fast track yachtmaster training

[georgeo]

A foray into the lounge led to an exchange of messages with dinghyman, who is contemplating doing said course with Flying Fish. I completed this course in 2003, and my memories of it are very vivid, most favourable, some not quite so. Checking the search engine for the last year showed quite a lot of chat on this topic, but only one detailed entry from Catprice, with a link to her blog. This however does not appear to have been extended beyond her departure to Oz, and I note she has only posted twice on this forum. I dont want to bore this esteemed audience further on a topic which may have been done to death in earlier years, but I suspect there may be interest from previous and possibly future recruits for such courses, so if there is demand, i am happy to share my experiences with others through this forum (?or the lounge) if this meets approval, probably through staged entries, like the training!

 

[Richard10002]

Seems conclusive?

I'm interested because there seem to be a lot of knockers, (if you pardon the phrase), whereas, if you take it for what it is, it's a very quick way of learning the right ways to do almost everything, and then begin gaining experience.

I did my YM in June after 30 years of sailing and no other courses - I had some really bad habits, did some things completely wrong, and discovered the easy way to do loads of things.... all in 6 days of preparation. I wish I'd done the series of courses, or a fast track, years ago.

 

[bilbobaggins]

I suppose much depends on what you do with it. Where you have decades of varied experience, and you are a 'fanatic' anyway, then you are likely to learn a whole lot of new, or different, stuff very quickly - 'cos you very much want to.

If you don't know very much to start with and don't have 'a very fertile field' into which to place your new knowledge, then what you take away will likely be limited.

I've paid - well, once - for training. It was exceptional value. I wish I'd done that years before. However, luckily, I had an instructor who was completely on top of his game, and had been sailing for decades. He was very quickly able to spot where he could make a contribution to my 'gaps' - and concentrate on those. That's professionalism. Worth the money.....

I've learned since that there are plenty earning a crust as YMI's who don't know their proverbial arris from their elbows when it comes to reading weather, having and implementing good Plan B's when needed, and keeping out of trouble all the time.....

Most of these seem to be 'FastTrak' YMI's who've never been outside a mobo phone call to their base on the Hamble, or nearby Cowes. No, not quite good enough.....

/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[BrendanS]

I'm constantly astounded by people who criticise from armchairs, people who go out and do things, with no actual knowledge of being there, or when out there scared sensless as they've never regularly been out in those conditions

 

[DinghyMan]

[ QUOTE ]
... I'm interested because there seem to be a lot of knockers, (if you pardon the phrase), whereas, if you take it for what it is, it's a very quick way of learning the right ways to do almost everything, and then begin gaining experience. ..


[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly why it interests me - I'm looking at doing the three courses DS, CS, YM spread out over a couple of years. My main aim is to get as much knowledge as possible by building on what I've learn't to get to DS in a short period of time whilst also gaining sea miles and experience then going out and building on those skills. I intend to start with the "IYT Part 1 (Day Skipper)" course with FlyingFish then take the next course as time permits.

Lots of people are knocking the fast track training system and you often see the "... all fast track YM's are useless ..." type of comments which seems to mean that some people advocate that you should not get any training but just get out there and if you are still alive a couple of decades years later you will be safe. I'd rather take the approach of getting training whilst I've got the chance so that I have a good grasp of the basics to build on, plus if I wait a couple of decades I'll probably be too decrepit to be sailing. There also seem to be many different versions of the fast track process, some commercial biaised like FlyingFish and UKSA and others leisure biased, also the lengths and contents of the courses differ widely.

I don't understand why sailing should be treated and trained any differently from any other skill set - in my real job I regularly do training courses and don't expect to be the worlds best after just doing a course without going and actually using those new skills but in sailing this does not seem to be everyone's accepted way of doing things. My clients look for both experience AND proof of that experience by me having qualifications - without both I am less employable. In all walks of life there are people with no qualifications who are brilliant at what they do and there are those with loads of qualifications who are complete muppets - but most people will be somehwre in between these two extremes.

Are people afraid that if the fast track system becomes really popular, which is appears to be getting, and that anyone without a YM may be seen as less of a sailor?

 

[georgeo]

thanks for the feedback. part 1 to come soon(ish!). I dont intend it to be a blow by blow account, but more a hopefully objective discourse on the many plus points and the few minus ones

 

[ChrisE]

You ask whether anyone without a YM may seem to be less of a sailor.

