Yachtmaster time limit?

[dt4134]

Being very committed to bothersome things like children have curtailed my sailing in Noughties to nothing more than about 300 miles and 14 days, 20 night hours.

However, it is unlikely, following this 10 year rule, that I shall actually build up "enough qualifying time" per year, as I don't have the luxury of limitless time and money.

It sounds like you only need 2,200 miles to tick the box. That shouldn't be too difficult to achieve. Some sailing on your own boat, some offshore racing on OPBs, and maybe a few deliveries of a racer - once you get onto a boat they often are short of people to help with deliveries to regattas - crewing on a boat going from the South Coast to Cork Week and back next year, for example, would knock a fair chunk off your target.

 

[Lady Campanula]

Is this an attitude problem from those that have a deep doubt about the value of education and courses and because they learnt all they know by 10yrs before the mast (aft?) everyone else should do the same. Learning by experience is good but it is slow compared to intensive courses.

Not at all. I, for example, was professionally involved in 'education and courses' - in various fields - for quite a number of years. Some of that encompassed RYA courses, too. I support the principle - and practice - of good, graduated training.

I have advised friends, in recent years, to invest time and money into *good* sailing courses, for that can bring them faster to competence. However, not all courses are of equal value to the paying participants; some are poorly structured, some poorly delivered, and some are poorly received.

As for 'Braye has leading lights', that is understood. It often also has fog, rain and very fast and accelerating cross-tides on the approach. How many of our 'ZTH' friends determine exactly where and how they will make a 'missed approach' decision, and have a Plan B, or even a Plan C, well sorted in advance, should it turn to worms?

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I've just checked the RYA website for the boat's (RYA c8) requirements for the Yachtmaster Offshore practical (planning to take the exam on my own boat), only to find out that there is a 10 year time limit on qualifying hours and distance. Havinng easily exceeded these years ago, and having spent most of the last 10 years bringing up children, under this rule, most of my previous experience counts for nothing.

Is this 10 year time limit for the qualifying period just for a commercial endorsement (which I don't want) or is it universal to all applicants?

If so, theres no point in even thinking about a Yachtmaster ticket for the "fun" of it. It drops a 'rock through the bottom' of the RYA's declared aim of accessibe sailing training for all, and if true, leaves me feeling very disenfranchised.

I really hope this isn't the case. (

There is no practical way of them checking your hours claimed and indeed most people I suspect would have no reliable records anyway. Its up to you but in your position and providing I didnt feel at all rusty , I wouldnt hesitate to tell a porky.

 

[bedouin]

There is no practical way of them checking your hours claimed and indeed most people I suspect would have no reliable records anyway. Its up to you but in your position and providing I didnt feel at all rusty , I wouldnt hesitate to tell a porky.

The caveat being provided that you weren't intending to use the qualification commercially - which would be fraud.

 

[dslittle]

They seem to focus a lot on crew management skills at YM level too.

The other lamb being slaughtered on my YM Exam passed because he went below to cook (during quite a turbulent crossing) which we ate but he didn't. The examiner commented upon this at the end and said that act contributed to his success - 'looking after the rest of the crew'.

I think I got it because I ate what he made...

 

[Lady Campanula]

I'm telling you - the first thing you should say to your Yachtmaster Examiner is "How many sugars?"

 

[Bosun Higgs]

The caveat being provided that you weren't intending to use the qualification commercially - which would be fraud.

You may be a lawyer so I wont argue the technicalities except to say its only fraud if it can be proved in court that you dont have the experience you claimed.

But that really isnt the issue. The YM exam is just like a driving test. You can either do it on the day or you cant so the RYA experience timing is a silly requirement IMO. Apart from anything else, what did the experience comprise? And where?

 

[webcraft]

The YM exam is just like a driving test. You can either do it on the day or you cant so the RYA experience timing is a silly requirement IMO. Apart from anything else, what did the experience comprise? And where?

With all due respect Bosun the YM exam is nothing like a driving test.

If the examiner thinks your experience is in doubt then weak areas will be probed much more carefully during the course of the exam. You are unlikely to be able to bluff him or her.

There is no way every aspect can be covered in a 12 hour exam, so most examiners will treat your Yachtmaster examination as a bit more than just a pre-programmed waterborne 'driving test' on that particular day. No two examinations are the same.

The minimum requirement for Yachtmaster is in any event generally considered to be somewhat low - the average candidate has three times that. And of course the quality of the experience is important. Mate of watch on a six-up ARC transat is hardly taxing, but could get you the minimum miles - whereas having done the Jester Challenge would carry a lot more weight.

- W

 

[MissFitz]

I'm telling you - the first thing you should say to your Yachtmaster Examiner is "How many sugars?"

So it's quite a testament to one of my fellow examinees that she passed despite setting fire (quite literally) to the examiner's dinner.......?

 

[Mark-1]

Mate of watch on a six-up ARC transat is hardly taxing, but could get you the minimum miles - whereas having done the Jester Challenge would carry a lot more weight.

