ASA vs RYA

[Bathdave]

We are thinking about marking retirement and a window of opportunity in January to go away with our daughter to The US Virgin Islands and doing a ASA bare boat skipper week long live aboard course which seems to largely replicate the coastal skipper RYA as far as I can see. Any experiences and observations on relative merits and interchangeability? Can I trade it for an ICC?

 

[Tranona]

Don't think it is acceptable, but you can check on the RYA site. However you can get an ICC just by taking the assessment even if you do not have any other certificate.

 

[Boathook]

If sailing in Europe afterwards, the RYA paper would be better known.

 

[Uricanejack]

If you have found a good sailing school with a good reputation and you are happy with it don't worry about the brand name.
Enjoy the trip and the course.
ASA is well known and any charter company or insurance company will recognise. After all there are a lot of Americans around.

The quality of the course will be dependent on the school and the instructors.

The ASA and The RYA have a similarity, both are entirely vollentary and while well recognised as great training they are not an official certificate or licence. They are to a higher standard so picking up the official one afterwards should not be a problem.

From what I can tell you can take an ICC exam without having done a course. The RYA will give it automatically for a fee if you do the Day Skipper.
Check with your chosen school if its included or not.

If you do an ASA course obtaining there certificate I doubt you would be able to exchange for a Day Skipper. But you would be able to further and take a Yacht master course and exam as the next step if you chose.

Good luck, have fun.

 

[duncan99210]

Looking at the RYA site, they state that their list of qualifications for an ICC is not exhaustive and their Training Manager should be approached to determine if a particular qualification meets their requirements for issuing an ICC. Drop them an email perhaps?