Well, perhaps, I'm certainly not convinced that years at sea equals good sailor as I'm also not convinced that a FTYM or slow track YM makes for a good sailor. However, I'm slightly perplexed by those that decry the YM system, given the benefits it offers in terms of being a useful qualification for chartering, reducing insurnace premiums, etc.

I know that is an unpopular subject hereabouts but it doesn't take a brain surgeon that sooner or later we will all need some kind of qualification to sail on our ever busier local seas and if I were a gambling man I'd put money on a DS as a minimum with an ask for YM for longer passages.

 

[DinghyMan]

I agree with you that compulsory licencing is coming and arguably a good thing if done right; but I don't expect it to be done right. I think the minimum level will be set something similar to comp crew or even less just as a money making excercise and that making it compulsory will mean that all that happens is that people will get the bare minimum and never go any further. In time the effect of compulsory licencing will actually be to make sailing more unsafe. Compulsory insurance for both boat and skipper would be a better idea.

 

[bilbobaggins]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm constantly astounded

[/ QUOTE ]

?

 

[ShipsWoofy]

[ QUOTE ]
Are people afraid that if the fast track system becomes really popular, which is appears to be getting, and that anyone without a YM may be seen as less of a sailor?

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this how you feel about stertificates?

 

[DinghyMan]

No its not - I just don't understand the number of people who say training is a waste of time and particularly fast track YM's are all useless. How long do you have to take to do a YM before it stops being fast track and becomes accepted by the nay sayers, 20 years, 30 years? I'm sure there are useless YM's out there, along with plenty of useless people with no certificates or training.

The YM cert is effectively a "YM MOT", at the time that the test was taken you understood enough and could prove your understanding to the required level. Once you leave the course you will forget things and learn more things and could choose to ignore everything you have just learnt but I don't beleive that many people willing to put in the hard work and time required to get to YM level, whether fast track or taking 30+ years, will deliberately ignore what they have learnt.

I think that anyone who wants to get as much training as they can should be encouraged not discouraged.

 

[alant]

Do a search on this forum!

This ground has been 'tilled' ad nauseum.

 

[DinghyMan]

I know - that's why I was interested to talk to someone who had actually done it rather than all those who just say "all fast track YM's are useless"

 

[SailorFrank]

can't be that bad two of the british skippers for next years vendee (dee caffari - avivia and jonny malbon - artemis) undertook a fastrack YM course.

like them you just need to go out and get the right experiance after the course

 

[AlJones]

Re: fast track Yachtmaster training

I believe that any training course is good value, however, experience out on the water is the real test.

You know more than most Al that there are Skippers out there who have the bits of paper, but have no real experience of skippering themselves.

One of our 'students' that have completed their Day Skippers with us, and then attended many, many mile building weeks and weekends with us, and who has chartered all over the world, and raced extensively, is off to Australia in November to attended a Flying Fish Instructors course. This Lady, is a fantastic skipper, and I have trusted to charter our vessels in the past. The course that she is going on seems to be well suited for her. Yes she will be going over things that she has been taught before, but hey, no harm in that.

I wish her all the best, and am sure she will return with even more confidence and ability than she has now.

Good luck Lesley, and enjoy your time with Flying Fish.

Not often you'll hear one RYA School recommending another, but I believe that they hold similar principles as we do.

How long did it take us to gain our tickets and experience????

(and how is Noah?) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Al.

 

[DinghyMan]

I'm looking at doing it as three parts spread out so that I get plenty of chance to put it into practice and get some decent miles done between courses in as many places and as many different yachts as possible.

 

[bilbobaggins]

And I - with probably the majority of the reprobates on 'ere - wish you all the best, hope you get lots out of it and that we'll see you on the water somewhere.

Oh, er, and what you've just outlined is exactly what I - and others - would suggest to a family member.... and it's not quite what we would understand by FTYM or 'Zero to Hero'.....

Enjoi!

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[yelbis]

Bibo is a true yachtmaster! (20000 nm) I have been training him for his Ocean yacht master recently. He is still only 14 years old however!

 

[alant]

Re: fast track Yachtmaster training

"(and how is Noah?)"

Cheeky!!

You've obviously noticed the Latin - this was the Lingua Franca when I started sailing!












(Get someone to translate for you Al!) /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Seven Spades]

Re: fast track Yachtmaster training

I guess it is not Fast Track that is the problem, but with whom you do it.