RYA Day Skipper theory exam only??

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sam12835

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Hi,

i couldn't find a suitable section for this post but here we are...

i was wondering if it's possible to just do the RYA day skipper theory exam without doing the entire course? the courses seem to range from £250 - £400 per person, which, considering a lot of the are online or self taught using resources given to you, seems like a very high price! i was wondering if i can just learn the theory by buying some of the books then just taking the exam as this would be much cheaper. I cant see any option for this on the RYA website, does anyone know if this is possible as i don't want to waste £300 per person for a course they can just send out to everyone for almost nothing! I plan on taking the day skipper practical (i know you dont technically need the theory certification but some centres require it and also i dont want to waste time on my practical by having to go through the theory to show the instructor i know the theory)

thanks in advance....
 
sam12835 said:
the courses seem to range from £250 - £400 per person, which, considering a lot of the are online or self taught using resources given to you, seems like a very high price!
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They're selling you a product. No obligation to buy it. "High Price". If you think that's expensive wait til you own a boat.

sam12835 said:
i was wondering if i can just learn the theory by buying some of the books then just taking the exam as this would be much cheaper.
Click to expand...
You could. But there is no exam, only a course completion certificate. So if you don’t do the course… no Cert.
You could do the same for a Uni degree or a Bar exam or pilots license. You'd know close to nothing at the end of your book purchase and be a liability to yourself, your family and those who'd maybe have to put their lives in danger to rescue you.

sam12835 said:
I plan on taking the day skipper practical (i know you dont technically need the theory certification but some centres require it and also i dont want to waste time on my practical by having to go through the theory to show the instructor i know the theory)
Click to expand...
The training centres ask for the theory because it's needed, unless you have useful and relevant experience . You won't know, or understand properly, the theory. Your practical will be a waste of time. The first exercise you are set that requires the theory in detail you'll expose to the instructor just how little you know, and you'll waste the time of the others on your course.

You'd be far better getting some relevant experience; then doing an instructed or guided theory.

Boating is expensive and lives can be lost. Please spend a few quid on proper training.
 
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I am going to do my theory hopefully by november time when my work slows down then the practical.
my thinking has always been experience will always beat theory however the RYA wouldnt set a theory and a practical course for 1 certification if it wasnt needed.
Jon
 
sam12835 said:
Hi,

i couldn't find a suitable section for this post but here we are...

i was wondering if it's possible to just do the RYA day skipper theory exam without doing the entire course? the courses seem to range from £250 - £400 per person, which, considering a lot of the are online or self taught using resources given to you, seems like a very high price! i was wondering if i can just learn the theory by buying some of the books then just taking the exam as this would be much cheaper. I cant see any option for this on the RYA website, does anyone know if this is possible as i don't want to waste £300 per person for a course they can just send out to everyone for almost nothing! I plan on taking the day skipper practical (i know you dont technically need the theory certification but some centres require it and also i dont want to waste time on my practical by having to go through the theory to show the instructor i know the theory)

thanks in advance....
Click to expand...
My daughter did her DS practical without the theory certificate - read Tom Cunliffe’s day skipper book the day before the course started, and has practical experience from sailing with me - mostly of sipping g and ts on the beanbags on the afterdeck. Passed with very positive comments from the instructor.
 
I did a combined theory / practical DS week, best of both worlds imho.

The best prepared have both theory & practical experience - once you are outside familiar waters, those buried nuggets from the theory course sure are useful.

Again, imho, it's very easy to read a book & think you've got it sussed, but nothing like an exam (whether theory or practice) to make you put in the work & check you really know it.
 
In familiar waters, by day, I think electronics and forecasting have rendered most of the theory redundant - maybe better to scrap it and as you suggest combine with an extended practical - all newbies I have talked to have been perplexed by the wind and the waves, not whether there is .1m more or less tide in a secondary port - a longer practical would mean more chance of experiencing a wider range of conditions.
 
stranded said:
In familiar waters, by day, I think electronics and forecasting have rendered most of the theory redundant - maybe better to scrap it and as you suggest combine with an extended practical - all newbies I have talked to have been perplexed by the wind and the waves, not whether there is .1m more or less tide in a secondary port - a longer practical would mean more chance of experiencing a wider range of conditions.
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One forecasting site that I corresponded with showed tide data for secondary port but it transpired that they were just displaying the nearest primary port info. It's always good to have the theory so you can sniff out these problems.

Imho, steering down a navionics auto route is not the whole picture. I don't think that there was anything on the theory course that was not practically applicable.
 
sam12835 said:
Hi,

i couldn't find a suitable section for this post but here we are...

i was wondering if it's possible to just do the RYA day skipper theory exam without doing the entire course? the courses seem to range from £250 - £400 per person, which, considering a lot of the are online or self taught using resources given to you, seems like a very high price! i was wondering if i can just learn the theory by buying some of the books then just taking the exam as this would be much cheaper. I cant see any option for this on the RYA website, does anyone know if this is possible as i don't want to waste £300 per person for a course they can just send out to everyone for almost nothing! I plan on taking the day skipper practical (i know you dont technically need the theory certification but some centres require it and also i dont want to waste time on my practical by having to go through the theory to show the instructor i know the theory)

thanks in advance....
Click to expand...


