boat down and ensure crew know if you intend to make a sharp turn. We don’t want  a crew ember (or the examiner) to fall over or worse overboard! On many boats in light and moderate conditions you can turn the boat and follow your wake to return to the MOB, in rougher sea states this might not work. There are basically three steps.

• Dont loose the MOB’s position
• Get back to the MOB
• Get alongside the MOB for pick up, without running him over

On many motor boats having got the boat back to the vicinity of the MOB, it pays to orientate yourself beam onto the wind and upwind of the MOB and allow the vessel to be blown sideways towards the MOB, this protects him/her from the risk of the bow and engine and is often referred to as the drift down method. As with sailing there are lost of variations on this method and what is important is the method that you use is safe and that it works.

YACHMASTER EXAM SAILING MANOUVERS

It is likely that you will be asked to either sail onto or sail off a swinging mooring (mooring bouy), an anchor or a pontoon. Make sure you are comfortable and competent at all before your exam. By way of example I will focus here on the mooring buoy. In non tidal waters the boat will lie on the mooring head to wind so the approach will be on a close reach under mainsail. In tidal waters certain combination of wind against tide may dictate an approach under headsail on a different point of sail.

The examiner will expect to see you;

• Brief the crew on how the manoeuvre will be performed
• Helm throughout the manoeuvre
• Prepare the boat for the manoeuvre (using the crew)
• Select the correct direction and angle of approach
• Select the correct sail combination for this approach
• Control the boat speed on the approach bringing the boat to a stop in a controlled manner
• Picking up and secure to the mooring bouy safely

If at any point the manoeuvre is not working the examiner will expect you to make the decision to bail-out and to have an escape plan in mind. Remember it will be your call to bail out not his.

YACHTMASTER EXAM, BOAT HANDLING UNDER POWER

During the exam you will have to demonstrate some boat handling under power. This may be a natural part of a passage you are skippering (i.e. at the start and end of the passage) or may be a specific boat handling session. Most candidates will demonstrate they can moor up, depart a berth and turn the boat in a confined space. You may be asked to demonstrate more than one berth so the examiner can see how you respond to different states of wind and tide. Some times an examiner will be specific (for example ask you to berth starboard side to, stern first on pontoon XYZ), other times he will leave some of the decision making to you and simply say berth on pontoon ABC. In the second  example he will expect to see you make a sensible decision as to whether to moor bow or stern first and from where to approach. If you are asked to repeat a manoeuvre performed by another candidate do not make the mistake of blindly copying the last candidate, take a minute to consider if they did it well or if an alternative approach would work better. Every boat manouvers differently but there are some givens for close quarter handling;

• Slow is Pro!
• Approaching down forces i.e. down tide (or down wind if no tide) is poor seamanship if you have the option not to
• Using excessive engine revs in confined space demonstrates a lack of experience and control
• Turning against prop walk should be avoided if possible.
• Using wind, tide, pivot points, momentum and prop walk to assist you will all make your manoeuvring easier and, “score you points” in the examiner’s mind.

If the manoeuvre is not working, bailing out safely is far better than perceiving trying to a make the best of a bad job. I can assure you that if you are half way through a manoeuvre and suddenly realise you have selected the wrong approach the examiner has spotted this several minutes earlier. He/she will be quietly hoping you opt to rectify the error rather than compounding it by continuing. Don’t disappoint him by continuing an approach that is clearly too fast or not going to work.

Just like the sailing manoeuvres described above you need to helm the boat through these manoeuvres, brief the crew and perform the manoeuvre well. You should not rely on crew jumping ashore with lines to stop the boat, you as helm should stop the boat so that crew can step ashore safely. If a spring line is appropriate to depart a berth then use it, but don’t over complicate things. It is quite embarrassing when a candidate opts to “spring off” a “wind off” berth when they could have simply just let the lines go. If manoeuvring in close quarters still phases you then you are not ready for the Yachtmaster exam and need some more boat handling practice first.

YACHTMASTER EXAM SUMMARY

There are many more components to the exam (pilotage, blind pilotage, voyage planning etc.) and the above is just a taster. If I have not scared you off yet, you have your own boat and require bespoke training (power or sail) I can be contacted through this site.

Yachtmaster Instructor

Share this:.

• Account icon Log in
• Basic Safety Training
• Refresher (Fire & PST)
• Elementary First Aid
• Fire Prevention & Fire-fighting
• Personal Survival Techniques
• Advanced Fire Fighting
• Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher
• Proficiency in Security Awareness
• Personal Safety & Social Responsibility
• Crowd Management / Crisis Management and Human Behaviour
• Powerboat Level 2
• PWC/Jet Ski License
• PWI/Jet Ski Instructor
• PWC + PWI Pack
• Pack PB2 & PWC
• Day Skipper
• Shorebased Yachtmaster Theory
• Yachtmaster Practical Preparation & Offshore Exam
• Yachtmaster Offshore Package
• Full Deckhand Pack
• Full Interior Pack
• Basic Deckhand Pack
• Basic Interior Pack
• Full Tender and Jet Ski Pack
• Tender Pack
• Jetski Pack
• Yacht Deckhand Training
• Yacht Steward/ess Training
• Basic Food & Beverage Services
• Basic Housekeeping & Laundry Services
• Basic Wine, Bartending & Mixology
• Food Safety Level 2
• ⚡Lithium-ion Battery Safety Awareness on Superyachts
• VHF Short Range Certificate
• RYA Professional Practice & Responsibilities
• RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship
• RYA Online Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory
• RYA Online Day Skipper Theory
• STCW PDSD for Superyachts
• STCW PDSD for Cruise Ships
• STCW Proficiency as Ship Security Officer on Superyachts
• Useful Information
• Steward/ess

