Day Skipper vs Coastal Skipper

[AlistairM]

I have done a quick search so apologies if this has already been addressed. I was wondering what the adavantages were of doing a coastal skipper, compared to that of Day Skipper.

If I am looking to charter would one be more preffered than the other.

Thanks

 

[Csail]

The charter companies don't ever check except one private guy in Greece last year (it was his private yacht though).... i would go for coastal or yachtmaster though.

 

[flaming]

Coastal requires a lot more experience before taking. If you have that experience you'll probably be a bit bored taking day skipper.
If you don't have that experience you'll never pass. I'd take the course (and exam in the case of coastal) that suits your experience level. It's not a case of one being better than the other in this case, it's a case of which one is better suited to your level.

 

[Sans Bateau]

To take the Coastal skipper course/exam you will almost certainly need to have passed the theory exam. The theory exam you can do with any amount of experience, however small. Although you might find it hard work.

Even if you pass the theory exam, there is still a minimum number of sea miles you will need to have done before you can pass the practical exam.

 

[Fire99]

When i did my competent crew course one guy on the boat was doing his coastal skipper prep week and we ended up crewing for his coastal exam...
There was quite alot covered in the prep week and he had completed alot of miles already..
As others have said its all down to your experience. If you have sufficient certified sea-miles under your belt including night passages then 'coastal' could be for you as Day skipper may be a bit elementary. Otherwise i see no reason why biding your time and doing Day Skipper shouldn't be an option..

 

[duncan]

coastal skipper is I believe a recognised step in some commercial application (DOT boatmans ticket?) - or was. Day skipper theory is an education; day skipper practical can be used to get an ICC issued by the rya.

I am not going to be drawn on the charter part of your question but suggest a seperate search for a huge thread about 3 weeks ago on the subject of ICCs and chartering.............at the end of the day it's the local charterer that decides what he want's.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Have a look here, may help.....

http://www.rya.org.uk/Courses/

 

[Brierley]

Agree with those who say neither have ever been asked for when we've chartered, ditto log books. Some companies ask you to rate your experience level and will ask you to sign a waiver to that effect; others may take you out for a quick test sail to check you know what all the different strings & flappy bits do rather than taking your word for it (we did this in Oz).

Day Skipper theory was a good introduction to the basics before we got our own boat, but we ended up doing a Coastal Skipper practical course rather than the Day Skipper practical course as we'd been sailing our own boat for a couple of years by then

 

[peterb]

One of the problems is that the terms 'Day Skipper' and 'Coastal Skipper' mean different things to different people.

There are two Day Skipper courses; one shorebased (theoretical) and the other on a boat (practical). Both end with certificates of satisfactory course completion, but neither formally assesses competence at Day Skipper level.

There are two Coastal Skipper courses as well, one theoretical and the other practical. But Coastal Skipper then goes on to an examination, on the boat, by an independent examiner; if you pass this then you get a formal 'Certificate of Competence', not just a course completion certificate.

The problem is that people who may have taken just one of the courses will then claim to have passed their 'Coastal Skipper'. Ask them about their Certificate of Competence and they show you their course completion certificate, usually stuck into their logbook. The worst case I've come across was someone who regularly took a different evening school course each year, and proudly claimed to have passed his Coastal Skipper but had never actually been on a boat!

Take your Coastal Skipper, pass the exam, and get yourself a Certificate of Competence. Irrespective of what some people on this forum may say, you'll have something to be proud of (at least, until you get Yachtmaster!).

 

[tome]

Agree with your assessment and conclusion

Here's a strange one. A mate who is reasonably competent as a sailor but won't take any courses, prefers his wife to do this. She enrolled on a Dayskipper practical but was 'Upgraded' to the Coastal Skipper by the instructor and finished with a CS practical course completion cert

He's convinced she's a full blown CS even though she never took the cert of competence exam. I've long since tired of arguing the distinction with him

A Certificate of Competence is regulated by MCA and RYA and is an achievement to be proud of as long as you regard it as a stepping stone, not an arrival. The arrival may well take another 30 years

 

[graham]

I dont think there is an "arrival" on the learning curve of sailing /navigating/seamanship were all on the learning curve ,some are further along than others.

