RYA qualifications confusion

cliveshelton said:
Interesting. I was under the impression (since 2011) that I’d finished the YM coastal. But perhaps not. How do I tell from the certificate? Do RYA keep records? I now have doubts about the course I took. I’d love to check. For OCD reasons only. I can do YM offshore in any case.
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Did you do a course with a cert being given by the instructor? Or did you have an independent examiner on board who then passed you and you got a Certificate of Competence from the RYA?

I think the former is still called Coastal Skipper. So was the latter when I did it, but it's now YM Coastal.
 
lpdsn said:
Did you do a course with a cert being given by the instructor? Or did you have an independent examiner on board who then passed you and you got a Certificate of Competence from the RYA?

I think the former is still called Coastal Skipper. So was the latter when I did it, but it's now YM Coastal.
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The former. I got a numbered certificate without photo from the instructor who was not an independent examiner. So I’m a a coastal skipper. What’s in a name? Hey Ho.
 
cliveshelton said:
So I’m a a coastal skipper. What’s in a name? Hey Ho.
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Yeah. You probably don't need to go any higher, but if you want to then YM Offshore does seem a reasonable target given where you were six years ago and that you've been sailing your own boat regularly since.
 
cliveshelton said:
The former. I got a numbered certificate without photo from the instructor who was not an independent examiner. So I’m a a coastal skipper. What’s in a name? Hey Ho.
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What you have sounds like a practical course completion certificate. If you had taken an exam you would know.....
 
capnsensible said:
That narrows it down, when I got my Instructor endorsement in 1997 I think it needed a photo. Certainly did by my first update in 2002.
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Exactly so. When I did my YMI in 1990 I got the endorsement on my old YM Certificate and it didn't have a photo. At some time in the later 90's I did an update and got a new style certificate with a photo. The RYA had some problems with forged documents at one time and so they started to have to issue YM Certificates with photo's and holograms. After all if its commercially endorsed you can drive anything up to 200 tonnes and 25 metres LOA for your living (which is quite a sized boat compared to the average yacht...)

capnsensible said:
What you have sounds like a practical course completion certificate. If you had taken an exam you would know.....
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Indeed. I did a Coastal Course and got the 'Course Completion Certificate' many years ago. At the end of the course we then had an examiner come on board and I took the 'Practical Exam' and got my RYA Coastal Skipper Ticket. (now renamed YM Coastal) (PS it was with Westerly Sea School who I subsequently worked for briefly.)
 
Babylon said:
So you've probably got more than enough real experience - as well as the miles - to simply go for the YM Offshore.

Bone up on your YM Theory and re-acquaint yourself with the usual trad nav tasks on the water early this season (especially if you've been solely reliant on electronics for the last few years), then choose a school and location to do the 5-day prep course with the external examiner coming on board at the end.

If you get it, great. If you fail for whatever reason, you'll have still learnt a huge amount, and have identified any weaknesses in yourself to overcome for your next go.
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Excellent advice. Doing a 5-day prep course before the YM practical is expensive but a really good idea. Despite having plenty of prior experience, I learnt, and gained confidence, a huge amount from that course just from all the various boat-handling exercises (not only MOB recovery) that you probably wouldn't think of doing - or risking - with your own boat.
 
cliveshelton said:
Interesting. I was under the impression (since 2011) that I’d finished the YM coastal. But perhaps not. How do I tell from the certificate? Do RYA keep records? I now have doubts about the course I took. I’d love to check. For OCD reasons only. I can do YM offshore in any case.
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Any one that has done any course before 2011 should look after their certificates,as the RYA did not keep any records before this date, neither did the schools that carried them out that's if they are still in business.
 
rtboss1 said:
Any one that has done any course before 2011 should look after their certificates,as the RYA did not keep any records before this date, neither did the schools that carried them out that's if they are still in business.
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Humm cripes, well that says a lot of the RYA then plus their Schools poss their Instructors, ah well good job having an RYA cert is not compulsory then ?
 
nortada said:
Unless you are going commercial, why would anybody want a yachtmaster certificate?
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Because by aiming and training for it, one's understanding, knowledge and skills will increase. This is a good thing in itself, and the increased confidence that comes from it will promote and underpin more ambitious cruise plans etc.