Yachtmaster Offshore: When, Why, and How

In a seafarer’s career, there comes the time when Yachtmaster ticket becomes either a necessity, or the next logical step in professional development. No matter what the reason for the course is, Yachtmaster Offshore requires a thorough preparation and planning as well as some prior knowledge and experience.

• When am I ready to take the course?

The candidate’s eligibility for Yachtmaster Offshore program is defined by a number of requirements. First and foremost, the logged sea time must show a minimum of 2500 nautical miles, about half of which should be in tidal waters. There is a huge debate as to what tidal waters are, and the RYA leaves it to the Yachtmaster candidate to decide whether the passage they undertook happened in a tidal area. The definition offered by the RYA is as follows:

An area is deemed tidal if published stream, current or tidal range data is available, the influence of which is significant enough to require the effects to be taken into account to plan and execute a safe and efficient passage .

But even if the decision to call experience tidal is the candidate’s, the RYA wisely warns that the final judgement will be made by the examiner and recommends to list only those miles that can be backed up with evidence. The qualifying sea time should be gained on motor vessels if the candidate applies for Yachtmaster Offshore Motor license. Sail miles do not count.

The RYA also sets a requirement as to the number of qualifying passages. As defined by the Association, ‘a passage is a non-stop voyage from a departure port / safe haven to a destination port / safe haven ’. For the Yachtmaster Offshore , there must be a minimum of 5 passages over 60 nm each; 2 of those passages should be overnight and 2 when the candidate acted as a skipper. The skipper, as understood by the RYA , is a person nominated and responsible for the planning and execution of a passage including vessel and watch management . It’s important that throughout the 60-mile passage there occurs no change of skippers; otherwise, the passage cannot be deemed as qualifying.

Proper understanding of the skipper’s role is vital for ticking the box of another requirement – 5 days on board acting as a skipper. A day in this case is a period of 8 consecutive hours, and the majority of them should be at sea . In every 24 hours, Yachtmaster candidate can have only one qualifying day onboard.

Last but not least, the RYA’s Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites put some restrictions as to the tonnage and length: days on board and miles should be gained on vessels up to 500 gt and less than 24 meters LOA.

• When is the best time to take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore course?

The full program – RYA Yachtmaster Offshore theory and RYA Yachtmaster Practical – takes 10 days to complete; the exam is usually scheduled right after, and candidates need to allow 2 days for it. With the sea, winds, and weather being unpredictable, to the candidates coming from abroad we advise to add an extra day before taking flights back home. Thus, the course is quite a commitment, and most seafarers take it during low Med season. Our Yachtmaster Offshore course is scheduled every month from December throughout April to give options to potential candidates.

• Why take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore?

Yachtmaster is not for beginners. Commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence entitles its holder to master a yacht of up to 200 gt, and that is a big responsibility. That said, one of the reasons to get Yachtmaster is to advance the qualifications from entry to higher level including MCA Officer of the Watch (OOW) or Chief Mate, for which Yachtmaster Offshore CoC is among the required documents. Yachtmaster Offshore Shore-based (theory) certificate is another pre-requisite to apply for the OOW, and it has to be sent along with STCW and other records as a part of the Notice of Eligibility.

 In a scheme of RYA training , Yachtmaster Offshore is preceded by RYA Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper, which allow to navigate 20 and 60 nautical miles offshore accordingly. With Yachtmaster Offshore qualifications, it is possible to skipper a cruising yacht up to 150 miles from harbour, so recreational boaters can have larger areas to explore and longer distances to cover.

• How to apply for Yachtmaster Offshore Program?

If you believe you are ready and meet the pre-requisites mentioned above and outlined on our website , your first step is to get in touch with us by email, phone, or through contact form . Once we receive your enquiry, we will email to you Sea Time Summary and Self-Evaluation forms to fill out, which we will then forward to our instructor to confirm your eligibility. If you are eligible for the course, we will proceed with course booking and securing your place on the training.

Some important things to remember: the candidates for the training should hold a valid Elementary First Aid certificate . For the STCW EFA , it should be issued within the last 5 years, for the RYA First Aid - within the last 3 years. VHF Marine Radio certificate can be offered as a part of Yachtmaster Offshore package , but if you already hold the certificate, we can offer a 100 euros reduction.

Our next Yachtmaster Offshore session starts on the 6 th of December. Click here for more dates.

More questions about Yachtmaster? Let us know!

