RYA Courses

[Grehan]

Past threads ref RYA seem to conclude it's a Good Idea in theory, but dead-wood in reality.

Whatever the silly old buffer quotient of committees etc could I just say that I've been on two RYA courses in the last two weeks and they were both Very Good and Seriously Well Worth Doing.
I did Radar, and my wife and I did First Aid - with Bisham Abbey S S near Marlow. Learnt a lot, prompted some thinking, and acquired some small elements of skill that could prove significant in a real life situation.

Of course, just like classroom 'sailing' courses they're not Real Experience itself, but they seem like a really good thing to do on wet and blustery winter weekends (better than shopping!!!). The RYA is to be congratulated in administering, encouraging, whatever-it-does to make these things happen. [And Bisham SS itself for being such an excellent agent of knowledge transfer. (Fancy expression for school)]

Oh yeah - they're Good Fun too!

Gonna do Sea Survival next (in the next 12 months probably).

 

[DoctorD]

I agree. The RYA is not a perfect organisation by any means but on the whole its theoretical and practical courses are really very good.

A lot of sailors are very experienced, and many very experienced people decry school learning (in all fields). Racing sailors tend to be especially snotty about the RYA courses. But experienced racing skippers tend to be top class sailors - at least the ones I know - and the RYA courses are not specifically aimed at them. Also racers and cruisers appear to have a *slight* antipathy which makes it fashionable for racers to pour scorn on e.g. Yachtmaster tickets, I suppose in the same way cruising sailors swap knowing glances when they see a racer do a spinnaker broach in the Solent or slam onto Bramble Bank. In my opinion I learn every time I'm out on the water whether it's a hop over to Cowes or a race to Ireland (or even when I'm rowing the dinghy!) and I think one of the characteristics of a true sailor is humility.

The RYA courses help to teach an understanding for one's level of knowledge, what good seamanship is, including safety, and the techniques for becoming a much better skipper.

The RYA courses do teach basic helming, trimming, control of a sailboat in most conditions, but to improve on these skills in helming and trimming requires a lot of practice and experimentation, racing and cruising and observation of best practice in a wide variety of weather conditions. Although obviously one gets a lot of practice doing the practical RYA courses you cannot beat sea time. Most critics of the RYA courses point to instances where they have sailed with Yachtmasters and have been unimpressed with their level of skill. I have to say this has happened to me also but it is rare, and most people I know who have RYA qualifications are better sailors and/or seamen for it.

 

[ToMo]

Re: Sea Survival

Ah they're gonna dunk you in the wet grass!!!
<G>
TôMö

 

[Jeremy_W]

I think the problem is often when individuals turn up declaring "I'M A YACHTMASTER" and drop the word "theory" into the conversation a little later and a lot more quietly. That means they've done the theory course in a classsroom and are now planning to set foot in an actual yacht for the first time. Like anyone else who talks up minimal experience they put me in mind of bovine faeces. If the same person dropped in on the club bar and said "Hi, I've just finished a theory course and now really want some practical experience", then I'd welcome them aboard!

Also in the old days - perhaps 15+ years ago - after you had passed the Coastal Skipper Practical course (at a Sailing School) and Yachtmaster Theory (in a classroom) the final exam for YM (Practical) was an oral exam so the RYA examiner took it on trust that you could actually crash stop a Sigma 362 in a F8 to recover a MOB (for example).

In the last decade I have NEVER met anyone who has passed the Prcatical YM exam who did not show a high degree of skill in the areas tested at YM: sailing, navigation, seamanship, crew management, victualling...

The YM ticket says nothing about whether the individual will be good, as opposed to thoroughly competent at racing skills like trimming, helming, doing bow or doing mast in the midst of a hectic club racing fleet. That's not a criticism, just a recognition of the difference.

 

[DoctorD]

I agree totally with your comments!

 

[Grehan]

Wet grass

No, silly ToMo person, not Sea Survival at Bisham!
Stick wrong end of you've got.
Survival at Bisham, Marlow ByPass, and thereabouts is mainly a matter of which model BMW one drives.

Ha!

(no but seriously, Bisham Abbey's a damn nice place)

 

[Guest]

You write much good sense, Sir. As far as racers versus cruisers goes I would like to take some racing skippers into a small boat ahead of an oncoming fleet beating to windward and see just how much leeway they make despite unseamanlike feet hanging over the side. If only they knew. But one could argue the merits of one against the other for years.