Is it RYA practical worthwhile if you did thoery and have expierience

[Uricanejack]

This question caught my attention when a similar question was raised by a poster on another thread.
I was just curious what people think. I have never done an RYA course. At one time it was just a night class.

Is taking the RAY practical worth while if you have already had practical experience sailing before you did the RYA theory course.

It occurred to me there might be a very different response from those who have never taken the practical course and those who have.

I would think even someone with quite a lot of general sailing experience would still learn something useful on a practical course. And the instructor might also learn something from a student with sailing experience.

 

[dt4134]

I think a YM practical exam would be worthwhile even for an experienced self-taught yachtsman.

 

[LadyInBed]

I haven't, but I hope I would pick up something useful from it if I did.
The question for me is - Is it worth shelling out that sort of money for the possible benefit and a bit of paper with a stamp on?
So far my answer has been No.

 

[oldbilbo]

I'd been sailing - racing and cruising - quite a lot of years before I decided to do something with the battered RYA logbook I had. I recall I was on my second or third...... and I'm very glad I forked out the money and time, for I learned a huge amount from a very experienced instructor - who was pleased as punch to have someone along with/for whom he could 'extend' what he usually found himself teaching.

Much will depend on 'what you take to the feast' and the calibre of the instructor. For me it was very good value, and I wish I'd done it earlier. The piece of RYA paper was the least part of it.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

I went along as crew for a week with a chap doing a run up to his YM on his own boat. I was promised a Competent Crew certificate as incentive . The instructor pushed me as hard as him I think. I learnt an incredible amount and enjoyed every minute. Some of the time the instructor would get the YM candidate (who I knew well before hand anyway) to teach me things I was weak at, such as pontoon-bashing under motor - doubly clever as he had to demonstrate to me first and then identify what I was doing wrong and take control before I did any damage.

I'd say that, as long as you have a good instructor/examiner, then you'll learn a lot - they'll simply up the level to suit your skills and experience and concentrate on your weaknesses instead of running through the syllabus from scratch. I wouldn't do it on a boat with novice day skippers though as they'll take all the instructor's time being brought up to speed from scratch.

 

[vjmehra]

I've actually done it the other way round, having done a practical comp crew and day skipper (sail) course, yet not done the theory exam (although I did study the material beforehand, I just never actually took the exam).

If you are a charterer, rather than an owner, then its virtually an essential to have the practical certificates from what I've seen.

To be honest, I don't think I'd feel comfortable without having done the courses!

Also, having had our RIB out of action for most of the season, I haven't been out on the boat much at all. I did an Intermediate Powerboat course in October and I was suprised at how rusty I was, therefore in order to iron out a few bad habits and get some tuition from someone vastly more experienced than me, it was well worthwhile.

 

[marklucas]

As per OldBilbo's post, I think you can get to the level above where your are through a well run course

With the caveat that you are honest with your instructor (any good instructor will want to have a chat with the crew before the off with regard to experience, aims and any areas of weakness) and a good school will have scheduled the right blend of crew -for example YM Coastal and YM Offshore are generally not a good combination. Coastals want to go down the coast and Offshore have already done that and want to show how good their parking is (broad generalisation). As stated above, a YM Offshore and a CC are a great combination and the way to start an instructing career!

Whilst I would always value a practical qualification over a theory one if I was chartering out a boat, you cannot get YM practical without the theory. Whilst one might not be able to knock out a secondary port tidal height in 3 ms after 10 years since the theory, you will at least have the nous to know where to look for the answer or to just apply common sense.

 

[Uricanejack]

Having grown up messing around in row boats, motor boats. (clinker with a seagull so no water skiing) and a classic silver motor yacht. I took to sailing late after I put in quite a bit of time working on boats of different type and size.
I learned to sail by osmosis. Crewing first with the OYC and other vessels before chartering a few different vessels..

Although I have no RYA training. I have taken a few sailing courses with a different organisation the CYA.
The first sailing course I took was a basic instructor course. I would expect it is roughly the equivalent of the beginner level RYA qualification.

It was interesting, I actually learned quite a lot.
The other students ranged from having just learned how to sail and having lots of teaching experience. To no teaching experience but loads of experience and ever thing in between.