Leave a comment

Comments must be approved before appearing

* Required fields

Subscribe to our newsletter & be the first to know of training dates & offers

Checkmark icon Added to your cart:

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is one of the most highly respected and prestigious sailing qualifications in the world and we pride ourselves on training many high calibre Yachtmaster Candidates. Exam Preparation Courses are delivered by one of our fully qualified and extremely experienced RYA Yachtmaster Instructors.

Please click here to see the progression of RYA Sailing Practical Courses and the recommended path for both theory and practical courses.

We have also put together some details notes on The Yachtmaster exam here.

The week starts with an assessment day, when the instructor will gauge your strengths and weaknesses. The rest of the time will be spent improving weak areas in order to prepare you for the exam. You will take command of the yacht on short passages, by day and night. You will be required to navigate in a seamanlike manner, with both efficiency and safety. Your instructor will give you guidance and coaching on boat handling techniques both at sea and in a confined space.

Examiners expect a high level of expertise, particularly in safety critical exercises such as man overboard, or sailing down wind. Your instructor will also ensure that the theory subjects, in particular meteorology, IRPCS, buoyage and passage planning are not new to you.  At the end of the week, you will be given an honest debrief, leaving you confident in your own ability, taking the exam if you feel ready to do so.

At the end of the preparation course, the instructor will leave the process and an Independent RYA Examiner will come aboard to conduct the exam. Every student will be examined on how they skipper the yacht on short passages and complete various other tasks.

Although this is a sailing exam, you will be expected to be familiar with all the vessels systems which includes knowledge of engines to at least the level of the one-day RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance course .

A knowledge of the operation of radar and GPS is also expected.

The examiner will want to see you dock the boat under engine in a variety of circumstances possibly alongside and stern-to. He/she may set you a challenge to dock in a particular place or ask you to choose. He/she will also expect you to be able to handle and turn the vessel in a confined space with awareness of the effects of the prevailing conditions. You will also be expected to be able to handle the vessel under sail in a confined space and this may include sailing on and/or off a mooring, your anchor or a dock. The examiner is looking for good boat control, use of crew, wind awareness and a good lookout for other vessels in the area. Once at sea it is a legal requirement to keep a log. This doesn’t have to be detailed but the examiner will want to see that you know where you are at all times. Don’t be afraid to reef, we are cruising not racing, but at the same time make sure you have enough sail up to keep the vessel going. Also make sure you have practiced your classic navigation as fixing your position, CTS and EP may all come into the exam. Also be comfortable with tidal problems and operation of the GPS, specifically the one on the exam vessel.

Cost is $1695 plus RYA Exam fee of around $300 [depends on exchange rate]. Please click on the ' Training Dates & Booking ' button on the right to check available dates.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Cookie and Privacy Settings

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor – Everything You Need To Know

What Is the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor?

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor ticket is a highly useful and credible motor cruising qualification. Administered on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastgaurd Agency by the RYA the qualification is accepted as a worldwide standard. To gain an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor qualification you must sit a practical exam. 

What Does the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Allow You to Do?

Gaining an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor will allow you to work commercially on small motor vessels.

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam certifies that you are competent to skipper a motor yacht on coastal voyages within 20nm of a harbour. 

How Can You Sit an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Exam?

The exam can be organised via the RYA to be done on your own vessel or via an RYA training centre, to be done on an RYA training vessel. It should be noted, that to complete the exam on your own vessel, your vessel must be up to an appropriate safety standard.

Most RYA training centres offering the RYA Cruising Scheme offer some form of pre exam preparation or coaching for those looking to take an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam.

These courses are often referred to as ‘RYA Yachtmaster Prep’ courses. This is unique within the RYA training framework in that it does not have a fixed course syllabus, length or course completion certificate.

Who Can Do an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Exam?

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam is open to anyone who meets the minimum criteria, with all experience within the last 10 years.

• 17 years of age or older
• 30 days spent at sea
• 800nm cruised, with at least 50% in tidal waters
• 12 night hours
• 2 days as skipper

If you have exceeded all of the above by large margins, then the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam might be for you.

If you have the miles, but not the skippering experience, it is suggested that you charter a vessel in order to gain the skippering experience.

Additionally, exam candidates must also hold a relevant GMDSS VHF certification and an RYA First Aid certificate or recognised equivalent.

Can You Go Straight to the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Course and Exam?

You can indeed jump straight into the RYA Cruising Scheme at this stage, however, it is imperative that you understand the levels that are required of you, both in your knowledge and practical skills.

It is suggested that as a minimum you have completed (and passed) the RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Theory course as the knowledge in here is both required for you to be at the level required, but will be formally tested during your RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam, both orally and in practical applications.

What Do You Need to Know before Attending a Course and Exam?

You, of course, need to be a suitably experienced skipper and this involves meeting the prerequisites mentioned above to be eligible. You should be able to handle your vessel competently in close quarters and at sea. You should be comfortable applying this in various day and night time passages.

As mentioned, it is strongly recommended to have completed the RYA Coastal and Yachtmaster Theory as the depth of knowledge gained from this shore based course will be tested throughout your exam. 

