Coastal Skipper Course, YM Coast exam prep & YM Offshore Prep

[jimi]

On another thread I posted:

"I'm saying that when I did the YM offshore and Coastal Skipper. The same boat , instructor and instructees were used for :
Coastal Skipper Course
Coatal Skipper (now YM Coastal) Prep
YM Offshore Prep
The instructees were a mixture of those aspiring to either qualification with the standard being adjusted accordingly and the instructor assessing which exam they should sit."

Now this was my experience and I have been pestered stupid about this because I actually recommended doing this course twice, once as preparation for the YM coastal Exam and once as preparation for the YM offshore exam.

Now I realise this is not appropriate for people who perhaps have more background in sailing but it worked for me as I started with zero knowledge of sailing.

It also seems to be the way the 2 sailing schools I used work.

Now it baffles me why I am getting hounded over this post and why this practical tuition is inappropriate. The only thing that I can think of is that if this continued criticism is that when I was taking my courses I was missold them, so I would be interested in other peoples experiences. However as I passed the practical exams and have both certificates it looks as if it works

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Sailing Schools Instructors will normally judge what is the best way for a candidate to approach certificate of competence independent examinations (which you have stated on previous posts).

As you have experienced it may be suitable to attend a Coastal Skipper Course and then sit the independent examination for the a certificate of competence.

However, some students need the tuition to the Coastal Skipper syllabus just to achieve that level of knowledge but will not have the skill to pass the independent examination if it it is taken immediately after the course.

Some students will benefit from dedicated preparation courses where they will focus on developing their weaknesses.

Since at least the 1980's the Coastal Skipper course is a stand alone course that is independent of the examination for any certificate of competence. I also have experience of offering Coastal Skipper Course's where the students immediately sit the examination after the course. Unlike the a preparation course, the Coastal Skipper Course primary purpose is to teach students they syllabus and not to pass the independent examination. I would add that in my experience its not always efficient to have students who want to practice certain aspects and students who need to learn on the same course.

However, the commercial reality is that Sailing Schools will try and deliver their customers requirements as efficiently as possible.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Now this was my experience and I have been pestered stupid about this because I actually recommended doing this course twice, once as preparation for the YM coastal Exam and once as preparation for the YM offshore exam.

Thanks for confirming this.

Now it baffles me why I am getting hounded over this post and why this practical tuition is inappropriate.

I don't think anyone has suggested that. I hadn't heard of anyone doing the CS Practical course twice, so it's very interesting to hear from someone who has done it and found it useful.

Most sailing schools seem to recommend what they call a "preparation week" for YM offshore, by which they mean a bespoke course to polish someone for the exam. Would you recommend doing just the CS Practical, or do you think the bespoke preparation weeks are worthwhile as an addition?

 

[st599]

Not just polish for the exam, getting used to the boat and where everything is stored.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Not just polish for the exam, getting used to the boat and where everything is stored.

Ah, yes, good point. Thanks.

 

[jimi]

Ubergeekian, as I've been open enought to share my real life experience of sailing courses and exams and the benefit I've gained from them (despite incessant criticism from you).

I wonder if you would be kind enough to share your actual experience of sailing courses, exams and the benefits or otherwise, so we can learn from you as per the request on the original post on this thread bfore you get side tracked into wrecking this thread as well?

 

[alant]

Thanks for confirming this.



I don't think anyone has suggested that. I hadn't heard of anyone doing the CS Practical course twice, so it's very interesting to hear from someone who has done it and found it useful.

Most sailing schools seem to recommend what they call a "preparation week" for YM offshore, by which they mean a bespoke course to polish someone for the exam. Would you recommend doing just the CS Practical, or do you think the bespoke preparation weeks are worthwhile as an addition?

The prep week, allows a potential YM candidate to be put through the hoops, demonstration to the instructor, that he is up to the required standard, which the examiner might expect.

This could involve 'criticism & suggestions' covering all aspects of 'managing' the boat, plus checking skills/techniques such as 'blind nav', which a candidate might not normally practice. Obviously MOB is carried out under varying conditions, together with familiarisation of the area in which any exam might be carried out.

At the end of the prep week, the instructor will advise 'yea or nay', since it would be an expensive exercise for a poorly skilled candidate to carry on, when clearly not up to standard. This will be an honest assessment. Most candidates charter for the practical + have to pay the examiner etc.

Often the examiner will be happy if the instructor remains on board, but in my experience, best not. Too much familiarity with any particular examiners techniques/procedures, would lose the independant assessment, which is the main purpose of the exam.

Many candidate 'fear' the exam, but all examiners will treat them fairly & be extremely helpful with advice. Some will act as additional crew, some not.
All will give a full initial brief on what is expected & it is actually good fun (in hindsight).

 

[Pete R]

I hadn't heard of anyone doing the CS Practical course twice, so it's very interesting to hear from someone who has done it and found it useful.

Maybe you have mis read the OP. I take to mean he did a prep week for the YM Coastal and a prep week for YM Offshore. Same kind of week but tailored for the two different exams.

