alant
Active member
Does anyone know what the comparible USA qualifications are to the RYA Offshore & Ocean quals?
RYA/USA Qualifications
- Thread starter alant
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HaraldS
New member
Don't have an answer to your question. Have been sailing in the states quite a bit and got the usual boarding by the coast guard who check safety equipment and heads (MSD's as they call it), but nobody ever asked for any "qualification", so I assume you don't need one or they would have asked.
Are these now mandatory in the UK?
I have been sailing many countries for many years but I was never asked to show a qualification, they always want boat documents and radio license but never a "driver's license". Even my insurance company was only interested in sailing experience. I think in most places you only need something if you run a comercial boat or if you have paying guests.
Are these now mandatory in the UK?
I have been sailing many countries for many years but I was never asked to show a qualification, they always want boat documents and radio license but never a "driver's license". Even my insurance company was only interested in sailing experience. I think in most places you only need something if you run a comercial boat or if you have paying guests.
alant
Active member
I know the US do have something which equates to the RYA quals, but would like to know what they are called- what qualification do they have as yacht 'Captains', which compares with UK 'skipper'. Tried the RYA, but they didn't know.
HaraldS
New member
maybe that link helps a bit, I'm still confused by all this. I don't know what the UK certs are either, it seems to be different in every place, though there is some consistency for merchant marine licenses.
From that link I gather that there might be an international agreement on something like a minimal operator license.
http://www.oceanmasters.com/yachtmaster.htm
From that link I gather that there might be an international agreement on something like a minimal operator license.
http://www.oceanmasters.com/yachtmaster.htm
davidhand
New member
As a Brit living in California I am reasonably familiar with both UK and US qualifications. First of all, as I believe in the UK no qualifications are required unless you are taking paying passengers. If you take paying passengers you need a minimum of an OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels) issued by the US Coast Guard and slangly refered to as a "six pac" because you would be limited to six passengers.
As far sailing qualifications are concerned there are two organisations issuing certificates "US Sailing" the official governing body of the sport, and the ASA (American Sailing Association). Both of these issue similar sounding levels of qualification. They are; Basic Keelboat; Basic Cruising; Bareboat Cruising; Coastal Passage Making; and Offshore Passage Making. All of these require passing both a written and an on the water test. Incedently the "US Sailing" programme was largely put together by Tom Cunliffe so the navigation theory closely resembles UK practice. Hope this helps.
As far sailing qualifications are concerned there are two organisations issuing certificates "US Sailing" the official governing body of the sport, and the ASA (American Sailing Association). Both of these issue similar sounding levels of qualification. They are; Basic Keelboat; Basic Cruising; Bareboat Cruising; Coastal Passage Making; and Offshore Passage Making. All of these require passing both a written and an on the water test. Incedently the "US Sailing" programme was largely put together by Tom Cunliffe so the navigation theory closely resembles UK practice. Hope this helps.
alant
Active member
Thanks guys, useful stuff..
Dominic
New member
I am an instructor in both the RYA and ASA so I might be able to shed some light.
The ASA Advanced Coastal Cruising qualification is roughly Coastal Skipper.
Below that there are lower ASA levels.
There is no real ASA qualification that matches the RYA level of Yachtmaster and Ocean Yachtmaster. The ASA Offshore Passagemaking level is close but I think that the ASA works to a slightly lower level.
Note that ASA qualifications are issued by the school and not by examination by outside examiners.
Note that the 6 pack licence - issued by the US Coastguard to US citizens only is a commercial licence and is a multiple choice tick test. There is no "on boat" part to this test and is required (but no other qualification is required) for commercial operations.
Most ASA courses do not involve night sailing.
The ASA Advanced Coastal Cruising qualification is roughly Coastal Skipper.
Below that there are lower ASA levels.
There is no real ASA qualification that matches the RYA level of Yachtmaster and Ocean Yachtmaster. The ASA Offshore Passagemaking level is close but I think that the ASA works to a slightly lower level.
Note that ASA qualifications are issued by the school and not by examination by outside examiners.
Note that the 6 pack licence - issued by the US Coastguard to US citizens only is a commercial licence and is a multiple choice tick test. There is no "on boat" part to this test and is required (but no other qualification is required) for commercial operations.
Most ASA courses do not involve night sailing.