If you are looking for aa sailing equivalent course then you want RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail course .

How Long Does an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep Course and Exam Take?

The exam itself can take anything from 6 hours to 2 days depending on how many candidates are being examined on one vessel at a time. Up to 4 candidates can sit the exam at once and this would last for a maximum of 48 hours if so.

An RYA Yachtmaster Prep course is generally four and a half days long and is usually directly followed by the practical exam.

Is There a Set Syllabus?

No, this is the one time that while there is a recognised ‘course’, there is no syllabus. It is up to the experienced instructor on the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep course to tailor the learnings to your needs. This is more about refining your skills rather than teaching new ones.

You should be honest with yourself and your instructor in order for learnings throughout the week to be tailored to improve yourself on any weak areas that you may have.

What Should I Expect from an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep Course?

These courses run as a standalone course and while there may be students on another course, generally everyone onboard is a candidate for an RYA Yachtmaster Exam. The courses should however be run with no more than 4 students on board.

The content will depend on the needs of all students and is aimed at fine-tuning existing skills rather than teaching new ones. This will involve a lot of night time cruising and navigation, carrying out challenging boat handling while using theory knowledge and ensuring general skippering skills are up to scratch.

There is a basic syllabus that is used to help shape the exam content, but in reality, you can be tested on anything from the RYA cruising scheme within the exam.

Before choosing the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep course you need to be honest with yourself and your own abilities. While on the course you need to take on the advice and guidance given by the instructor on what areas need work. If you speak to your instructor before the course, they can tailor the instruction to your needs.

What Should I Expect on an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Exam?

On the exam, you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and competence. You will be expected to take full responsibility for your vessel and crew. The examiner will be looking for you to demonstrate competence and show your broad range of experience.

The exam will be an intensive experience and even when you are not the designated skipper, you will still be asked questions and observed and examined as a participant of the crew.

During the exam you will be asked to complete various tasks, ranging from leaving the dock, skippering a short passage, casualty recovery, night pilotage and even blind navigation. Additionally, you will be tested on theoretical aspects such as how to deal with an engine failure, knowledge of your vessel’s stability, meteorology and IRPCS.

As a potential RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor, these tasks are ones that should now be second nature to you and should take minimal time to plan while the theoretical knowledge should be able to roll off your tongue. 

What Is the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Exam Syllabus?

The following topics make up the basis for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam syllabus. IRPCS, safety, boat handling, seamanship, responsibility as skipper, navigation, meteorology and signals.

But, as mentioned above, anything from the whole RYA cruising syllabus scheme can be tested.

What Is the Cost of an RYA Yachtmaster Course and Exam?

As ever, many schools differ in price. We would recommend that you take a look around at the various options and find what suits your needs the best. Cheapest is not often better.

This can range from knowing if you will have to share a cabin while onboard to whether food and berthing charges are included to how many other students you will be sharing your week with.

The exam fee is usually not included, which is currently £208.

Where Should I Do My RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor?

As always there are many thoughts and pros and cons on this, and as a potential RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor, you should consider yourself experienced enough to sit the exam anywhere. However, if you choose to sit the exam in an area that you are familiar with then you will take a lot of the stress out of learning a new area and start with a small advantage of having that all important local knowledge at your disposal.

What Happens If I Struggle on the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep Course?

Your instructor should be able to update you on your ability levels throughout the course. They will be highly experienced and it is suggested that you listen to their advice given.

If you are learning something for the first time you should consider if you are ready for the exam. Talk to your instructor and they will be able to guide you on if you are ready for the exam or if they would advise further training.

What Is the Pass Mark for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Exam?

There is no pass mark as such and the examiner will be looking to see that you are a competent and complete skipper, capable of looking after both your vessel and crew in a safe manner.

Every exam is different and no examiner will be setting out to fail any candidates, but they must ensure and check that each candidate is able to demonstrate their ability, knowledge and skills in a safe and timely manner.

If you were to fail to reach the levels of an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor certificate of competence then the examiner will give you a thorough debrief complete with action points to work on before you have another attempt at the exam. 

What Comes after RYA Yachtmaster Coastal?

After completion of the exam, you will have gained the credible achievement of an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor certificate of competence and you can get this commercially endorsed by adding a sea survival certification, a personal medical and a PPR course, all of which, along with your GMDSS VHF and First Aid should be sent off to the RYA for certification upgrade. This will now allow the holder to skipper a vessel commercially, in coastal waters, up to 20nm from a harbour.

The next step is of course to get out on the water and to keep learning, keep gaining experience and keep improving on the skills and knowledge learned so far. No skipper is the finished article and we should all keep seeking to improve.

Once you have gained more experience, knowledge, mileage and time on the water it will be time to progress to the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam.

Releated Posts

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory – Everything You Need to Know

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor – Everything You Need to Know

Your Comment*

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Yachtmaster Prep Week

• General Description
• Important details
• Enrolment Form

The Yachtmaster Offshore Prep Week prepares experienced sailors for the Yachtmaster Offshore or Yachtmaster Coastal Exam. This is not a teaching course, but rather a preparation course with review of your existing skills and polishing it to RYA standards. The Prep Week is held over a period of 5 consecutive days on board, with daytime and night time navigation.