Some people will be benifit from the prep week and some don't need it.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I wonder if you would be kind enough to share your actual experience of sailing courses, exams and the benefits or otherwise, so we can learn from you as per the request on the original post on this thread bfore you get side tracked into wrecking this thread as well?

I would be grateful if you could, on this thread, refrain from the personal attacks on me which have so blighted two others now. I have no idea why you persist in this behaviour and I don't much care. Please try to keep this one civil.

That said, I am happy to repeat that my practical sailing qualification is RYA Elementary Dayboat (with Tidal Endorsement). Since I did that with the Sea Scouts, aged 13, and it hasn't been around for years, it doesn't seem germane.

As for theory - I did both Day Skipper Theory and Coastal Skipper Theory about twenty years ago when I acquired my Westerly Jouster. The Day Skipper course was pretty easy stuff (by then I had an engineering degree and reasonable practical sailing experience) but the Coastal Skipper was very useful and rewarding. In both cases the group spirit of the class and the personal experience of the instructor were as useful as the RYA materials, and I kept in touch with several of my cohort for years afterwards.

I started the YM Ocean astronavigation course, just for fun, but gave up after a month because the materials, in those days, were dreadful. The first exercise in the practice book was unsolvable.

Since then I have had the benefit and the hindrance of owning and sailing my own boats all the time. I don't need an RYA course or qualification, but I probably could do with taking a course some time. When I know Jumblie better I shall probably look for some own-boat instruction to deal with (some of) the bad habits I am sure I have acquired over the years.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Maybe you have mis read the OP. I take to mean he did a prep week for the YM Coastal and a prep week for YM Offshore. Same kind of week but tailored for the two different exams.

I have asked him about this a couple of times on Another Thread but alas have not been able to get a clear reply, Perhaps, Jimi, you could confirm here, since I am obviously not the only person who would like to know?

 

[jimi]

Change the record., mate, this has been answered by myself and a quite a few others quite a few times..

Please point out where I have made any personal attacks on you, so rather than make these general insinuations give actual quotes.

I could point out quite a few you've made on me. (Not to mention the posts you made that you deleted)

It is crystal clear to everyone but yourself that you are not engaged in a quest for information but you've got some other sort of agenda.

Your response to a PM when I asked you to cool it was ...

"Chill, man. It's only the internet, not real life."

 

[Ubergeekian]

Change the record., mate, this has been answered by myself and a quite a few others quite a few times..

Well, I think you've now said you did the Coastal Skipper practical course twice. Is that right?

Your response to a PM ...

Which part of "Private Message" is causing you problems?

 

[jimi]

I started using this forum about 10 years ago, I had a lot of fun, gained a lot of information and a lot of personal friends, had a few fights, arguments, sailed a lot of boats I would'nt otherwise have sailed etc etc



BUT I have NEVER until today pressed the red triangle on a message and sent a message to the moderator about a user rather than a post.

 

[Flying Penguin]

Seriously...

 

[Ubergeekian]

Seriously...

I'm up for it. How about you, Jimi? No tongues, mind.

 

[Pete R]

I have asked him about this a couple of times on Another Thread but alas have not been able to get a clear reply, Perhaps, Jimi, you could confirm here, since I am obviously not the only person who would like to know?

Please do not include me in your stupid quest and as it stands you are the only person that wants to know.

You only have to read the other thread and it is very clear from the OP what he meant and he did answer your question but it it seems you have a selective reading problem. Amongst others!!

 

[Ubergeekian]

Please do not include me in your stupid quest and as it stands you are the only person that wants to know.

You only have to read the other thread and it is very clear from the OP what he meant and he did answer your question but it it seems you have a selective reading problem. Amongst others!!

Could you try to keep the personal abuse out of this?

I'm an easy going, friendly type with little experience of RYA courses and I have absolutely no idea why the OP has chosen to get so vitriolic at me. I don't know how many times I have to say that I defer to his experience and would value his advice.

Ah well. Takes all sorts, I suppose.

 

[jimi]

Could you try to keep the personal abuse out of this?

I'm an easy going, friendly type with little experience of RYA courses and I have absolutely no idea why the OP has chosen to get so vitriolic at me. I don't know how many times I have to say that I defer to his experience and would value his advice.

Ah well. Takes all sorts, I suppose.

Any post you can quote that I have made that is considered by a reasonable person to be vitriolic or verging on the vitriolic I'll apologise for , now how about you?

 

[Ubergeekian]

Any post you can quote that I have made that is considered by a reasonable person to be vitriolic or verging on the vitriolic I'll apologise for , now how about you?

Jimi, why don't we just leave it here? We must be boring the arses off everyone else and we probably both have useful things to contribute to discussions of training. It's all getting a bit silly.

 

[RobF]

Jimi, why don't we just leave it here? We must be boring the arses off everyone else and we probably both have useful things to contribute to discussions of training. It's all getting a bit silly.

As an idea, may I politely suggest you come to a gentleman's agreement where you don't respond to each other's posts in the short-term. I hope that neither of you has the intention of winding up the other, but this does appear to be the results of your recent postings.

I'm going to stick my head behind the parapet now