I noticed a couple of replies from some of you who had quite a bit of experience and the level of the instruction is important. I think I would have been bored stiff by some parts of the basic level if I had not been doing an instructor course.

I later did an intermediate course purely due to a policy change by CYA requiring instructors to hold as a minimum. I enjoyed it and continued to learn a few things.

The more enjoyable course was the advanced one which I only did because the boat was going to an area I had not sailed before yet I thoroughly enjoyed the course and learned a lot. I think even the instructor learned a bit from me..

I would also say the compatibility of the instructor was critical to my interest.

 

[Tomahawk]

My experience with a practical course was extmely good... I learned a lot about my weak areas such as navagessing, boat management, tide calculations Etc..

However, I lost respect for the whole process on account of the examiner...
We were heading down the Orwell towards Harwich.... One of the busiest ports in the UK with lots of commerrcial shipping moving about and full of shallow areas ... The sort of place where you need to be paying attention on deck... The examiner asked me to do a course plot for something that could be done later. I said i diddn't want to do it at that time and he insisted.... When I came out the cabin we were standing into danger.. I was on edge from then on and made mistakes as I was waiting for the next stupid question..

On reflection, I should have simply put him off the boat on the recognising he was an undesirable crew and likely to endanger the boat due to his conduct...

What puts me off the exam is the "try to catch you out" attitude of the whole thing..

 

[shaunksb]

However, I lost respect for the whole process on account of the examiner...
We were heading down the Orwell towards Harwich.... One of the busiest ports in the UK with lots of commerrcial shipping moving about and full of shallow areas ... The sort of place where you need to be paying attention on deck... The examiner asked me to do a course plot for something that could be done later. I said i diddn't want to do it at that time and he insisted.... When I came out the cabin we were standing into danger.. I was on edge from then on and made mistakes as I was waiting for the next stupid question..

Perhaps he was just finding out what you would do when "overloaded".

He may have been expecting you to just stop the boat and heave to, complete your task and then pick up from where you left off...


____________________________

 

[NornaBiron]

After four years of living aboard and cruising full time with my husband (a great skipper) I spent some MOD resettlement money and did the YM Coastal theory and practical. (I wouldn't have done it if I'd had to pay myself!). For the practical we had a YM fast-track, me, a day-skipper and a mile builder, quite a mix. Very quickly, during the practical prep week, it was confirmed to me that the experience I had gained was more than adequate for the course.

However, I did learn an awful lot from the excellent instructor and the fast-track guy. My weak areas were quickly identified and worked on extensively with the instructor.

I didn't need to do the course but am glad that I did as it has increased my confidence in my own abilities and, therefore, my contribution to our cruising life.

 

[Tomahawk]

Perhaps he was just finding out what you would do when "overloaded".

He may have been expecting you to just stop the boat and heave to, complete your task and then pick up from where you left off...


____________________________

I have sometimes wondered about that myself... but I think not..

I once saw a tv program about the ongoing testing that pilots go through every year or so... They started with a fog landing, then then ALS went wrong, then the hydraulics went wrong, then the radio packed in... the pressure kept mounting till theynlanded safely..

However I got the feeling that my examiner was simply being stupid asking for things that bear no relation to actual sailing... Like I said I elected to do the navigation once we were clear of the port .. Which was reasonable in terms of our initial sail plan for the day.. It was on his insistances that I did something unnecessary when he asked for it...

Now I have the experience so that if I had do do one again, I would put the silly sod ashore as being an unsafe person on the boat...

 

[Babylon]

Although I have no RYA training. I have taken a few sailing courses with a different organisation the CYA.
The first sailing course I took was a basic instructor course. I would expect it is roughly the equivalent of the beginner level RYA qualification.

I googled 'CYA' and the top of the list of results was the Wikipedia page for Cover Your Ass.

...which is broadly speaking what its all about!

 

[Seajet]

I'd sailed since a young boy and had already been across the Channel quite a few times, did the level 2 night school to check I wasn't missing anything.

Much later I got the chance of company funding so grabbed it, did a week 'refresher' then ym offshore.

I loved every second, great fun.

Top Tip; if possible do it in winter, you get the best instructors and fellow students will be serious ( but great fun to be with in my experience ) not just posers out for a sun tan !

My instructors there were a tall ship skipper, a big ship skipper who was also a lifeboat cox'n - and a red hot sailor - and an ex-submariner who had done many Fastnet races inc 1979.