During the week we review your existing sailing experience while developing additional skills to manage the vessel using RYA principles and practices to the appropriate level of competence. Areas covered include but are not limited to: sailing of the vessel in different weather conditions, Man Over Board exercises, safety and emergency procedures, leadership and management of the crew, provisioning, navigation exercises such as blind navigation and passage planning, a review of the functioning of the diesel engine, radar, and other situations one might encounter as a skipper . We will review relevant theory such as the International Rules for Preventing Collisions at Sea, communications, navigation and various terminology.

From our base in Antigua, you will sail out of Jolly Harbour and practise navigating in St. Johns Harbour, around the north of the island to Long Island and then back down to Falmouth and English Harbour. Daily practice will also include docking in different conditions.   Do not expect to log a 60 mile passage during this practice week, or to have many miles added to your logbook, as we concentrate on skippering skills and not distances.

All of our practical sailing courses  are limited to four students on board .  This allows us to give you  maximum individual attention  and for our  instructors to create a bespoke sailing experience for each and every one of our students.

Groups of 5 can be accommodated on our Dufour 44’ should you wish to book together and enjoy the course as part of a larger group.

We often schedule complementary courses, should you need them, prior to or immediately following the Offshore/Coastal Prep Week, such as 

RYA First Aid ,

RYA SRC Radio

RYA Diesel Engine

As you complete the week, you will continue to the RYA Yachtmaster Exam, which we try to schedule after a one or two day break following the course. At our school, we require proof of completion of the RYA Coastal Skipper/ Yachtmaster offshore theory course before enrolling in the YM Prep course. We recommend completing the theory course online (the most convenient option) or in the classroom beforehand.

Prerequisites to sit for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Exam (completed in the last 10 years)

• 800 Nautical Miles of which minimum 400 in tidal waters
• These may be reduced to 400nm of which minimum 200 in tidal waters if you hold a RYA Coastal Skipper Certificate of Completion
• 2 days as skipper
• 12 night hours
• 30 days at sea
• SRC/VHF Radio Certification
• First Aid Certification within the last two years
• 17 years old at time of exam
• You can order paper or e-books on RYA SHOP – it is not mandatory, but there are several books that might be very usefull before and during your preparation.

Prerequisites to sit for the Yachtmaster Offshore Exam are: (completed in the last 10 years)

• 2,500 Nautical Miles of which 1,250 in tidal waters
• 5 passages of more than 60 miles of which 2 as skipper
• 2 overnight passages
• 50 days at sea
• You can order paper or e-books on RYA SHOP – it is not mandatory, but there are several books that might be very useful before and during your preparation.

Once you have obtained your RYA Yachtmaster Offshore/Coastal certificate of competence, you can request the Commercial Endorsement. We can help you with the process and advise on the Professional Practices & Responsibilities (PPR) course, which is one of the requirements for this Endorsement.

• Jolly Harbour Marina,
• Antigua and Barbuda
• (New office building next to Al Porto Restaurant)
• +1 268 723 9343
• [email protected]

Privacy / Cookies

Copyright © Second Star Sailing School

Powered by  Dotflorence® Srl

island spirit sailing school

Sailing courses.

Zero to Hero - Fast-track to Bareboat Skipper

The Zero to hero program takes you from no experience at all to having an IYT bareboat skipper certification.

A fun, fast-paced, action-packed intensive course combining both Crew & Bareboat Skipper Sailing courses.

Prerequisite: A readiness to dive into the deep end...

Internationally recognized certification

Course Duration: 11 day

Course Duration: 11 days

Includes Food and Accommodation at Island Spirit Training Center

Bareboat Skipper Catamaran - Sail

An add-on course to the Bareboat Skipper & the  Zero-to-hero that gives you the knowledge and the added qualification to skipper a Catamaran

Prerequisite: The IYT's International Bareboat Skipper (Sail) qualification.

Course Duration: 2 days

Price: 16,000 ฿

Price: 19,000 ฿

Introduction to Sailing

A great way to see what sailing is about and get a feel for whether sailing's for you.

Prerequisite: None, let the adventure begin!

Crew Course

Feel confident to go sailing and be a valued contributing member of the crew.

Course Duration: 5 days

Bareboat Skipper – Sail

Skipper your own yacht or charter a yacht at all the charter destination in the world.

Prerequisite: Crew Course or sea-time

Course Duration: 6 days

Yachtmaster Coastal – Sail

Skipper overnight passages up to 60nm from the Coast.

Prerequisite: Bareboat Skipper + sea-time

Yachtmaster Offshore – Sail

Skipper voyages, seek adventure up to 150nm offshore

Prerequisite: Yachtmaster Coastal + more sea-time

MARINA BERTHING COURSE

Master the art of parking your yacht in a marina berth, get past the fear and do it in style; yes practice makes perfect but you need the proper technique.