First mate and I self tutored using the excellent RYA textbooks. The most useful by far was 'Yachtmaster- an examination handbook with exercises'.

We studied hard before taking Coastal Skipper - me - and Day Skipper - First Mate.

We tested each other with the theory and regularly checked each others passage plans.

We passed - or achieved the required standard - without problem and saved the cost of two theory courses.

Plus, of course, we studied up to Yachtmaster level, higher than we needed.

I would suggest you consider doing something similar.
 
sam12835 said:
Hi,

i couldn't find a suitable section for this post but here we are...

i was wondering if it's possible to just do the RYA day skipper theory exam without doing the entire course? the courses seem to range from £250 - £400 per person, which, considering a lot of the are online or self taught using resources given to you, seems like a very high price! i was wondering if i can just learn the theory by buying some of the books then just taking the exam as this would be much cheaper. I cant see any option for this on the RYA website, does anyone know if this is possible as i don't want to waste £300 per person for a course they can just send out to everyone for almost nothing! I plan on taking the day skipper practical (i know you dont technically need the theory certification but some centres require it and also i dont want to waste time on my practical by having to go through the theory to show the instructor i know the theory)

thanks in advance....
Click to expand...
Afraid not. The RYA rule is that a theory test cannot be sat without doing the course.
 
rotrax said:
First mate and I self tutored using the excellent RYA textbooks. The most useful by far was 'Yachtmaster- an examination handbook with exercises'.

We studied hard before taking Coastal Skipper - me - and Day Skipper - First Mate.

We tested each other with the theory and regularly checked each others passage plans.

We passed - or achieved the required standard - without problem and saved the cost of two theory courses.

Plus, of course, we studied up to Yachtmaster level, higher than we needed.

I would suggest you consider doing something similar.
Click to expand...
The theory course is the same for Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore. ?
 
rotrax said:
First mate and I self tutored using the excellent RYA textbooks. The most useful by far was 'Yachtmaster- an examination handbook with exercises'.

We studied hard before taking Coastal Skipper - me - and Day Skipper - First Mate.

We tested each other with the theory and regularly checked each others passage plans.

We passed - or achieved the required standard - without problem and saved the cost of two theory courses.

Plus, of course, we studied up to Yachtmaster level, higher than we needed.

I would suggest you consider doing something similar.
Click to expand...


this sounds exactly like what i want to do! i just wanted to check, when you say you passed, do they just asses your theory whilst on the practical course? or is there a way to just take the exam?
 
sam12835 said:
this sounds exactly like what i want to do! i just wanted to check, when you say you passed, do they just asses your theory whilst on the practical course? or is there a way to just take the exam?
Click to expand...
Coastal Skipper is an older qualification. I passed in 1987, having been self taught and not doing a theory course or exam. I did a week long seagoing course, 4 days on a yacht with 3 other candidates. We then dropped off the instructor and picked up an examiner, and each had 2x6hour periods as Skipper. The fact I didn't have a "theory pass" in my logbook didn't matter.
Things may have changed since Coastal Skipper was discontinued...
 
sam12835 said:
this sounds exactly like what i want to do! i just wanted to check, when you say you passed, do they just asses your theory whilst on the practical course? or is there a way to just take the exam?
Click to expand...
You can attend a practical course without ever doing a theory course. Many do but you must be able to demonstrate your competence. Not all theoretical knowledge can be taught during a practical course. The pre course requirements are on the RYA website. Top tip. If you can't do them, learn before you start. Either by formal training or on your own.

The theory course has an exam. You must do the course to take that exam.

The practical course has those entry requirements and is a mixture of coaching and assesment. To prove your competence, you will be awarded a course completion certificate, which is now a card, sized like a credit card with your photograph on it.

The majority of students for practical courses feel far more comfortable having learnt from a theory course, in my experience. Both sail and power. But as I mentioned, if you are happy with your navigation and rule of the road, it's entirely possible to go straight to practical.

Hope this helps!
 
SaltIre said:
Coastal Skipper is an older qualification. I passed in 1987, having been self taught and not doing a theory course or exam. I did a week long seagoing course, 4 days on a yacht with 3 other candidates. We then dropped off the instructor and picked up an examiner, and each had 2x6hour periods as Skipper. The fact I didn't have a "theory pass" in my logbook didn't matter.
Things may have changed since Coastal Skipper was discontinued...
Click to expand...
It was renamed. Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore. ?
 
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