Cunliffe's Complete Day Skipper vs. Complete Yachtmaster

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GK0639

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Is Cunliffe's Complete Day Skipper a subset of his bigger Complete Yachtmaster? I need to do the Day Skipper practical course in order to get an ICC. I have sailed for years and owned several boats but have never had to get a license (I'm from the US but now living in the EU). Many years ago I did some offshore multiday passages on someone else's boat. I have also taken advanced navigation courses in the US, but am needing review.

For home-study theory prep for the DS practical, should I go straight to the Complete Yachtmaster book and skip the Complete Day Skipper book, or is there something to be said for a simpler book?

I am aware that Cunliffe's DS book is not an RYA day skipper text book but it sounds good to me from the reviews. I have plenty of US-oriented boating books, including Chapman's, but figured I'd best get something for this continent. I know that there are differences in the rules of the road here from the US.

Thanks.
 
Just go straight for the Yachtmaster. Cunliffe's book covers the same areas as the RYA scheme. He examines the instructors, or at least used to.

In fact I'd say that within the RYA scheme skipping the Day Skipper theory and going straight to the Yachtmaster theory is the best way to save money if you're a quick learner and willing to put in some extra effort outside the course.

PS there shouldn't be differences in the ColRegs but buoyage is different.
 
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It's a few years since I last read it but I think the Day Skipper book is excellent for someone new to sailing. You might learn something from it but a lot won't be relevant to you - it literally starts with how to climb on board (holding the shrouds instead of the guardrails) and treats your first daysail around the harbour as quite an achievement. Perfect for someone who's just bought a Westerly Centaur on a whim and wants to teach themselves to sail rather than do a course, not for someone who's owned several boats and done offshore passages. Also worth noting that despite the name it has little to do with the RYA course, though it will naturally cover much of the same ground.

If you want a book to brush up on trad nav and suchlike I would definitely suggest the Yachtmaster one rather than Complete Day Skipper.

That said, the prior knowledge needed for Day Skipper practical is not vast; given your sailing history I'd expect you're already there.

Finally, a full Day Skipper course is not needed for an ICC. You can do an ICC test in a short day, my parents did it with similar experience, no qualifications, and little or no prior prep (I think my mum brushed up a little on buoyage since she leaves most of the nav to my dad). The test content is on the back of the application form which is downloadable from the RYA site - have a look if you haven't already and it should remove any concerns.

Pete
 
While the Day Skipper is worthwhile in its own right, I agree with prv. If the objective is to just get an ICC then take the assessment. Many of us have done that. A bit of cramming on regs, lights and buoyage and the practical test. I did it on my own boat and using my own past logs as evidence of navigation, but many RYA sailing schools will assess you on their boat.
 
Graham_Wright said:
I thought I'd have a go at an on-line lights and shapes test. It turned out to be American based. It was different.

There were many lights based on inland lakes and the like. I didn't know most of them.
Click to expand...

Ah, that was probably the on-line test for taking command of a destroyer in the US Pacific fleet.
 
GK0639 said:
Is Cunliffe's Complete Day Skipper a subset of his bigger Complete Yachtmaster? I need to do the Day Skipper practical course in order to get an ICC. I have sailed for years and owned several boats but have never had to get a license (I'm from the US but now living in the EU). Many years ago I did some offshore multiday passages on someone else's boat. I have also taken advanced navigation courses in the US, but am needing review.

For home-study theory prep for the DS practical, should I go straight to the Complete Yachtmaster book and skip the Complete Day Skipper book, or is there something to be said for a simpler book?

