Why do RYA Quals?

[boomerangben]

Why is it people choose to do RYA qualifications? Are the qualifications secondary and people simply want to learn to sail and get the certificates along the way? Or is there a perceived need to get a piece of paper?

I am just starting out and the only reason I am doing it is to enable me to charter a yacht somewhere warmer (for which I only need a CS ticket). I bought a log book, the nav and met books and IRPCs booklet and was looking to complete the YM/CS theory course/exams, only to discover that I didn't need to do the exams! So I will do a coastal skippers course sometime next year and see how close I am to passing a CS test.

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[Talbot]

I did the yachtmaster theory last winter, and am doing the ocean this summer - good revision courses

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[Twister_Ken]

Yots and mobos are dangerous things and can kill people or mess up your day in many other ways. So learning what you're doing is strongly advised. There are two ways of learning (three if you think learning by insurance claim is a valid method). You either do it the traditional way of sailing other people's boats as an apprenticeship, or you go for structured learning in which case the RYA stuff is really the only game in town.

Not doing one or the other can hurt. Ideally do both.

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[tome]

Think there's a variety of reasons why people do it. I did the night school courses because I was interested in meeting like-minded people, and honing up my knowledge of the theory. Years later I completed the practical and exams as some of my crew including SWMBO were doing various courses and I was encouraging them. Seemed only fair I finish my quals. By then I had about 20,000 miles logged and many more forgotten.

Never found a need for a bit of paper except once when trying to charter, and the certificates don't really make you a better sailor on their own. Worthwhile? Yes, certainly for me - sailing is and continues to be a learning experience.

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[dralex]

RYA courses give you a good structured base from which to start act as a basic collection of skills to develop as you gain experience. The content is not exhaustive, but covers a lot of situations to give you some confidence. I have only done RYA Dayskipper, but that was before we had a boat and did not have access to one. From then on we chartered and it gave a great amount of confidence in our boat handling and navigation, until eventually getting our own boat. I still use a lot of the skills learnt on the RYA course and can teach my father in law the odd thing- he has done it the traditional way and just sailed for ever,

I'm not saying either way is right or wrong, but for a person with no or little experience, the RYA courses are a good way of getting to the point of being able to take your own boat out safely, or feel happy about chartering.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.

 

[Becky]

1) they are very good
2) you will meet like-minded people from whom you can learn even more
3) you get the chance to make friends with similar interests
4) you get good ideas on where to sail, with help on possible dangers
5) it is something boaty you can do when the weather is too bad to go sailing
6) they give you little certificates if you are good enough

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[jimboaw]

Because we are lemmings and can't see that just down the road the gov is going to introduce a licencing system for boat users. Their excuse will be "most of you have bits of paper anyway. By all means take the courses. Wipe your nether regions with the paper.

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[bigmart]

How about Cos they're fun!

Martin

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[tcm]

they are seen as proof of competence by boat charter companies like sunsail, tho not a requirement: many companies will happily accept a "sailing cv" instead of a ticket.

Internationally, the entry level dayskipper (for skippers) is equiv (or a bit above?) the level required by some other eu countries if you get internatioanl certificate of competence.

The higher end Yachtmaster is (one of?) the Dept of Transport starting point(s) for commercial skippers which if you do a few more things like first aid, and sea survival allows to skipper a commercial yacht to erm 100gross registered tons I believe, about 80 feet.

The theory exams don't actually allow you to drive a boat - hence "not needed" as you say. But you could be tested, heavily, by an examiner on all the theory stuff during the practical whether or not you have done the theory exams. I did the theory exam first, cos there's lots to the practical without being wurrid bout the theory stuff at the same time.

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[tome]

Sorry, I believe the opposite. I can argue from a position of strength that you don't need bits of paper. I've sailed most of my life without them.

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[Phoenix of Hamble]

IMHO....

I can only agree that you don't NEED the bits of paper.... I too have sailed most of my life without them.... I however, a while back did the YM Theory, and hey, what d ya' know... I really enjoyed it.... and secondly, I did learn a few new things....

So by all means don't do it if you don't want to, and certainly don't feel like you have to do it... but don't think that its compulsory to NOT do it if youre an experienced sailor... I met some really nice people, and spent a good few winter evenings totally re-immersed in the world of sailing where ordinarily i would have been stuck at home....