I'm not so sure. The ethos of the Jester Challenge is to go for smallish boats. IIRC Mileage in a sub 25 foot boat counts for nothing to the RYA.

PS: Once again that wasn't intended to be as rude as it sounds. Smartphone and polite posts appear to be mutually exclusive.

 

[bedouin]

You may be a lawyer so I wont argue the technicalities except to say its only fraud if it can be proved in court that you dont have the experience you claimed.

But that really isnt the issue. The YM exam is just like a driving test. You can either do it on the day or you cant so the RYA experience timing is a silly requirement IMO. Apart from anything else, what did the experience comprise? And where?

Ah - so now you a recommending perjury too

In fact I agree that the time limits are a bit silly - but nonetheless if you lie to obtain a qualification and use that qualification to get a job , and get found out - you could be convicted of fraud.

 

[Seagreen]

Ah - so now you a recommending perjury too

In fact I agree that the time limits are a bit silly - but nonetheless if you lie to obtain a qualification and use that qualification to get a job , and get found out - you could be convicted of fraud.

This harks back to my original point. There ought to be a clearer distinction between pleasure only YM and a cert gained for commerce. And kind suggestions from others notwithstanding, it has still put me off applying.

 

[webcraft]

This harks back to my original point. There ought to be a clearer distinction between pleasure only YM and a cert gained for commerce. And kind suggestions from others notwithstanding, it has still put me off applying.

The whole point of a YM is that it is of a sufficiently high standard to be commercially endorsed - whether you choose to do so or not.

If you want a lesser qualification do the new Yachtmaster Coastal exam - although this can also be commercially endorsed.

- W

 

[Lady Campanula]

So it's quite a testament to one of my fellow examinees that she passed despite setting fire (quite literally) to the examiner's dinner.......?

Sounds like there's a story there....

 

[Simondjuk]

This harks back to my original point. There ought to be a clearer distinction between pleasure only YM and a cert gained for commerce. And kind suggestions from others notwithstanding, it has still put me off applying.

There is no difference. A Yachtmaster Offshore certificate is a Yachtmaster Offshore certificate, commercially endorsed or not.

Less advanced certificates already exist in the form of Coastal Skipper and Day Skipper, so suggesting there should be a lower level Yachtmaster for those who don't have the required mileage or experience to satisfy the exam pre-requisites is asking for something to fill a void where there isn't one.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Ah - so now you a recommending perjury too

In fact I agree that the time limits are a bit silly - but nonetheless if you lie to obtain a qualification and use that qualification to get a job , and get found out - you could be convicted of fraud.

I can see Bedouin that you havent spent a lot of time reading job applications and CVs. I reckon that maybe three quarters of the ones I read had some exaggerration or even a down right lie in them. And its usually the same area - experience. When every job advert requires years of experience how does anyone new ever get hired except by telling a porkie?

But really all this debate is pointless. Its up to the OP what he decides to do.

 

[bedouin]

I can see Bedouin that you havent spent a lot of time reading job applications and CVs. I reckon that maybe three quarters of the ones I read had some exaggerration or even a down right lie in them. And its usually the same area - experience. When every job advert requires years of experience how does anyone new ever get hired except by telling a porkie?

But really all this debate is pointless. Its up to the OP what he decides to do.

On the contrary - I have spent hundreds of hours reading CVs, and interviewing people.

When my company hires people it goes through their CV with a fine tooth comb. They expect concrete evidence of all claims made, and expect people to be able to prove what they have been doing. If you say you were on holiday at a certain time they expect you to produce evidence!

I think I have only once heard of someone's offer of employment not being confirmed due to a misleading CV

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I have been sailing since I was very small, in a variety of boats. I started long before RYA qualifications existed! And I feel no need whatsoever for the qualifications except where legally required (e.g, Short Range Certificate) or where it adds to my knowledge and abilities (e.g. Diesel engine course, Sea Survival). I can't imagine any other valid reason for undergoing training. I have considered YM, but have decided not to do it a) because the increase in my knowledge would be small and b) because I haven't got the offshore miles and am unlikely to get them. My profession required me to have a more in-depth knowledge of navigation and charts than most people have; certainly more than required for YM.

I'd like to see a much more modular approach to training, so that people who have existing knowledge don't need to take classes in stuff they could teach! ColRegs (which I know well enough to stay out of trouble!) might well be useful to me - but not if I have to sit through a lot of other stuff that isn't.

 

[MissFitz]

Sounds like there's a story there....

More like a handy lesson - don't try to squeeze your examiner's veggie ready meal plus a large spag bol into a small gas oven - neither will be very edible afterwards & the saloon may take a while to air out.............

 

[MissFitz]

AntarcticPilot - couldn't agree more on the theory side, my one big beef with the RYA on their qualifications is that you can't just take the exam, you have to sit through a week of lessons or buy an expensive correspondence course. Surely it wouldn't hurt to have an exam-only option for those who are knowledgeable and/or quick learners?