Prerequisite: Bareboat Skipper or Sea-time

USA Head Office

Group Island Spirit Inc. 7524 Jack Newell Blvd S. Fort Worth, Texas 76119 USA Email: [email protected]

Thailand Offices

Island Spirit Charters Co. Ltd. Located at Ocean Marina, 167/5 Sukhumvit (Km157) Sattahip, Chonburi, 20250 Office: +66 (0) 38 237752 Email: [email protected]

Elite Charters Co. Ltd. (Head Office) 20/107 Moo 2, Boat Lagoon Marina Phuket 83000 Thailand Office :+66 (0) 76 273476 Email: [email protected]

Elite Charters Co., Ltd. (Charter Base) Yacht Haven Marina 141/2 Moo 2, T. Mai Khao Phuket 83110 Thailand Office: +66 (0) 76 273476

Group Island Spirit Manufacturing Co. Ltd. 533/16 Moo 10 Hua Yai, Banglamung, Chonburi, 20250 Office: +66 (0) 38 239 868 Email: [email protected]

• Sail cruising courses

Our practical and theory courses will take you from complete beginner to capable skipper and beyond

Stepping into the world of sailing for the first time is exciting and exhilarating. The courses in the RYA Yachtmaster training scheme will help you learn to sail and build confidence, become a useful crew member and even learn how to skipper a sailing yacht and manage it’s crew. 

Most courses can be taken either on your own or with friends and family, including children provided they meet our minimum age recommendations. There are also flexible options allowing you to do the course in one go or split over several days or weekends. 

Our sail cruising courses can also help you progress to the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Certificates of Competence  which are recognised by maritime authorities worldwide and can be commercially endorsed for professional skippers and crew. 

So whether you’re new to boat ownership, want to charter a yacht on holiday, or to venture further offshore – there’s an RYA course for every level. 

Our practical on-the-water courses build confidence, teaching you everything from basic terminology and safety tips to how to skipper a yacht and manage its crew. You can enter at any level, provided you have the correct level of experience. 

Cruising Level 1 - An entry level course focusing on the principles of sailing a yacht. Can be run in conjunction with the Basic Skills course.

A short introduction to sailing for complete beginners.

Cruising Level 2 - Build on the skills gained during Start Sailing, Competent Crew or Day Skipper, focusing on sailing techniques as both crew and helm.

A hands-on course for anyone interested in becoming a useful crew member.

A course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills.

Advanced skippering techniques for those with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation, wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night.

Our navigation and other specialist short courses complement the sail cruising practical courses and will take your knowledge and confidence to the next level.

A basic introduction to navigation for new skippers, crew or anyone interested in getting out on the water.

A more comprehensive course recommended for inexperienced skippers and anyone thinking of doing the Day Skipper practical course.

Take your theory knowledge to the standard required for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore practical exams.

Unravel the mysteries of astro navigation, using a sextant, ocean passage planning, worldwide meteorology and electronic navigation aids.

Get qualified to use a handheld or fixed marine VHF radio with our course and exam.

From first aid to diesel engine, there are a number of related classroom and online courses you may find useful as you develop your knowledge.

• Certificates of Competence
• RYA Yachtmaster

An RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence is the ultimate aim of aspiring skippers. It is a well known, highly respected qualification worldwide, proving your experience and competence.

You are capable of coastal passages

You are competent to undertake passages up to 150 miles offshore

You have the knowledge and experience to sail worldwide

With more than 100 different titles to choose from, there’s an RYA book, eBook or audiobook for every age, interest and ability. Visit our webshop for course books and a range of supporting titles.

Sailing is great fun for all ages and there are plenty of opportunities for young people to get involved. Check our course descriptions for minimum age recommendations.

If you want to cruise outside of the UK you are likely to need an ICC. RYA course completion certificates can be used as evidence of your competence.

Find out more about commercial endorsements, professional qualifications and what it takes to work on the water.

Offshore Leaks Database

Moscow house, moscow, st. george, barbados..

• Linked countries: Barbados
• View in: Google Maps

Connections:

Explore more from

Get our stories in your inbox, how to download this database.

The ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database is licensed under the Open Database License and contents under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. Always cite the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists when using this data. You can download a raw copy of the database here.

Do you need help with your search?

• How to use this database
• Data sources

About the data in the ICIJ Offshore Leaks database

This ICIJ database contains information on more than 810,000 offshore entities that are part of the Pandora Papers, Paradise Papers, Bahamas Leaks, Panama Papers and Offshore Leaks investigations. The records cover more than 80 years up to 2020 and link to people and companies in more than 200 countries and territories.

We depend on the generous support of readers like you to help us expose corruption and hold the powerful to account

There are legitimate uses for offshore companies and trusts. The inclusion of a person or entity in the ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database is not intended to suggest or imply that they have engaged in illegal or improper conduct. Many people and entities have the same or similar names. We suggest you confirm the identities of any individuals or entities included in the database based on addresses or other identifiable information. The data comes directly from the leaked files ICIJ has received in connection with various investigations and each dataset encompasses a defined time period specified in the database. Some information may have changed over time. Please contact us if you find an error in the database.

