Certificate not valid unless registered on www.rya.org.uk

[grenade]

So, I retrieved my Day Skipper practical cert from the trash can after swmbo discarded the morning post. There's a note on it which reads "Certificate not valid unless registered on www.rya.org.uk". I registered on the RYA site but can't seem to find anywhere to validate my newly certified competencies.

Should I return the cert to the place of honour my lovely wife deemed it belonged, since it is apparently not valid, or have I missed a link on rya.org.uk?

 

[prv]

Hmm, there's a change. Mine sternly warns me not to lose it as no records are kept. Presumably dates from before the RYA discovered databases

Pete

 

[Babylon]

I wouldn't worry about it.

Use a damp cloth to wipe the baked beans sauce off, then stick it in the folder containing your ship's papers.

As to not being officially 'registered' on the RYA website, that invalidates hundreds of thousands of day skippers all around the world.

Go sailing!

 

[ccw]

The sailing school validates the certificate on line with the RYA when it is issued. There is a section to put the students email address so you should get an email confirming your certificate. You shouldn't have to do anything as long as the sailing school has done their bit.

So, I retrieved my Day Skipper practical cert from the trash can after swmbo discarded the morning post. There's a note on it which reads "Certificate not valid unless registered on www.rya.org.uk". I registered on the RYA site but can't seem to find anywhere to validate my newly certified competencies.

Should I return the cert to the place of honour my lovely wife deemed it belonged, since it is apparently not valid, or have I missed a link on rya.org.uk?

 

[lustyd]

The day skipper is a certificate of completion rather than competance, so I'm not sure what it would be "valid" for in the first place, other than telling people you've been on the course, and I suspect that holding a bit of card saying you went on the course will be proof enough.

 

[grenade]

The day skipper is a certificate of completion rather than competance, so I'm not sure what it would be "valid" for in the first place, other than telling people you've been on the course, and I suspect that holding a bit of card saying you went on the course will be proof enough.

I get where you're coming from. It does say on the card that "The holder has attended..." as well as "...demonstrated practical ability..." so I'm still going to infer completion from the former and competence (however miniscule) from the latter. Mostly because it gives me some satisfaction to think that way and these small triumphs are encouraging in my journey towards actual sailing competence through graft and experience.

 

[st599]

Hmm, there's a change. Mine sternly warns me not to lose it as no records are kept. Presumably dates from before the RYA discovered databases

Pete

The Day Skipper certificate is now a credit card sized bit of plastic with a photo that is registered by the school with the RYA.

 

[lustyd]

I get where you're coming from. It does say on the card that "The holder has attended..." as well as "...demonstrated practical ability..." so I'm still going to infer completion from the former and competence (however miniscule) from the latter. Mostly because it gives me some satisfaction to think that way and these small triumphs are encouraging in my journey towards actual sailing competence through graft and experience.

Sorry I didn't mean to detract from the accomplishment - I did the CC, DS and CS courses and enjoyed them very much. I've never been asked about them though even when chartering so my point was more that you shouldn't worry too much about the actual certificate itself as long as you have the sailing skills to go with it.

 

[ccw]

I get where you're coming from. It does say on the card that "The holder has attended..." as well as "...demonstrated practical ability..." so I'm still going to infer completion from the former and competence (however miniscule) from the latter. Mostly because it gives me some satisfaction to think that way and these small triumphs are encouraging in my journey towards actual sailing competence through graft and experience.

The old style certificates were simply issued by the sailing school, however the new style certificates with photo ID are also registered with the RYA to reduce the opportunities of fraud.
To receive a Day Skippers certificate the candidate has to demonstrate the ability and possess sufficient competence to take charge of a vessel within certain defined perimeters, i.e daytime, familiar waters etc. It is not just a case of attend the course and receive the certificate.
That said it is down to the centre / instructor issuing the certificate to police / maintain the standards that are required to ensure that the Day Skipper Qualification remains a meaningful piece of paper.

