Babylon
Well-known member
I'm not qualified to comment.
Anybody else not, qualified?
- Thread starter winch2
- Start date
Stemar
Well-known member
This is the internet. The fact that you aren't qualified to comment is exactly what makes you fully qualified to comment. The only higher qualification is total ignorance of the subject
billskip
Well-known member
I am extremely highly qualified.
Stemar
Well-known member
Me too 
Bouba
Well-known member
Usually I am quite ambivalent about exams…. But today I have so far had two encounters with elderly yachts people….and they should not be on the water unsupervised
Sorry for stating this bluntly
Sorry for stating this bluntly
Stemar
Well-known member
Unfortunately, the ability to pass a test/gain a qualification 30/40/50 years ago is no indicator of current ability.
Actually, unless the bit of paper is regarded as the first step towards competence, it's no indicator of ability at any age
Actually, unless the bit of paper is regarded as the first step towards competence, it's no indicator of ability at any age
winch2
Active member
Far from me to judge much of the above but Mrs Winch will sometimes say ... "I do wish Id learned the way you do did.. slowly being taught from a young age by ur dad, it all seems so"... "intuitive to you". Even tho she has DS she still doesn't seem to get tidal drift, and I have no formal qualifications, yet there are times when I have to raise my voice in order to get her to avoid the flippin grt green/red thing we are bearing down onto, its happoend several times recently which is slightly worrrying, anyway. Having said that Im not a stranger to messing up and then gently running aground now and again (on mud).
Mark-1
Well-known member
Mark-1
Well-known member
Just to forewarn you, when I get to the point where I shouldn't be on the water unsupervised, I still won't be giving up.
Just be grateful my hobby is sailing and not aircraft!
(It's blowing a hoolie today with horizontal rain. Either you're a long from the muddy waters of the Solent or those ancient mariners are actually doing pretty well just to be out IMHO.)
MontyMariner
Well-known member
His Loc is down as SofF, so the chances are that the incompetence are French sailors, who have to pass tests AFAIK!
Laser310
Well-known member
Just looking at RYA promotional emails and booklets, I get the sense that their target audience for certifications is young people who have never been on a boat, but dream of being a yacht captain in the Med.
Zero to hero in 12 weeks...
Zero to hero in 12 weeks...
Bouba
Well-known member
No …they don’t need a permit for a sail boat….the person yelling at them (me) has several qualifications…they appeared oblivious to the rules and blind to the boat they seemed determined to ram
steve yates
Well-known member
Surely the DS is not meant to be a piece of paper that tests if you're capable of handling a boat on your own?
But rather, a 5 day briefing and illustration of all the basic stuff you should become proficient at to handle a boat on your own safely?
In other words, it’s simply a starting point of guidance, to help you learn to sail better and safer, NOT an end point that declares you have been examined and are an expert?
And while I’m sure there are some who feel an inflated sense of ability and superiority because they have this bit of paper and others do not. We shouldn’t blame the course itself for people’s inbuilt character flaws
I don’t have one by the way.
But rather, a 5 day briefing and illustration of all the basic stuff you should become proficient at to handle a boat on your own safely?
In other words, it’s simply a starting point of guidance, to help you learn to sail better and safer, NOT an end point that declares you have been examined and are an expert?
And while I’m sure there are some who feel an inflated sense of ability and superiority because they have this bit of paper and others do not. We shouldn’t blame the course itself for people’s inbuilt character flaws
I don’t have one by the way.
Mister E
Well-known member
Did you ask the dog what he thought about what happened?
capnsensible
Well-known member
mebbe they were just calling out to you in French to invite you round for a glass of wine?
Sandy
Well-known member
I love it when the French invite you round for a glass of wine.
Hey, ros beef... Voulez-vous un verre de vin
Bouba
Well-known member
You missed out the words « Bon marché «
WindyWindyWindy
Active member
12 weeks is a lot of time to spend on a boat being taught things.
What would the alternative be anyway? A couple of weeks a year messing about? So that's 6 years just to match the sailing time, even leaving aside the formal training.
This isn't rocket science anyway, I don't see why it should take any longer than that.
RunAgroundHard
Well-known member
It’s blended learning, practical, theory, practice, examination for the certificate of competence. The instructor is not on the boat for the 12 weeks. It works, but like most things, you get out of it what you put into it, and there will be range to the degree of competencies at the end.
Laser310
Well-known member
The qualification they were offering was YachtMaster Offshore - in 14 weeks, for someone with no previous experience.
That's meant to be evidence of a pretty high level of skill and experience.
I think they are devaluing the brand, by giving such a high certification to someone without more experience.