Would you do a yachtmaster practical if you didn't need the crew component?

[lustyd]

There is the other issue that the RYA have worked hard to make the YM a world recognised qualification, recognised commercially. Would they want to risk watering down that reputation with a "I don't like talking to people Yachtmaster"?

Why do you assume the alternative would also be called Yachtmaster? Their dinghy qualifications don't water down YM, why would a specialist solo sailing qualification?

 

[ylop]

If the RYA considers that a long night passage cannot be safely executed alone, where's the "The Golden Globe should be banned" statement?

As a general behaviour the RYA doesn't really call for things to be banned does it?
I suspect if you could get an off the record conversation with some of the senior figures in the training area - many of them would say that the GGR is not good a example of modern seamanship in 2022. Of course the RYA is a membership organisation so publically stating opposition to something like that may not be a good idea. You are free to sail your boat any way you wish (non-commercially) but if you want to get an RYA certificate its not unreasonable you get it for doing things the way they consider good practice.

 

[awol]

My YM CofC is valid to be the master of vessels up to 200gt. I presume those who are promulgating a Solo-YM would expect it to be valid only for vessels up to 40' or so.
To remind the hard of reading - to present yourself for assessment as a YM there is absolutely no need to have undergone any training; all that is required is a 1st Aid certificate, a VHF licence, a yacht (make sure it is the right size!), a couple of friends and £224

 

[Graham376]

We sail as a couple, occasionally with visitors on board but not crew. There were four of us taking the YM Offshore exam over a weekend, the other three's experience was mainly as crew on other people's boats. At the end of the exam the examiner summarised her thoughts. My strong points were decision making, pilotage, chartwork, etc., but weak on delegating because I wasn't used to sailing with crew, she commented I was doing too much myself. Not surprisingly, the others were weaker on decision making but far better at delegating, sail trim etc. We all passed anyway

 

[Adios]

There is the other issue that the RYA have worked hard to make the YM a world recognised qualification, recognised commercially. Would they want to risk watering down that reputation with a "I don't like talking to people Yachtmaster"?

Seems as though the RYA managed to get the reputation despite it actually already being possible to do YM without crew. I dare say very few people would do it that way, the ones with an interest in a commercial career are unlikely to be doing it solo, more so the old timer who just does the assessment after years of practice than the younger one working up to a ticket. So whats the problem? Its not a separate YM.

 

[Adios]

Why do you assume the alternative would also be called Yachtmaster? Their dinghy qualifications don't water down YM, why would a specialist solo sailing qualification?

in case you missed the post its already possible to do a regular YM without crew Would you do a yachtmaster practical if you didn't need the crew component?

 

[dunedin]

My YM CofC is valid to be the master of vessels up to 200gt. I presume those who are promulgating a Solo-YM would expect it to be valid only for vessels up to 40' or so.
To remind the hard of reading - to present yourself for assessment as a YM there is absolutely no need to have undergone any training; all that is required is a 1st Aid certificate, a VHF licence, a yacht (make sure it is the right size!), a couple of friends and £224

Club Mediterrane - 72m solo trans Atlantic ? Club Méditerranée: the crazy bet of a 72m sailboat for a single man

PS. Solo sailing techniques apparently included on boat bicycle to get to the forward masts

 

[awol]

Club Mediterrane - 72m solo trans Atlantic ? Club Méditerranée: the crazy bet of a 72m sailboat for a single man

PS. Solo sailing techniques apparently included on boat bicycle to get to the forward masts

She's a bit more than 200gt and wasn't exactly successful as a single-handed vessel.

 

[lustyd]

vessels up to 40' or so.

Isn't 24m the usual cut off?

 

[awol]

Isn't 24m the usual cut off?

18m if you want to pass YM.

 

[flaming]

Well this is an interesting development. I did an ICC assessment on my own plus examiner 20 years ago so just looked to see if thats still possible. I see some places say its a 2 day course inc exam, or you have to do the day skippers if dont already have it. while others its just a 4 hour assessment. No mention of crew with that 4 hour assessment. I also noticed on the RYA website for YM coastal it just says "and [your own boat must] be efficiently crewed, as the examiner will not take part in the management of the boat during the exam." Nothing actually about assessing crew management just that it has to be managed without the examiner.

So I just phoned one of the RYA approved schools and confirmed that yes you can do the ICC still with no crew and in fact you can also do they YM coastal with no crew if you are happy to manage the boat on your own. I pushed further to confirm saying "so its just about managing the boat, I don't need to be assessed on managing crew?" and she said no as long as the boat is managed I can do it on my own with no crew. YM coastal.

Makes the thread a bit redundant, well done RYA for catering for the neuro diverse and non-people-people

I find that really concerning.

