YM Ocean Qualifying Passage

[bedouin]

If you wanted to do a YM Ocean qualifying passage in a small yacht starting from the south coast where would you go?

From the Solent, La Coruna seems an obvious destination that satisfies the requirements but are there any other possibilities that don't involve passages well over the 600 mile mark?

 

[westernman]

If you wanted to do a YM Ocean qualifying passage in a small yacht starting from the south coast where would you go?

From the Solent, La Coruna seems an obvious destination that satisfies the requirements but are there any other possibilities that don't involve passages well over the 600 mile mark?

No idea what the rules are, but what about somewhere in Ireland - e.g. Cork?

 

[capnsensible]

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[bedouin]

I thought that the requirement was for the 200NM to be "continuous" i.e. you must not get within 50NM of the nearest land for 200NM (and 48 hours too) but that isn't quite what is says now - is that just sloppy wording on the RYA site or have they changed the rules recently?

 

[Ariadne]

If you wanted to do a YM Ocean qualifying passage in a small yacht starting from the south coast where would you go?

From the Solent, La Coruna seems an obvious destination that satisfies the requirements but are there any other possibilities that don't involve passages well over the 600 mile mark?

Well, your talking about the YM OCEAN which means your thinking about passages well over 600 miles mark doesn't it? Ocean passages are normally over 2000 miles plus from the west side to the eastern Atlantic (the the minimum qualifying passage for the Ocean Cruising Club is 1000 miles).

La Coruna seems to be normal destination, but Bayona and Gib are quite achievable. Depends on how you define an ocean passage - crossing one or coast hopping around the edge of it?

 

[Woodlouse]

I thought the requirements of a qualifying passage for YM Ocean was 600 miles over 60 miles offshore. The Azores would be a good bet.

 

[capnsensible]

If you click on the link I provided, you won't have to think.

 

[bedouin]

Well, your talking about the YM OCEAN which means your thinking about passages well over 600 miles mark doesn't it? Ocean passages are normally over 2000 miles plus from the west side to the eastern Atlantic (the the minimum qualifying passage for the Ocean Cruising Club is 1000 miles).

La Coruna seems to be normal destination, but Bayona and Gib are quite achievable. Depends on how you define an ocean passage - crossing one or coast hopping around the edge of it?

But this is supposed to be a training course - presumably you are expected to get the qualification before you start crossing oceans, if the only way to get the certification were to have completed a genuine trans-ocean crossing it would lose a lot of it's point.

 

[timbartlett]

No idea what the rules are, but what about somewhere in Ireland - e.g. Cork?

If you've got no idea what the rules are, then what is the point of picking a place at random?

(PS Cork would not qualify -- it is way short of both the overall minimum and the minimum distance offshore, and it would be difficult to go slowly enough to meet the minimum time requirement.)

A couple of possibilities if you don't fancy Spain would be Sweden or Norway -- somewhere in the Skagerrak such as Kristiansand. Bits of Denmark might just about qualify, too.

 

[rivonia]

I thought the requirements of a qualifying passage for YM Ocean was 600 miles over 60 miles offshore. The Azores would be a good bet.

This passage would satisfy the examiners. Make sure that the skipper is allready qualified somehow and get him/her to sign your cruising book.

Fair winds

 

[snowleopard]

But this is supposed to be a training course - presumably you are expected to get the qualification before you start crossing oceans, if the only way to get the certification were to have completed a genuine trans-ocean crossing it would lose a lot of it's point.

No, it's not a training course. That is the shorebased part. The writeup makes it clear that you don't have to have been the skipper during the qualifying passage but must have been involved in the planning. The exam/certificate is to show you have the knowledge and experience, not that you are ready to go to sea for the first time.

I note that the requirement for an essay on the planning of the trip is new since I took it (1994) as is the requirement for the qualifying miles to have been completed in the previous 10 years.

 

[bedouin]

No, it's not a training course. That is the shorebased part. The writeup makes it clear that you don't have to have been the skipper during the qualifying passage but must have been involved in the planning. The exam/certificate is to show you have the knowledge and experience, not that you are ready to go to sea for the first time.