There are legitimate uses for offshore companies and trusts. Read more

• Unauthorised Schools and Other Entities

Because IYT Worldwide is the internationally accredited global leader and most trusted standard in yacht training and certification, there exist a small number of schools and instructors who claim to be certified by IYT when, in fact, they are not. As a globally recognised brand, we work to maintain a high standard of excellence and encourage our network to help identify and deter fraudulent schools and instructors.

Any school included on our website meets the standards and certification requirements of IYT Worldwide. All IYT instructors are provided with IYT branded certificates upon completion of their training, which you can ask to see. If you are ever concerned that your school or instructor may be unauthorised, please contact us to confirm their status. If in doubt about the authenticity of any nautical certification, please do not hesitate to contact IYT headquarters at  [email protected]

Organisation "IYTA" (International Yacht Training Academy) - believed to have been created to confuse the market

International Yacht Training Worldwide is a Federally registered Canadian Company (Nov 2007) and was originally founded by Capt. Mark Fry in the United States in December 2002.  The company has been trading as IYT since its inception. 

It has been brought to our attention that a company called  “International Yacht Training Academy” is also registered in Canada and trading as IYTA.  This company is registered to a Mr. Jim (Cumhur) Gokova from Turkey and is not affiliated or associated with IYT Worldwide in any way. We believe Mr. Gokova is deliberately attempting to infringe on the good name and reputation  of “International Yacht Training Worldwide” by issuing certificates in the name of his company “IYTA”.  This is possibly because his previous company “International Sailing School” had its IYT Partner School status permanently withdrawn and Mr. Gokova also had his IYT instructor and examiner qualifications permanently withdrawn on September 12th 2011. Mr. Gokova was engaged in activities that were in serious breach of the legal terms of a contract between IYT Worldwide and Mr. Gokova.

Mr. Gokova is currently issuing boating qualifications( May 2015) in the name of “IYTA” and many students have contacted IYT head office here in Canada asking if they are genuine IYT Worldwide certificates which obviously they are not. This is causing unnecessary hardship and financial loss for students who spent their money assuming that they are getting a genuine IYT certificate from IYT Worldwide.

Please be advised that Mr. Jim (Cumhur) Gokova and his company International Yacht Training Academy (IYTA) have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with International Yacht Training Worldwide.  Should you require any additional information concerning Mr. Jim Gokova or his company please do not hesitate to contact me on [email protected] or +1 778 477 5668.

Capt. Mark Fry

Individuals implying they are IYT Worldwide and have issued or may have issued fraudulent certificates:

Aysegul Yildiz – We believe she is in Istanbul, Turkey and we are continuing to research Oleg Kalinin – We believe he attends Marmaris International Race Week held in Turkey every year and sells fake IYT certificates to the participants 

Schools that have had their IYT membership withdrawn and can no longer operate as IYT partner schools:

Aventura Yachting Club – Moscow, Russia https://aventura.ru/ Go Pro Cayman (Go Pro Diving) Go Sailing.RU Gokova Sailing Academy – Turkey International Sailing School – Marmaris, Turkey International Yachting School of Israel INTERPARUS – Ukraine https://interparus.com/ International Yachtmaster Training – Istanbul, Turkey Med Sea School – Spain Nautical School – Ukraine Sailing School Veter SailQuest Sailing School – Thailand https://www.sailingschoolasia.com/ Valentin Private Yacht School – Valentin Rakutin, Cyprus Yacht Captain’s Club – Moscow, Russia and Tivat, Montenegro https://yachtcaptains.ru/

Schools/Companies implying they have IYT membership but are not approved member schools:

Aventura Plus (Belgium) Berozy Yachting/Alex Zyytkov Bravo Sailing (Turkey) https://www.bravo-sailing.com/courses Brig Club/Natalya Kabirova Flagman BG Yachting School (Bulgaria & Russia) Global Tech Quest (Qatar) IYT Southern Cross / Oleg Kalinin (Turkey & Russia) Mopexog (Ukraine) POSEIDON https://poseidon123.com/ Red Sail (Montenegro) https://www.redsail.me/   Russian Sailing School (Russia) Sportbootführerschein Kaufen http://www.sportbootfuehrerschein-kaufen.com/index.htm l U Experience (China) World of the Winds – also trading as Wowcharter & Moscow School of Yachting https://www.wowcharter.ru/ Oceanis Yacht Charter https://oceanischarter.ru/ SailBreeze / Mr. Roland Choy (Pattaya Area – Thailand )

Instructors who have had their IYT instructor status withdrawn and are no longer authorised to teach IYT courses or who may be falsely professing to hold valid IYT instructor certificates:

Alan Goldsborough-Pike Alex Zyytkov Berozy Alexandr Goron Alexandr Kaznadey Alexandra Levrenyuk Alexey Safronov Alexey Tikhonov Alexi Zhitkov (date of birth 21-Jun-1969) Ali El-Sayegh Anatoly Bolshakov Ash McKnight Dmitry Darovskikh Irina Fedorova Jim (Cumhur) Gokova Konstantin Zhukov Michael French Mark Warren Christiansen Sergey Shumilov Tarek Metwalli Hassan Ramadan Thomas Bicharzon Tim McMahon  Veronique Claus / with Aventura Plus Vinod Bondi Vladimir Sinyakov Walter B Schredl (aka Wally Schredl)

Organisations that are not affiliated with IYT:

IYTA Vancouver Canada (Mr.Jim Gokova) International Sailing Schools Association (ISSA) International Sail & Power Academy (ISPA) International Crew Training (ICT) U.S.A.

