CLB
Well-known member
Did night hours on my YM exam too, that was back around 2004, the same time the jersey skipper did his.
Agree, it's clearly part of the prep.
But my question was, is it part of the test? I don't think it is.
If I'm right, and very happy to be corrected, it seems strange that in the RYA's own words: "Offshore is competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour."
Yes, you can; that's what I did. The schools like to hide the fact, making out you have to do a course with them first, or to do a theory 'exam' in return for loadsamoney. (in fact, the practical examiner does the one that matters while it's just you, him, the cockpit and the stars). Just book a YM Offshore examiner on the RYA website. Costs about £140. Specify your boat and location and provide certain of the info. The rest of the qualifying info, they check first thing when you meet onboard. They'll know if you are bullshitting.
[Edit:] here it is:
https://www.rya.org.uk/training-support/Documents/Exam_application.pdf
https://www.rya.org.uk/courses-training/exams/Pages/yachtmaster-offshore.aspx
Mine was mid-morning until around midnight. Certainly enough for a few hours' night sailing (particularly as dusk turned into RYA-induced fog).
I do wonder if the examiner Dom's colleagues saw arriving back in port in the afternoon was actually examining Dayskipper candidates and not YM? Perhaps an actual examiner such as JM will come along to inform us.
I want to just book a practical exam; but with a 31 ft yacht & small cockpit, there just is not room for an examiner & lots of crew. The examiner will be in the way most of the time. Actually I prefer not to have a crew, but I will take one only because I have to, not because I need one.
From others experience, will that be Ok. I do not want to do it on a chartered yacht due to cost, plus I know my own boat backwards.
Your £45 keeps a couple of young things employed at RYA Towers, down Hamble way.
Like ALL organisations, the larger they get, the larger they want to get. It has long since ceased to have its roots in 'yachting'; it is now a self-appointed 'governing body' that the MCA and the Home Office tolerates 'cos it's simpler and cheaper so to do. You need to go to a couple of their cocktail parties and suss out the guest list to get a feel for what they're about.
It has appointed itself, and it appoints its own 'in crowd' of Council members from among school friends, cronies and neighbours of neighbours.
The rest are simply 'the drones', the worker bees.
I can thoroughly recommend having a good trawl through 'The Yachtmaster Handbook' by James Stevens, a former RYA training Manager.
The qualifying passages includes night sailing as well as does it not.
Presumably one can just turn up & take the exam- Is there any reason one cannot, provided one has done the qualifying passages beforehand?
Yes, you can; that's what I did. The schools like to hide the fact, making out you have to do a course with them first, or to do a theory 'exam' in return for loadsamoney. (in fact, the practical examiner does the one that matters while it's just you, him, the cockpit and the stars). Just book a YM Offshore examiner on the RYA website. Costs about £140. Specify your boat and location and provide certain of the info. The rest of the qualifying info, they check first thing when you meet onboard. They'll know if you are bullshitting.
[Edit:] here it is:
https://www.rya.org.uk/training-support/Documents/Exam_application.pdf
https://www.rya.org.uk/courses-training/exams/Pages/yachtmaster-offshore.aspx
Mine was mid-morning until around midnight. Certainly enough for a few hours' night sailing (particularly as dusk turned into RYA-induced fog).
I do wonder if the examiner Dom's colleagues saw arriving back in port in the afternoon was actually examining Dayskipper candidates and not YM? Perhaps an actual examiner such as JM will come along to inform us.
Not if on a YM Prep Course.
Instructors have this peculiar habit of checking candidates out first, just to confirm they are up to standard.
How do you check someone out first? ( look on this forum? Oh dear !!!!!! I have NO chance. Just needs JM to turn up & i will go home there & then:ambivalence
The rules do not (as far as I am aware) say that you have to do any pre course training prior to YM exam, just state that you have done the requisite sailing trips, day & night
"Examiners" do not examine DSkippers.
I want to just book a practical exam; ( YM Offshore)but with a 31 ft yacht & small cockpit, there just is not room for an examiner & lots of crew. The examiner will be in the way most of the time. Actually I prefer not to have a crew, but I will take one only because I have to, not because I need one.
From others experience, will that be Ok. I do not want to do it on a chartered yacht due to cost, plus I know my own boat backwards.
I put the link to the application form on here earlier especially for you! ^^^^
How do you check someone out first? ( look on this forum? Oh dear !!!!!! I have NO chance. Just needs JM to turn up & i will go home there & then:ambivalence
The rules do not (as far as I am aware) say that you have to do any pre course training prior to YM exam, just state that you have done the requisite sailing trips, day & night
With the greatest of respect, that is just a tick sheet & like i said, provided one has done the qualifying trips & got the first aid & VHF cert, there is nothing the examiner can do pre-exam to suss out the applicant. So do you not think that the answer to " How do you check someone out first?"( which in fairness I asked Alant) should really have been--- " they cannot"?