Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Ocean?

[barrybridges]

Hello - apologies if I've posted this in the wrong section (it's been a while since I've been on here).

I've currently got my Day Skipper (both practical and theory) and I'd quite like to study a more advanced theory course; not just because it is a sensible thing to do that will help me in my sailing, but also because I'm looking for something thoughtful to occupy my evenings now that summer is starting to fade!

The question is, should I opt for the next level up (Coastal Skipper - Yachtmaster Offshore) or should I go straight for the Yachtmaster Ocean?

The Coastal Skipper course looks as though it repeats a lot of the information in the Day Skipper; when I skimmed through some of the course materials from other providers many of the materials were the same for both courses, and the syllabus has quite an overlap. That said, when I read about the Yachtmaster Ocean it suggests the jump between Day Skipper and YM Ocean is particularly large and you need greater meteorological knowledge if you want to succeed at it.

In practical terms, I'm very much a 'day skipper' as I don't have the chance to get out on the water as much as I'd like, but I'm hoping that won't proclude my theory from being advanced - after all, a strong knowledge of YM theory can only be a help, can't it?

I'm quite bright and like thinking challenges, so thought I could just jump straight to YM Ocean, but is this too big a leap? I don't want to pay £250 for the Coastal Skipper theory to find that 50% of it is a repeat of what I've already done before (I appreciate that a refresh of my memory is good, but I could get that from going over my Day Skipper materials).

What do you think?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Competency Is 99% At Sea - Luck Just 1%

I would advise doing the Coastal / Yachtmaster. It will increase your knowledge of sailing in Coastal environments significantly. This is where all the challenges are anyway.

The First Theory course I did was Yachtmaster Ocean, but I was taught over 5 years, on a sail training yacht by a very competent skipper and completed up to the day Skipper Practical course with him. I then sat my Yachtmaster exam. The Yachtmaster Ocean is not really relevant to coastal sailing.

Today I see a lot of people sailing very competently without formal qualifications. I make a lot of observations too that there is a lot of ignorance about basic non chart plotter navigation and a near total reliance on external weather information.

The Coastal Yachtmaster course will cover a lot of navigation in a more concentrated way and you would likely benefit from that better.

Look through the posting titled "Do I Need a Log" and you will see what I am talking about. At the end of the day sailing confidently and independently of electrical power is a healthy thing.

I too did a lot of self learning, past my Yachtmaster back in 1983 with no theory classes attended. If you are a good self learner there is a forest of books out there on the syllabus anyway, so just go and do the Ocean.

How you learn the art / science of Coastal Sailing is up to you, just make sure you know how.

You see like sailing the answer to your query is not straight forward - it depends very much on you!

 

[Topcat47]

Says it all really.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Be Aware Of The Intelligence Trap

One other point you state "I am quite bright". The leisure sailing world is full of ignorant intelligent people. Be aware of the "Intelligence Trap" where because you are intelligent you think you are competent.

 

[barrybridges]

Thanks for your response. The bit about 'I am quite bright' wasn't so much intended to suggest I find these things easy or that I am competent in any way, but to suggest that I enjoy doing these things on their own, regardless of whether I actually get out onto the water or not. I like having something to do to keep my mind occupied; some people do sudoku, whereas I like sailing theory!

 

[alahol2]

Yachtmaster Offshore is the way to go. Yachtmaster Ocean is really an endorsement to YM Offshore. It really looks a lot more closely at weather systems and spends a long time on astro (or it did when I did it). All very interesting but a lot less relevant to coastal sailing than the Offshore course. Save the Ocean course for a couple of winters time.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

BarryBridges, honestly, I didn't make that assumption; just hoping that some observations over 25 years of mostly sailing in a teaching environment would help guide you.

Based on what you state then the Ocean would give you that mental challenge on the calculations etc. The Yachtmaster would as well, but it also covers a lot more "practical" stuff too.

Good luck and I wish you much enjoyment.

 

[PeterGibbs]

Hello - apologies if I've posted this in the wrong section (it's been a while since I've been on here).


In practical terms, I'm very much a 'day skipper' as I don't have the chance to get out on the water as much as I'd like, but I'm hoping that won't proclude my theory from being advanced - after all, a strong knowledge of YM theory can only be a help, can't it?



What do you think?

As prsented you need the yachtmaster offshore therory course - it will set you up for your ambitions. Coastal is needlessly limited for your purposes. Ocean is just that, and should follow offshore - I did it out of interest, not that ocean travel was a realistic aim in my case but the topics are engaging for anyone with a wider interest in things nautical.

For anyone able to work some numbers and think practically about tides, YM offsore is the course to go for. You won't regret it.

PWG

 

[Ubergeekian]

The question is, should I opt for the next level up (Coastal Skipper - Yachtmaster Offshore) or should I go straight for the Yachtmaster Ocean?

There is very little to Yachtmaster Ocean - or at least there wasn't when I did the course. It's really just astronavigation and a wee bit of tropical weather.

 

[Seafort]

Correspondence Schools maybe

Try somewhere like http://www.nmcs.org.uk/, There is an Ocean Cruising course that I enjoyed. There are plenty of others too.

It does go through Day Skipper as well as a lot of usefull "Stuff" that is not in the RYA syllabus. Especially weather. An advantage is that OC is a programmed course so you dont get bored plugging away at nav' exersises.

Having a YM theory course completion certificate may make it easier for an examiner if you decide to do YM practicle at some stage.

p.s. You also finish with a very good set of manuals.

Have fun.

Dave.

 

[Skylark]

Hi Barry,

The overwhelming advice is to do the YM Offshore Theory. The course content is indeed quite similar to Day Skipper but there is much more detail involved in YM.