The following individuals have been attempting to use false IYT certificates not issued by IYT:

Ahmet Alkan Celik Alexander Metelsky Alexander Bahn Aleksandr Morozov Aleksandr Timoshchuk Ali Hidir Akdemir Ali Sayar Aleksey Bykov Andreas Schmidt Artem Khachina Bayram Yavuz Bekir Karakus Bernhard Schoeggl Bohdan Lutski Christian Cibulka Denis Sorokin Denys Khatkov Devon Levi Hilaire Dmitry Kurochkin (DOB:25/06/1981) Dmytro Fedorenko Durmus Kose Edgardo Encomendero Fernandez Emrah Kayikci Engin Unlu Erkan Sarlak Elena Kharitonova Erdinc Simsek Evgeniy Bodnariuk Fatih Hendem Fedor Gonin Giovanni Surdo Giuseppe Lapadula Gokay Kayacan Hakan Engin Halit Engin Hasan Tuncer Hennadii Kurtohlu Ilia Rukhadze Imad Chayeb Jan Coufal Kurt Ozcan Levent Gorduk Luca Grassetti Luis Hernandez Monje Maximillian Kahunya Riedl Mikhei Shestakov Mustafa Kemal Vural Niko Vukelic Nikola Joy Yeo Normunds Rodionovs Nugzar Mamaiashvili Olivier Ferec Ramazan Akbulut Ramazan Omak Rajesh Mani Ricardo Daccache Ruslan Ganeev Sayin Candan Sergejes Gavrilovs Sily Alain Soliman Aadel Tarek Khalil Tufan Cay Ugo Accurso Ugur ISA Tuncoku Volodymyr Volkovskyi Watson Jonathan Marshall Yaron Aharon Yamin Yavuz Duymac Yevhen Arabadzhyi Yigit Eren Gokburun Yulia Engin Yuri Kochergin Yurii Bakhariev Zekeriya Gundogar

www.iiytworld.com – This is not an official IYT website, and all certificates listed on this page are fraudulent and unauthorized.

Beware of organisations claiming their ICCs comply with Resolution 40

Additionally, a number of training organisations are issuing “International Certificates of Competency” (ICC) and “International Proficiency Certificates,” which they claim are required for chartering in European waters. Please note that only ICC’s that have approval from government bodies are the “official ICCs’” that comply with Resolution 40 of the European Act and the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The ISSA offers a “Master of Yachts” certificate which has nothing whatsoever to do with the IYT Master of Yachts certificates that are recognised by the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for working on commercial Yachts

The ISPA (Academy) issued “ICC” certificates which are not Resolution 40 certificates for use in the UNECE Region.

• Recreational
• Privacy Policy & Terms Of Use
• Become a Partner School
• Register with IYT
• Find a School
• IYT E-Learning
• Certificate Renewal & Replacement
• Get Certified
• Recreational Training Course Progression
• IYT Passport
• Crossover Opportunities
• Course Progression
• Course Progression Interior
• Dive Boat Training
• Forms And Docs
• Instructor Training
• Personal Watercraft Operator
• Dinghy Sailing Programme
• IYT Try Sailing
• IYT Introductory Sailing Skills
• IYT Day Skipper / Crew Sail
• International Crew
• International Flotilla Skipper
• International Bareboat Skipper
• International Flotilla Skipper Sail – Catamaran
• International Bareboat Skipper Sail – Catamaran
• International Certificate of Competency (ICC Certificate)
• Powerboat Skipper
• Yachtmaster Coastal (Power or Sail)
• Yachtmaster Coastal Sail – Catamaran
• Yachtmaster Offshore (Power or Sail)
• Yachtmaster Offshore Sail – Catamaran
• Yachtmaster Ocean
• Patron de Yates (Yachtmaster Coastal Spanish edition)
• Marine Communications (VHF-SRC)
• Small Powerboat and Rib Master (MCA Recognised)
• IYT Commercial Tender License Course
• Weather Master
• Navigation Master
• Master of Yachts Coastal/Mate 200 Tons (Power or Sail)
• Master of Yachts Limited (Power or Sail)
• Master of Yachts Unlimited
• Superyacht Chef
• Superyacht Deck Crew Course
• Introduction to Yacht Marine Engineering
• Superyacht Hospitality Training
• Boat Engineer Course (SCV Code for Vessels Operating in the Caribbean)
• IYT-MSWI BoatMaster Course
• Become An IYT School
• Upgrade Your School
• Find A School
• Course Levels
• Instructor Qualifications
• Vessel Requirements
• Vessel and Facility Requirements
• Shipping & Delivery
• Government Approvals