 

[Jamesuk]

The Coastal Skipper Exam can be taken without any prior knowledge of sailing. From my understanding the theory does not need to be taken - I passed my YM practical without taking the Theory (although i took it 2 weeks after as i had paid for it, passing with no problems)

Day Skipper is the equiv qual of having a GCSE when considering going to University (in that they are valid but A level grades are what get you in)- Freelance Charter friends of mine usually have YM or Coastal. Day Skipper is a Pay and pass qual just to get people upto a reasonable standard i gather.

Think of it this way

Day Skipper - GCSE
Coastal Skipper - A Level
Ocean/Offshore YM - Degree
Master 200++ - Post grad Masters

 

[Malish]

I can't see the need for coastal skipper - take the day skipper to make ICC available & make your insurance company smile then go sailing and plan / learn to take Yachtmaster

 

[Sans Bateau]

You can of course turn up at the sailing school, never even stepped on a boat before, then however many weeks later having done all the courses and covered the relevant sea miles, walk away with a YM cert. Called Fast Track.

It has always been my understanding that to explore the more normal route of one week YM (practical) prep course on board, taking the YM exam at the end of the week, the instructors insists on you having already studied and passed the YM/Coastal skipper theory. I have been told that the reason for this is that the instructor will not have the time to teach the basics on the one week course that would be learned in the theory course.

 

[tome]

Yes, agree - there never is a golden 'arrival' moment. It's a continuous learning curve which lasts for life

 

[AlistairM]

Thanks everyone, i intend to to the DS anyway, just because I feel like i am at that level. I was just wondering if there was any extra benefit in doing CS also. Prehaps I will wait 1 step at a time and all that.

Thanks again

 

[Sans Bateau]

The theory for Coastal skipper and YM is the same course and the same exam. The difference comes with the number of sea miles.

From the RYA web site:

Coastal Skipper

"A course for those with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night. Each trainee will skipper more challenging passages under the guidance of the instructor.
Course type: SAIL CRUISING
Suggested minimum pre-course experience: 15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours
Assumed knowledge: Boat handling to the standard of the Day Skipper practical sail cruising course and navigation to the standard of the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster shorebased course.
Course content: Passage planning, pilotage by day and night, boat handling, safety and emergency situations
Ability after course: Skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night
Minimum duration: 5 days"


YachtMaster requirements:

“Seatime. 50 days, 2,500 miles including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must be in tidal waters. Please see the 'definition of passage' link above.
The boat used must be between 7m (23ft) and 24m (78ft) be in sound, seaworthy condition and equipped to the standard set out in the RYA book Cruising Yacht Safety (code C8). The boat must be equipped with a full up to date set of charts and navigational publications and be efficiently crewed as the examiner will not take part in the management of boat during the exam.”

And…

“You may not need to aim as high as the Yachtmaster® Offshore exam. If you do not have sufficient experience, or want a stepping stone towards the Yachtmaster® exam, the Coastal Skipper exam may be for you.
A Coastal Skipper has ‘the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises, but not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake long passages’. In other words, the theory is the same for Coastal Skipper as it is for Yachtmaster® Offshore, but less practical experience and skill is required prior to the exam.”

 

[Sans Bateau]

[ QUOTE ]
there never is a golden 'arrival' moment. It's a continuous learning curve which lasts for life

[/ QUOTE ]

Great statement, anyone who says that they know everything are getting into dangerous ground.

IMO if there were not new things to learn, through experience, it would all get a little boring.

 

[Cornishman]

All you have to do to convince your mate is to show him the relevant pages in the RYA book G.15 which his wife probably has somewhere.
If he doesn't believe you after that there is no hope for him until his wife applies for a job which requires a Coastal Skipper Certificate of Competence and because she does not have one will be rejected, and probably dejected as well.

 

[Cornishman]

[ QUOTE ]
The Coastal Skipper Exam can be taken without any prior knowledge of sailing

[/ QUOTE ]
Only if taking the power equivalent exam!
When applying for the examination you are required to show that you have experience which is measured in miles and days at sea and should be entered in your RYA Log Book G.15 or G.18 for power. You must also present to the examiner the documentary evidence of the minimum amount of experience - or at least you did during my 30 years as an examiner!