Advanced Powerboat vs Yachtmaster Offshore

[Sea Change]

About ten years ago I completed the two day Advanced Powerboat course, not realising that the provider had not arranged for the exam itself to be held afterwards. Bit of a breakdown of communication there, but I least I learned a few things on the course. I was, at the time, a powerboat skipper using a Boatmaster license, and I later went on to spend four years skippering various fish farm work boats, with a company who put me through Day Skipper Power.

I'm currently working on my Yachtmaster Theory and will be sitting my Yachtmaster Sail Offshore exam next month.
I'd like to gain a higher power qualification too, and I'm debating between the AP and the YM Offshore.
The AP would give me access to most of the jobs that I'm likely to be applying for, and I think it would seem relatively straightforward. Having done the course already, it's a known quantity.

On the other hand, YM Offshore is obviously a much more valuable ticket to have. And I have the qualifying 60nm+ passages from nearly ten years ago, which are about to expire, so if I don't do the YM soon, I'm making life harder for myself. But I have quite a lot of things lined up and not very much time to do them (I live on my yacht and will be out of the country for an extended period after April).

So really my question is... for somebody who has done two seasons as a tour boat skipper, four years in fish farming, has already done the AP course, has DS Power, and will have recently completed the YM theory and YM Offshore Sail... is the YM Offshore Power likely to feel like a big step up?

I would have thought it would be a reasonable thing to aim for, but I spoke to a provider who was pretty scathing and was trying to persuade me to aim for either YM Coastal or AP instead. But of course they get to sell an extra course that way...

 

[Greg2]

I would say that given your experience and previous training don’t waste time on YM Coastal or AP and go for YM Offshore for power. The theory is much the same as for YM Offshore for sail, which you will have done (no need to do it twice), so my take is that you could go straight for the practical. Some providers do a weeks practical course with the last couple of days being the exam, which is what I did having done the theory in a separate week’s course.

I don’t understand why the provider you spoke to would be scathing other than for the reasons you suggest!
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[paulbrown22]

What type(s) of vessels have you mainly driven? Advanced Power exam will generally be on ~8m RIB, whereas YM Power likely on some form of ~40' motor cruiser with twin shaft or maybe twin outdrive/IPS depending on centre used. Some centres might use smaller and/or single shaft craft for YM Power.

The background knowledge (to YM level) is essentially the same for both, these days both would expect e.g. radar usage, electronic nav usage, etc., you're just applying it on slightly different vessels so the skills vary slightly as you don't have a nice heated chart table to sit at for Advanced Power!

If you're comfortable on the larger power vessels, then I'd just do the YM Power.

 

[Sea Change]

What type(s) of vessels have you mainly driven?

Two years as skipper on a 38ft heavy displacement single screw Lochin.
Quite a few trips as crew and trainee skipper on the same company's RIBs (Humber 11, twin 350hp outboards)
Four years at the fish farm using:
- 20t steel landing craft, single screw 300hp
- various twin outboard open boats around 7-8m, total hp from 120-180
- some single 60-80hp outboard open boats as well
(These open boats are essentially the same as a RIB in terms of handling, but are rigid plastic. They're a bit heavier but hull shape is the same)
I also spent a summer crewing on 11m Redbay cabin RIBs (twin 350hp stern drive) running from Skye to St Kilda.

So, I would say that a reasonable spread of experience. Not all of it yesterday of course. I also did my AP course on a nice little semi displacement cabin cruiser, 25ft twin screw, but that was only a few hours so I'm not really counting that.

If you're comfortable on the larger power vessels, then I'd just do the YM Power.

That's the way I'm leaning. I'd be wanting to do the prep course so it's six days instead of three, and obviously higher cost. But I think it's a more useful ticket.

I was just a bit put off after speaking to my nearest sea school. I think she wasn't very impressed by the fish farming bit! Maybe I should just go somewhere else.

 

[Greg2]

YM Offshore power seems to be the very obvious choice to me with your experience and the person you spoke to at the sea school should have acknowledged that. Worth remembering that you are the customer and as long as you can evidence the required hours it is up to you which way you go.
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