 

[Malish]

Is it possible to 'upgrade' the old certificate to a new one? I've always been aware that if a dog or small child ate my old-style certificate I would probably be up the creek without a paddle if I asked the RYA for a replacement.

 

[prv]

To receive a Day Skippers certificate the candidate has to demonstrate the ability and possess sufficient competence to take charge of a vessel within certain defined perimeters, i.e daytime, familiar waters etc. It is not just a case of attend the course and receive the certificate.

Sure, but it is officially a certificate of satisfactory completion (at least I think that's what mine says). The "satisfactory" allows people who sat through the course but were clearly numpties to be excluded. They only call them certificates of competence if there was an exam involved, as for the various flavours of Yachtmaster.

Pete

 

[ccw]

Sure, but it is officially a certificate of satisfactory completion (at least I think that's what mine says). The "satisfactory" allows people who sat through the course but were clearly numpties to be excluded. They only call them certificates of competence if there was an exam involved, as for the various flavours of Yachtmaster.

Pete

Yes absolutely, a course completion certificate is issued rather than a certificate of competence.

 

[ccw]

Is it possible to 'upgrade' the old certificate to a new one? I've always been aware that if a dog or small child ate my old-style certificate I would probably be up the creek without a paddle if I asked the RYA for a replacement.

Just called the RYA and if you speak to someone in training they will upgrade your old certificate for a new photo version, their number is 02380 604100

 

[LouisBrowne]

The Day Skipper certificate used to mean that you are entitled to an International Certicate of Competence. This is a useful document to have; it is accepted by charter companies and as proof of competence abroad if you are stopped by officials.

Assuming it is still the case that a day skipper is entitled to an ICC, on payment of the RYA's fee, I think the most useful step you could take now would be to apply to the RYA for the ICC.

 

[mikemanor]

The day skipper is a certificate of completion rather than competance, so I'm not sure what it would be "valid" for in the first place, other than telling people you've been on the course, and I suspect that holding a bit of card saying you went on the course will be proof enough.

Since the Day Skipper Practical Course Completion Certificate can be commercially endorsed I sincerely hope that it is not awarded to anyone who has not truly "demonstrated their skill"!

 

[lustyd]

Since the Day Skipper Practical Course Completion Certificate can be commercially endorsed I sincerely hope that it is not awarded to anyone who has not truly "demonstrated their skill"!

Are you thinking of the MCA coastal skipper now renamed to Yachtmaster Coastal?

 

[mikemanor]

No, I am thinking of the RYA Day Skipper Practical - which can be commercially endorsed as can Power Boat Level 2!

http://www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining/professional/commercialend/pages/commercialendorsements.aspx

 

[bitbaltic]

There's an amazing amount of misinformation about every time DS practical is discussed on the forum.

Until about a year ago the Rya kept no central records but expected sailing schools to do so. In a competitive market sailing schools are often popping up then disappearing again, taking the records with them. So now the Rya keeps a central record of new day skipper practical course completions.

The certificate itself doesn't claim competence but can be converted to an ICC or commercially endorsed, both under the authority of (so at least nominally at the discretion of) the Rya.

 

[jwilson]

So, I retrieved my Day Skipper practical cert from the trash can after swmbo discarded the morning post. There's a note on it which reads "Certificate not valid unless registered on www.rya.org.uk". I registered on the RYA site but can't seem to find anywhere to validate my newly certified competencies.

Should I return the cert to the place of honour my lovely wife deemed it belonged, since it is apparently not valid, or have I missed a link on rya.org.uk?

Schools get sheafs of blank certs - it has been known for certs to be issued with no actual training/certification taking place. Hence the schools (not you) have to register each cert used with the RYA. I'm out of the "training system" now, but despite this the RYA always refused to admit to having records of who had been certified as what.

 

[Neil]

For my coastal skipper course earlier this year, I got a card at the end that has my photo underneath the sticky film - is this registered with the RYA?