Because the process of assessment by an outside examiner confirms that one's reached a defined level of ability, which again increases and underpins confidence. Sure some people buy a boat not knowing a luff from a leech, step on in Poole and next step off in Brazil, but they're not usual or useful examples.

Having said that, despite now having about 6,300 miles logged, I'm still technically just a Day Skipper. My experience is similar to the OP (up/down/across Channel on my own boat, often singlehanded, plus mate on a delivery Falmouth to Gib).

I once did the 5-day YM Coastal prep course when I had fewer miles, but the school office forgot to book the examiner, so I got no certificate of any kind. However the course instructor (Sticky Staypleton working freelance) observed that - once I'd got the extra miles - I'd surely get YM Offshore. Coming from him, this gave me a useful and reliable indication of my abilities and the confidence to push myself further, which I did.

I still intended to go for YMO, but an unfolding catastrophic divorce from a terrible marriage, followed by years of draining court-battles over residency and contact and [related personal stuff that is outside of the ambit of this thread and needn't be discussed] meant I never got round to it.

Circumstances change, my parter doesn't sail, now I just take each season as it comes. Maybe I'll jolt myself into going for YMO? Maybe I'll one day think again about a UK Circumnavigation? Or maybe just another West Country cruise or getting my small boat right over to Brittany?
 
capnsensible said:
You do not get a YM Coastal pass as a consolation prize if you fail the Offshore exam. You must specify which exam you wish to be tested at. A school will be able to advise. Try ringing somewhere local or pay them a visit.
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I did mine in 1997 (issued with photo) with Hamble School of Yachting. Had booked the coastal skipper practical week and then exam at weekend. On the Friday, instructor suggested I went for the YM exam instead but, if I wasn't quite good enough the examiner could issue CS if I was O.K. at that standard.
 
GrahamM376 said:
I did mine in 1997 (issued with photo) with Hamble School of Yachting. Had booked the coastal skipper practical week and then exam at weekend. On the Friday, instructor suggested I went for the YM exam instead but, if I wasn't quite good enough the examiner could issue CS if I was O.K. at that standard.
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Lots of changes since then!
 
john_morris_uk said:
After all if its commercially endorsed you can drive anything up to 200 tonnes and 25 metres LOA for your living (which is quite a sized boat compared to the average yacht...)
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The RYA works in strange ways, usually governed by financial gain. Although my YM Offshore commercially endorsed (now lapsed) allows up to 200 grt as you say, my ICC is restricted to 10m power unless I pay them for another course!
 
rtboss1 said:
Any one that has done any course before 2011 should look after their certificates,as the RYA did not keep any records before this date, neither did the schools that carried them out that's if they are still in business.
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AIUI the RYA have kept records for certificates that could be commercially endorsed, practical assessments from YM Coastal? and up, for many years (not sure how many but well before 2011). They may now have records, since 2011, of all certificates issued.
 
To summarise, for Sail or Motor Cruising:

Day Skipper - a 5 day course, Completion Certificate awarded by the RTC, as recommended by the Instructor
Coastal Skipper - ditto.

Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore - a Certificate of Competence issued by the RYA as recommended by an Examiner. There is no mandatory course or syllabus, the Prep course is optional (and recommended).

Separately for Powerboats less than 10m:
Powerboat Level 2, awarded by the RTC, as recommended by the Instructor
Intermediate - Ditto, prior knowledge to Day Skipper is suggested.
Advanced Certificate of Confidence - issued by the RYA as recommended by an Examiner.

Any of the above can be Commercially Endorsed, but require additional qualifications.
 
nortada said:
Unless you are going commercial, why would anybody want a yachtmaster certificate?
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Something like 75% of candidates for the exams are indeed looking for a commercial ticket.

That still is quite a lot of recreational sailors who go for it.

A quote from the most excellent Yachtmaster Handbook by James Stevens.

'They take the test because they are responsible skippers who want the reassurance of knowing they are competent. Whatever the sea throws at them, they have done their best to be trained and prepared.'

Of course its not for everybody, its not compulsory. But it is quite an achievement. Pass rate is around 85% and without doubt, effort in preparation is the key.

:encouragement:
 
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