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[dralex]

Good and improtant point Bigmart- fun is good.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.

 

[boomerangben]

I've enjoyed doing the Longbow CD based YM course and would have loved doing a theory course, but the nearest course is a long way away. Look forward to doing the Coastal Skippers practical course at some point.

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[Dominic]

They Are Not Qualifications

Most of the RYA courses are NOT qualifications - They are teaching courses where you learn new skills, pick up some new tricks, get a different way of doing things, get an assesment of your skill level.

The only truly valid qualifications are when you want to take money from innocent punters to take them sailing. Then the innocent punter is entitled to ask if you have the skills to COMMERCIALLY sail.

Take the RYA courses for your own pleasure OR if you want to take money from others who trust you to sail knowledgably and safely.

But if you want to learn more.......

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[alant]

You can get a Commercial Endorsement for Coastal Skipper or even Powerboat Level 2.
Commercial Endorsement allows someone to Skipper Yachts up to 24metres or 200 gross registered tons.
Area's are categorised as follows-
0) Worldwide RYA YM Ocean + YM Offshore mate
1 Up to 150 Nm from safe haven - RYA YM Offshore + Coastal Skipper mate
2) Up to 60 Nm from safe haven - RYA YM Offshore + 'experienced person'
3&4) Up to 20Nm from a safe haven - Coastal Skipper or Adv Powerboat.
5) Up to 20 Nm from a nominated departure point in fine weather & daylight - Coastal Skipper,
MCA Boatmaster 3, Day Skipper (theory & Practical)
6) within 3 miles of a nominated departure point.
In UK no certificates are required for recreational boating until you get into big stuff


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[Sailfree]

Basically you don't need them unless chartering but who would you rather sail with 1) a person who only has learnt from experience and insists there is nothing the RYA courses could teach them OR
2) a person who inevitably learns from experience but does their best to learn other ways eg RYA courses as well.
I would prefer to go for 2) providing they don't think the piece of paper proves they know everything. On my yachtmaster practical the examiner quickly established your ability then tested you to that level so you finished proud of what you had achieved but knew you still had a lot to learn. At that time I had been sailing big boats for 3 years completed over 3000mls but had been the skipper for every one of the 3000mls so I am aware that my experience was probably far less than many who take the RYA exam.
If you want to learn from others experience I recomend the MAIB reports. Learning from others experience is generally cheaper and less painful

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[Cornishman]

Re: They Are Not Qualifications

After some 30 years as shore based theory tutor, practical course instructor and RYA Examiner (now retired) I heartily agree with you that the courses do not lead to any qualification. I would add that there are no exams at the end of the courses, instead there are final assessment papers which help the tutor to decide whether to award a 'certificate of successful course completion'. It is possible to pass the final papers but not be awarded the certificate, for example somebody who is very irregular in attending the classes thereby missing some subjects not covered in the final papers. I always stress this at the start of each course.
The only RYA Exams are those conducted by an RYA Examiner on board a yacht or motor boat and if successful the candidate is awarded a Certificate of Competence. How that certificate is used later on is up to those who ask for it. This is similar to the Merchant Navy system.
With about 15,000 people a year doing the shore based courses they must have something other than the desire for a 'qualification'.

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[AlexL]

I think there's lots of good reasons. As I had no previous boat owning or skippering experience I was required to get at least DS in order to insure our boat. Personally I actually enjoy the experience of learning new things, I'm not hugely bothered about 'badge collecting' but like getting the knowledge. On a more political note, the best defence against compulsory registration is the evidence that most if not all boat owners take seriously the notion of voluntary training and qualifications.

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[snowleopard]

(a) personal satisfaction (b) proof for insurers, charterers etc if ever needed and (c) for prevention of bulls**t.

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[Peppermint]

Re: They\'re the only game in town

I know there is the American bunch that fell out with the RYA about the YM name a while ago (What ever happened to them?) and I suppose Glenans might issue you with a course completion cert. I don't know. If Bob Hobby's about he could tell us.

But. If you want a certificate that is internationally recognized and respected you need it from the RYA.

Of course if you just want to charter abroad, from big well known companies, many run short economical courses for their charterers which might well be cheaper than any RYA course.

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