I note that the requirement for an essay on the planning of the trip is new since I took it (1994) as is the requirement for the qualifying miles to have been completed in the previous 10 years.

Oh dear - you had better tell the RYA that then - they have mistakenly included the YMO in their training section

 

[matsandys]

La Coruna

I have it on authority that La Coruna - Solent will not qualify as a YMO passage as it is about 20nm short of the 600 required. We suggested sailing twice around the Isle of Wight to make up, but the RYA wouldn't have it. If you happen to get headed by the wind, forcing you off course, then the situation changes.

 

[snowleopard]

In the RYA training section they specify what you need in order to obtain the Yachtmaster Ocean certificate. One of the items is the required mileage: that's not training, it's real life expereince.

I don't know how you come by the idea that you need the certificate before you go ocean sailing

 

[snowleopard]

I have it on authority that La Coruna - Solent will not qualify as a YMO passage as it is about 20nm short of the 600 required. We suggested sailing twice around the Isle of Wight to make up, but the RYA wouldn't have it. If you happen to get headed by the wind, forcing you off course, then the situation changes.

I don't know if it still applies but I have a recollection of reading years ago something like 'between no more than 4 fixes'. That means you can go out and back rather than A to B. In fact my qualifier was an abortive OSTAR where I went from Plymouth to Chichester in 11 days via a couple of fixes SW of Ireland.

 

[RobbieW]

Rhumb or Great Circle distance

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The capn's quote covers the requirement, however the examiner may not accept a passage of less than 600 nm in a straight line (or even great circle ). In my assessment 4 years ago the examiner questioned my passage as it involved a dog leg to make up the distance (the rhumb line was 520nm), he was much happier to learn I also had a transat as crew in my log. The reason given for the concern was that examples of candidates going 50nm into the Western Approaches, doing 500nm and coming back was not considered sufficient to qualify - I dont know if the RYA are still applying this guideline.

The OP's proposal to go from the Solent to La Corunna is about 500nm, too short I would have thought even though the >50nm offshore for >200nm clause is satisfied. Going to, say, Vigo might do it but it would be as well to check with the RYA first.

 

[bedouin]

I don't know if it still applies but I have a recollection of reading years ago something like 'between no more than 4 fixes'. That means you can go out and back rather than A to B. In fact my qualifier was an abortive OSTAR where I went from Plymouth to Chichester in 11 days via a couple of fixes SW of Ireland.

Now that is what I was thinking about - but the information on the site is a little unclear, but the definition of passage says that it should be by the shortest navigable distance, but the distance requirement is on miles logged not shortest distance, so while La Coruna may be just under the 600NM by the time you have got there you have probably exceeded the requirement.

My preference would be something like a trip Solent-Cork going far enough to satisfy any requirements. In experience terms that is just as valid as going to La Coruna, but makes it easier to get back

 

[Barnacle Bill]

We used to go Plymouth to Lisbon when we did it as a training exercise.

Quote from RYA rules:

OCEAN QUALIFYING PASSAGE

In order to obtain the RAY/DoT Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence, a candidate must have completed a qualifying passage which meets the following criteria:

(a) It must be undertaken on board a cruising or offshore racing yacht.

(b) The candidate must have taken a full part in the planning and preparation of the passage, including navigational plan, checking the material condition of the yacht and her equipment, and storing, with spare gear, fuel, water and victuals.

(c) Throughout the passage, the candidate must have acted in a responsible capacity, either in sole charge of a watch or as skipper.

(d) During the passage a distance of 600M by the log must have been run, the yacht must have been at sea continuously for a period of at least 96 hours and the yacht must have been over 50M from land continuously for a period of at least 48 hours or for a distance sailed of 200M.

A further requirement for the Certificate of Competence is: "Candidates must have completed work at sea which shows that they have successfully navigated a yacht at sea by astro navigation."

 

[Twister_Ken]

Do you actually have to 'go' somewhere, or would 300 miles out and 300 back count?

 

[Talulah]

Do you actually have to 'go' somewhere, or would 300 miles out and 300 back count?

You used to be able to do 300 out and 300 back but the new G14 log books stipulate 600 miles by the shortest navigable route to prevent this type of qualifier.