There have also been a number of posts regarding how the type of course, ie, correspondence, intensive or (typically) local college. I confess to having a vested interest because I am shorebase instructor but I'd recommend the local college / night school route. Your timing is perfect as enrollment is now!

It takes commitment and tenacity to attend 24 evening classes but I believe that you will learn more as a result. There's lots of time for questions, thinking, reflection, homework and you can learn lots from your fellow students. No doubt others have an alternative view and will share it with equal conviction.

Regarding YM Ocean Theory. It's not relevant to UK Coastal sailing, IMHO. That said, to own and be able to use a sextant is a joy. The very thought of being caught in a TRS doesn't bear thinking about; YM Ocean Theory will give you an insight into ocean weather. If you have a leaning towards academia then you'll definietly enjoy the theory but, respectfully, it sounds like you'll learn something far more relevant to improving you knowledge of the type of sailing that you practice if you do the YM Offshore next.

Hope you enjoy it, whatever you decide.

David

 

[RobBrown]

I went from completed Day Skipper theory & practical to Yactmaster Offshore Theory and whilst there is some repetition of basics, to my mind that is all to the good. Yes you could go back and reread past course notes, but would you do so very often, if at all? If my experience is typical, the answer is likely to be no- I certainly found the reinforcement of previously covered items useful and the syllabus extends most of the topics involved, so definitely a new intellectual challenge. I would also echo the advantages of night school- having weekly digesting & review time & opportunity to cover areas of uncetainty before you have moved on to something else.

By the way, so far as I am aware, there is just an overall RYA Yachtmaster Offshore theory course, unlike the Coastal Skipper/ YM practical alternatives.

At some time in the future I would like to add the Ocean Theory to my YM and take the CS/YM practical, but time enough for that- I want to get some more sailing in first!

 

[barrybridges]

Thanks for all of your responses - it sounds like YM Offshore is the way to go (and more suited to the sort of sailing I'm going to be doing). I was just a bit concerned that a lot of the literature was the same as DS, but reading these comments I am reassured that it's a good thing.

I did my day skipper as a correspondence course with Tiller and thoroughly enjoyed it - I quite like working at my own pace at home (although I found myself so engrossed I think I completed it in about a month, leaving my with not much else to do!

I'll let you know how I get on!

Thanks

 

[NFCN]

I have done all the courses over the years - CC, DS, CS, YM (Offshore) , and now hold a YM (Ocean) certificate.

I only really started learning when I bought my own yacht and started sailing her as her skipper. Do as many courses as you think is right - but above all, go sailing, taking responsibility in as many varying forms as possible on your own shoulders.

That way you'll learn, and be a better sailor. You don't need to be a YM (Ocean) to realise this!

Good luck

Nick

 

[alant]

Hello - apologies if I've posted this in the wrong section (it's been a while since I've been on here).

I've currently got my Day Skipper (both practical and theory) and I'd quite like to study a more advanced theory course; not just because it is a sensible thing to do that will help me in my sailing, but also because I'm looking for something thoughtful to occupy my evenings now that summer is starting to fade!

The question is, should I opt for the next level up (Coastal Skipper - Yachtmaster Offshore) or should I go straight for the Yachtmaster Ocean?

The Coastal Skipper course looks as though it repeats a lot of the information in the Day Skipper; when I skimmed through some of the course materials from other providers many of the materials were the same for both courses, and the syllabus has quite an overlap. That said, when I read about the Yachtmaster Ocean it suggests the jump between Day Skipper and YM Ocean is particularly large and you need greater meteorological knowledge if you want to succeed at it.

In practical terms, I'm very much a 'day skipper' as I don't have the chance to get out on the water as much as I'd like, but I'm hoping that won't proclude my theory from being advanced - after all, a strong knowledge of YM theory can only be a help, can't it?

I'm quite bright and like thinking challenges, so thought I could just jump straight to YM Ocean, but is this too big a leap? I don't want to pay £250 for the Coastal Skipper theory to find that 50% of it is a repeat of what I've already done before (I appreciate that a refresh of my memory is good, but I could get that from going over my Day Skipper materials).

What do you think?

(1) I teach YM Ocean & it is not recommended that anyone who had not completed the Coastal/YM Theory first, is allowed on an Ocean course.

(2) YM Ocean is really only of interest if you want to sail 600+ Nm.
Up to that point, conventional navigation works ok.


"I'm quite bright and like thinking challenges, so thought I could just jump straight to YM Ocean, but is this too big a leap?"

If you have to ask this question, you obviously haven't taken the trouble to even look at these courses other than superficially. Look at the course contents then ask if you are still "quite bright" to be able to absorb YM Ocean in a meaningful way. This is not condescending, I've had Oxbridge double maths grads who found the sight reductions difficult.

 

[jusw]

Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Ocean.

I did my dayskipper theory 15+ years ago and then hardly went sailing, so when I did eventually sail regularly I did it again about three years ago. I followed this with the practical and went straight on to Coastal Skipper theory (it was what was easily available).

This I completed two years ago - Whilst there was a lot of overlap, which I was unsure about at first, the CS course went into topics in more depth and after completing it I felt much more competent with navigation etc.

At the end of the day, the best course is experience, but if backed up by theory, it is a lot more fun.

Would I have rather done Yachtmaster? - well probably, but in truth as I usually sail within sight of land the CS qualification is more relevant - of course when I get my 60ft boat.....................................................!

JuSw

 

[dulcibella]

Yachtmaster Ocean is what the name suggests - it provides the extras needed beyond YM offshore in order to sail oceans competently. I suggest that you do your Coastal Skipper - Yachtmaster theory course, then build your practical experience so that you are well prepared for the Yachtmaster practical exam. Once you have your YM ticket, the final steps are to do a YM Ocean theory Course then do your qualifying passage or submission to the examiner. Enjoy it all!