Understanding Certifications; Where to begin?

[sg103d]

Hi All! I'm fairly new to the yachting & boating world, but I adore sailing. I grew up sailing small boats and racing. I've also spent some time as crew on a schooner, resulting in the IYT crew cert and Nav master.

Where should I go from here? I'm hoping to one day to eventually get my Yachtmaster or Captain's License, but for now, I'm not sure which certifications are worth the time and money. I don't typically live near a club that I can join, but am currently considering ASA certifications starting with 101.

In a few words: I want to sail; what's the most efficient way to do that? Thank you!!

 

[sailorman]

Hi All! I'm fairly new to the yachting & boating world, but I adore sailing. I grew up sailing small boats and racing. I've also spent some time as crew on a schooner, resulting in the IYT crew cert and Nav master.

Where should I go from here? I'm hoping to one day to eventually get my Yachtmaster or Captain's License, but for now, I'm not sure which certifications are worth the time and money. I don't typically live near a club that I can join, but am currently considering ASA certifications starting with 101.

In a few words: I want to sail; what's the most efficient way to do that? Thank you!!

Buy one & go sailing

 

[nigelmercier]

Do a Day Skipper practical and theory, I recommend Canary Sail http://www.canarysail.com/

 

[VicS]

Hi All! I'm fairly new to the yachting & boating world, but I adore sailing. I grew up sailing small boats and racing. I've also spent some time as crew on a schooner, resulting in the IYT crew cert and Nav master.

Where should I go from here? I'm hoping to one day to eventually get my Yachtmaster or Captain's License, but for now, I'm not sure which certifications are worth the time and money. I don't typically live near a club that I can join, but am currently considering ASA certifications starting with 101.

In a few words: I want to sail; what's the most efficient way to do that? Thank you!!

Your profile is silent as to your whereabouts on the planet.

In the UK the Royal Yachting Association qualifications , from Competent Crew through Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper to Yachtmaster, is the normal progression. See http://www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining/courses/sailcruising/Pages/sailcruisingintro.aspx

Cannot help with American Sailing Association courses but see http://www.asa.com/lts-asa-standards-summary.html

 

[alant]

Hi All! I'm fairly new to the yachting & boating world, but I adore sailing. I grew up sailing small boats and racing. I've also spent some time as crew on a schooner, resulting in the IYT crew cert and Nav master.

Where should I go from here? I'm hoping to one day to eventually get my Yachtmaster or Captain's License, but for now, I'm not sure which certifications are worth the time and money. I don't typically live near a club that I can join, but am currently considering ASA certifications starting with 101.

In a few words: I want to sail; what's the most efficient way to do that? Thank you!!

They are not "licenses", they are simply 'Certificates of competance' & don't really have any legal merit (until perhaps commercially endorsed). In the UK, currently you don't need any 'tickets' to sail a yacht.

 

[25931]

If you intend to sail in European waters an ICC (international certificate of competance) is very handy.

 

[nigelmercier]

Your profile is silent as to your whereabouts on the planet.

Looking again, I think USA: "License" rather than "Licence".

 

[laika]

Although this forum does have an international membership, the majority of participants seem to have some British connection so the RYA scheme is the one most of us are most familiar with.

For a more International-but-US-focused answer to your question you could try posting it somewhere like the training and certification section of Cruisers' Forum?:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f112/

The utility of qualifications obviously depends on where you need them and what for. In the UK the RYA qualifications as VicS and probably others by the time I hit submit have said is the de facto standard, probably omitting competent crew if you already have a fair amount of crewing experience. Yachtmaster Offshore with commercial endorsement is your entry level ticket into a yachting career here.