The idea that people could get YM without demonstrating crew management skills, and then go on to get that YM commercially endorsed and work as a skipper.... Yikes.

@john_morris_uk Does this match your understanding?

 

[lustyd]

18m if you want to pass YM.

I believe that refers to the boat you take the test on, isn't 24m the next step in terms of requirement when you have to get the 200gt one?

 

[awol]

I got an ICC because the Hon Secy of my yacht club signed for it - it has long since lapsed - but my understanding is it is free with a DS or if stand-alone indicates you can sail a triangular course without hitting anything and a rudimentart grasp of the IRPCS. If you really want to know if a YM can be gained single-handed why not ask the RYA who appoint the examiner rather than a school whose motives may be different.

 

[Kukri]

I find that really concerning.

The idea that people could get YM without demonstrating crew management skills, and then go on to get that YM commercially endorsed and work as a skipper.... Yikes.

@john_morris_uk Does this match your understanding?

See post 37. In fairness to both Ian and Tom, I think that was in the days when the RYA allowed direct examination in your own boat for YM Offshore, and that seems to have evaporated now.

In real life, absolutely nobody is going to be appointed as a professional Master of any sort of a yacht without references and references by definition come with experience, so with great respect your point is wholly academic.

 

[flaming]

In real life, absolutely nobody is going to be appointed as a professional Master of any sort of a yacht without references and references by definition come with experience, so with great respect your point is wholly academic.

Yeah.... I got a job driving corporate yachts with one phone call....

 

[john_morris_uk]

I find that really concerning.

The idea that people could get YM without demonstrating crew management skills, and then go on to get that YM commercially endorsed and work as a skipper.... Yikes.

@john_morris_uk Does this match your understanding?

I think you’re confusing yacht master coastal practical course with a yacht master coastal exam. I imagine the school is keen to take your money and run a course for someone on their boat. However I do not believe that it is possible to conduct a yacht master coastal exam without crew which is the only way you get your master coastal certificate. You can get a course completion certificate but that doesn’t mean that you can claim to be a yacht master coastal.

 

[john_morris_uk]

See post 37. In fairness to both Ian and Tom, I think that was in the days when the RYA allowed direct examination in your own boat for YM Offshore, and that seems to have evaporated now.

In real life, absolutely nobody is going to be appointed as a professional Master of any sort of a yacht without references and references by definition come with experience, so with great respect your point is wholly academic.

The RYA still allow you to present yourself for examination as a yacht master in your own boat.

 

[Kukri]

The RYA still allow you to present yourself for examination as a yacht master in your own boat.

Yes, they do, but I think that is a little different to. what I remember as the “direct examination” scheme, in that you now need to proffer VHF and first aid certificates , an RYA log book, and a course completion certificate.

Now that I think of it, half a century ago my sister became, briefly, the youngest Yachtmaster by single handing the examiner’s Contessa 32 out of SYH in “blowing weather”. She was then and is now pretty good in a boat, so it was “legit”.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Yes, they do, but I think that is a little different to. what I remember as the “direct examination” scheme, in that you now need to proffer VHF and first aid certificates , an RYA log book, and a course completion certificate.

Now that I think of it, half a century ago my sister became, briefly, the youngest Yachtmaster by single handing the examiner’s Contessa 32 out of SYH in “blowing weather”. She was then and is now pretty good in a boat, so it was “legit”.

My understanding is that the guidelines for the conducting of YM exams have tightened up over the years. If someone approached me asking me to conduct their YM offshore or coastal exam, I first have to clear it with the RYA and if they were going to do it solo I’d be asking questions of the chief examiner as well. It hasn’t happened yet so I can’t give you a definitive answer or guide as to what he is likely to say. If anyone is really interested, then phone and talk to Richard Falk who is the person to ask and I’ve no doubt he will put you right.

 

[Adios]

If you can do the exam in the very easiest circumstances of the crew being supportive friends you have sailed with many times before I don't believe that that is such a thorough test of a persons ability to manage any crew they might encounter, that without it you can't possibly be passed as a YM. It makes no sense. To be able to demonstrate all the things asked of you while single handed, safely, while maintaining watch, while feeding and emptying yourself etc is SOOOO much harder. But some people are indignant about such a skilled person being awarded a YM. I'm baffled. The odds that said person can't also delegate some tasks if he had some crew are pretty slim. "Bob steer 270" oh the challenge. "oh but he might be a captain Bligh type!", so what! Then no one will sail with him and the problem has been self limited. At least he has been checked in his proficiency to solo rather than tested with 5 crew to do everything and then he solos having barely a clue how to do it safely.