I was surprised how many Top Tips I learned, that was with the now sadly defunct Solent School of Yachting, but Southern have an excellent reputation - no connection.

Go for it, but take it seriously; it's huge fun !

 

[Victoria Sponge]

After four years of living aboard and cruising full time with my husband (a great skipper) I spent some MOD resettlement money and did the YM Coastal theory and practical. (I wouldn't have done it if I'd had to pay myself!). For the practical we had a YM fast-track, me, a day-skipper and a mile builder, quite a mix. Very quickly, during the practical prep week, it was confirmed to me that the experience I had gained was more than adequate for the course.

However, I did learn an awful lot from the excellent instructor and the fast-track guy. My weak areas were quickly identified and worked on extensively with the instructor.

I didn't need to do the course but am glad that I did as it has increased my confidence in my own abilities and, therefore, my contribution to our cruising life.

Great post.

 

[doug748]

I have no doubt that what oldbilbo, and others, have said is correct and you can learn a lot. It's not for everyone though.

I wasted 500 quid on a practical course and learnt only four things:

* The Solent can be a nice place in the winter.
* Small Bavarias are good boats, though not my cup of tea.
* Steering wheels on a small sailing yacht are not a great idea.
* I am not a clubbable person

On reflection, I already knew the fourth one, so God knows why I went. (Thinking about it again, I also knew the third one)

I hated the boy scout camp jolliness, which took me back to the bell jar atmosphere of the outdoor training of my youth. If you ever saw Graham Norton in Father Ted you will have my drift

Think very carefully.

 

[stevebrassett]

Perhaps he was just finding out what you would do when "overloaded".

He may have been expecting you to just stop the boat and heave to, complete your task and then pick up from where you left off...


____________________________

Probably right. When I did my Day Skipper, the instructor started barking orders at me too fast for me to keep up. I told him I wasn't a "bl**dy octopus" and only had one pair of hands, and carried on as best I could. He told me afterwards he wanted to see how I reacted under stress.

I learnt a lot about close-quarters boat handling on my course - it gave me a lot more confidence when going into marinas.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

This question caught my attention when a similar question was raised by a poster on another thread.
I was just curious what people think. I have never done an RYA course. At one time it was just a night class.

Is taking the RAY practical worth while if you have already had practical experience sailing before you did the RYA theory course.

It occurred to me there might be a very different response from those who have never taken the practical course and those who have.

I would think even someone with quite a lot of general sailing experience would still learn something useful on a practical course. And the instructor might also learn something from a student with sailing experience.

Yes - definitely!

One of the joys of sailing is that you never stop learning. Practical experience is great, but broadening your horizons and sailing on different boats with different people is one of the best ways of ensuring that you continue to develop your skills - which is what the courses are all about.

Pete

 

[Caladh]

My instructor was ex-navy and thought I was one of his underlings. I was what can only be described a bullied for the whole week. I found it a profoundly disturbing experience such that I finsihed the course early. I learnt a fair amount, not least that shouting at people on a small yacht doesn't work (as in the real world I guess). Since that horrifying experience we have sailed our yacht to the Med. the long way round. No bit of paper but a significant amount of experience now. I'd have to think seriously about doing the course again. I only wish I'd had a decent instructor as some of the OP's here have had.

 

[Grumpybear]

I'd been sailing - racing and cruising - quite a lot of years before I decided to do something with the battered RYA logbook I had. I recall I was on my second or third...... and I'm very glad I forked out the money and time, for I learned a huge amount from a very experienced instructor - who was pleased as punch to have someone along with/for whom he could 'extend' what he usually found himself teaching.

Much will depend on 'what you take to the feast' and the calibre of the instructor. For me it was very good value, and I wish I'd done it earlier. The piece of RYA paper was the least part of it.

Same for me. I had a RNSA/RYA offshore skipper's ticket dating from 1972, but I was persuaded to go for YMO in 2008 because my wife felt that I had lost confidence in my own ability, possibly because service and family commitments had limited my sailing to a single week between 1975 and 1989. I used a distance learning CD-ROM to refresh myself on the theory, then did the practical. I strongly agree with OB: it was well worth it in every way. My previous experience enhanced the training rather than devalued it.