I am aware that Cunliffe's DS book is not an RYA day skipper text book but it sounds good to me from the reviews. I have plenty of US-oriented boating books, including Chapman's, but figured I'd best get something for this continent. I know that there are differences in the rules of the road here from the US.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
First of all you will find considerable differences in language and terminology between sailing in the US and on this side of the pond.
PRV suggests that with your experience you will be fine without a DS Course, just take the test, but I would say that if you have'nt sailed for a while and are rusty, it might be a good idea to take the course. It would have the added benefit of familiarising you with British sailing terminology.
TC's Yachtmaster book is much better value, and you can take what you need for the DS out of it. You will probably find the syllabus somewhere on the RYA website. There are some facts on this page;

ww.rya.org.uk/newsevents/e-newsletters/inbrief/Pages/what-is-an-rya-day-skipper-and-how-do-i-become-one.aspx

but no specific info on said syllabus. However, here is the syllabus for the Irish Sailing Association's Day Skipper Assessment which would be pretty closely aligned with that of the RYA;

https://www.sailing.ie/Portals/0/documents/Day-Skipper-02_7_2012.pdf

Apologies but I am not able to make those links work automatically, you will have to copy and paste.
 
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GK0639 said:
Is Cunliffe's Complete Day Skipper a subset of his bigger Complete Yachtmaster? I need to do the Day Skipper practical course in order to get an ICC. I have sailed for years and owned several boats but have never had to get a license (I'm from the US but now living in the EU). Many years ago I did some offshore multiday passages on someone else's boat. I have also taken advanced navigation courses in the US, but am needing review.

For home-study theory prep for the DS practical, should I go straight to the Complete Yachtmaster book and skip the Complete Day Skipper book, or is there something to be said for a simpler book?

I am aware that Cunliffe's DS book is not an RYA day skipper text book but it sounds good to me from the reviews. I have plenty of US-oriented boating books, including Chapman's, but figured I'd best get something for this continent. I know that there are differences in the rules of the road here from the US.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Why, do you need to do DS practical course, to get your ICC?
Ask a few schools, you should be able to just do the test as a stand alone.
 
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lpdsn said:
Just go straight for the Yachtmaster. Cunliffe's book covers the same areas as the RYA scheme. He examines the instructors, or at least used to.

In fact I'd say that within the RYA scheme skipping the Day Skipper theory and going straight to the Yachtmaster theory is the best way to save money if you're a quick learner and willing to put in some extra effort outside the course.

PS there shouldn't be differences in the ColRegs but buoyage is different.
Click to expand...

Why, is "bouyage" different?
They don't change em when a DS or YM passes by.
 
alant said:
Why, is "bouyage" different?
They don't change em when a DS or YM passes by.
Click to expand...

IALA 'A' and IALA 'B' are different. The Yanks also seem to have additional buoys all of their own.

If you've missed the point and are confused, read the last bit of post #1.
 
You do not need the day skippers theory for the ICC. Do not listen to the RYA training centres who say that you do.

The ICC has it’s own theory test. I did it last year. I downloaded the Adlard Coles app to refresh which took about 4 hours if you have reasonable experience. Did the practical and theory on one day on the examiners boat. Pretty easy exercise.
 
lpdsn said:
IALA 'A' and IALA 'B' are different. The Yanks also seem to have additional buoys all of their own.

If you've missed the point and are confused, read the last bit of post #1.
Click to expand...

But whether IALA A or IALA B, they are covered in both DS & YM courses, DS doesn't concentrate on IALA A.

PS, seems you, are the one confused.
 
alant said:
But whether IALA A or IALA B, they are covered in both DS & YM courses, DS doesn't concentrate on IALA A.

PS, seems you, are the one confused.
Click to expand...

Good god. Is the lettering in post #1 too small for you to read?

A quick summary of the discussion.

OP, an American it appears with experience sailing in US waters, expressed concern about ColRegs being different between US and Europe

I said they aren't but the buoyage is different.

You then said they don't change buoyage for Yachtmasters so it's all the same. (Can you maybe see why I began to suspect you were confused.)

I then pointed out IALA 'A' and 'B' are different and referred you to post #1 to understand the discussion.

That didn't work did it?
 
Surely if there were something in the DS book that wasn't in the YM book, then the YM book couldn't really be called "Complete"?
 
A couple of years ago I perused both books with the thought of buying one for my son. Not in support of an exam but as a reference book.

I do recall that somewhere in the Yachtmaster book there's a bit where TC says he covered this fully in the other book and wouldn't in this one....

Can't remember now where this was, anyone actually got a copy who can check?
 
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