What value the RYA Coastal / YM Theory ?

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Shearwater

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Am near to completing Day Skipper theory by correspondence course - a refresher to my previous night school studies more than 25 yrs ago in Suffolk (whatever happened to Bill Smith?) and this has been far more detailed than I did previously. However, I have my Cert of Comp. Now, will I learn a lot more if I go on to the CS? i.e. studying for what I can learn and not necessarily as a stepping stone to the YMaster. I've asked the school what is involved in the higher level course and it seems to be a lot of Met and Collregs. Has anyone gone through this felt they benefited from it?
 
Yes, you do some weather stuff that is new but also more 'in depth' on all the stuff you did for day skipper. Also one you have got the D/S knowledge and some experience you will find the C/S helps refine you judgement/decion making ability.
 
Did the YM theory course nearly 16 years ago, it was very good, very wide reaching and highlighted my ignorance on some sides.

Well worth doing for your own sake, tho I gather morse is out by now and that there are some new fangled electrical bits on the course! Also you now need the radio courses, which I did at the time, and the first aid courses, and if you are lonely this winter you can do the diesel engine course!

Sadly, once you have done that lot all you have to look forward to in the winter is this forum!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sadly, once you have done that lot all you have to look forward to in the winter is this forum!

[/ QUOTE ]Or leave the boat in the water over the winter? For those on summer moorings, maybe a marina over the winter would be affordable?
 
I did the YM as a first course, so I cant say how much of a stepping stone up it was. That was maybe three years ago, and I d say the main weakness (and I am power) was that alot was based on longer term planing accounting for wind,tide,weather. More value perhaps if you are likely to take a few days to get somewhere rather than a few hours. And while I do support knowing the theory, I would hope it is now a bit more updated to reflect the fact that most people have some electronics.
But the real value wasnt that I could work out where the boat would be in 4 hours, but what I learned from the tutor's anecdotes and from other students. I became much more aware of what I didnt know beforehand,a nd much much more aware of risks and safety.
And it was a good social course too!
 
If you want to take control of a boat and responsibility for others' lives, you will want to get as much training in all aspects of sailing as possible.

Besides, you meet other aspirants and learn also from them. It's the way of the sea.

I did Oceanmaster theoretical - fascinating stuff, although I'm not likely to be facing currents off S Africa, for instance, for perhaps a little while yet, if ever! Nor wobbling down a deck with a sextant crooked in my arm...

PWG
 
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Now, will I learn a lot more if I go on to the CS? i.e. studying for what I can learn and not necessarily as a stepping stone to the YMaster.

[/ QUOTE ]

No it isn't 'a lot' more to learn. Weather being the most significant difference / addition.

There is no difference between CS and YM theory.

I did DS theory then CS/YM theory concurrently full time about 4 years ago. CS/YM was like doing the DS stuff again, but quicker, whizzing through the stuff you should know, to leave time for the extra bits.

In the exam there is less leeway /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif in the examiners marking on navigation and colregs than in DS.

As to 'what value', well, I have no regrets doing it and it was fun and it reinforced DS, but not a lot different.
 
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