YM Practical

[YMRookie]

Hi am taking my RYA YM practical next week, has anyone any useful tips? I'm also struggling to understand exactly how examiners judge the differences between Coastal and YM standards.
Any helpful tips gratefully received?
YMR

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimi]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=ym&Number=312686&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1#Post312686>have a look at this</A>

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[YMRookie]

Thanks great start.
Has anyone seen any effect of the recent syllabus changes on the practical yet?
Are there any friendly examiners on this forum?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[YMRookie]

Thanks great start.
Has anyone seen any effect of the recent syllabus changes on the practical yet?
Are there any friendly examiners on this forum?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[tome]

Cornishman is an examiner and quite helpful - try a PM (private mail). There are a few YMs on the forum also who can help with specific questions.

Be prepared to be put under pressure by the examiner, this is how they can see that you have the basic leadership skills required. Don't spend too much time hunched over the chart table when you should be directing the crew. Think all your actions through beforehand and give clear instructions in plenty of time. Learn your colregs thoroughly, and make sure you keep the examiner and your crew fed and watered.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimi]

Not an examiner but have done both practicals and my observations would be that the standard required by a YM is higher. IE you're expected to pick up the MOB or the buoy first time. The blind nav and pilotage is more complex for the YM but just do your best and enjoy it. I learned a lot during the exam, so treat it as an enjoyable learning experience and sail in your usual style.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Twister_Ken]

Also, I believe, don't cling to the helm yourself. Don't forget you're skipper, not steerer.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[ericw]

Hi !

Think you'll find that most examiners are pretty reasonable people - remember, they won't expect you to be perfect, but, they will expect you to be safe !!

My YM examiner told the 2 of us taking the exam that all he wanted us to demonstrate to him over the weekend was that he would feel happy letting us take his 2 children and wife to sea ! I think that summed it up for me - keep the crew happy, be confident, but not arrogant and know your theory. If you stumble across a decent examiner he'll also be more than happy to give you a few pointers as to where you could improve i.e. he's going to have a lot more experience than most on board so by all means demonstrate your knowledge to him, but, don't show off -they don't like smart ars*s !

Once you are underway try to relax - difficult to do I know, but try ! He/she should try to put you at ease - remember he's seen a fair few people in your very position and he's not there to scare you into submission - all he wants is to test your practical competence and theory knowledge.

If you are up to scratch then you will feel under pressure at the appropriate moments (ie man overboard/blind nav.), but that's nothing different to a 'real life' situation.

Try to think of all the other times you have skippered well - ie have positive thoughts in your head and you should be ok.

Good luck and our thoughts are with you - you'll be fine once you start !

Best regards,

Eric.

<hr width=100% size=1>www.HarryHindsight.com

 

[Guest]

Are you doing the practical in your own boat or at the end of a course?
It really helps if you have had time to bond with the crew for a few days beforehand.
Don't under estimate crew management.


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[NigeCh]

Just be yourself and pretend that he's an awkward grumpy passenger on a boat where passengers have to work their passage - Make him do things and stand his watch.

What you have to do is simply to demonstrate captaincy under all situations. If your orders fail to work first time round because of a noviciate co-crew then re-explain to them gently what you are trying to achieve (and in spite of what the Examiner says) involve him too.

When I did my YM, I overruled the Examiner in the middle of the night in a good hooley in the middle of a TSS with ships all around when he declared a MOB. I told him that he was an arsehole and ordered him below as he was in his own words "an invisible person and not part of the crew." We sorted out our situation and did our MOB the next day to the lee of the IOW.

Just remember that when you are doing YM Practical that you are Captain of the ship but more importantly, that you are Master under God.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Laurin]

Delegate as much as possible, buy your own chart for the area and a waterproof map case from an outdoors shop. Then you can have chart on deck and keep glancing at it without going downstairs. Also use it as teaching aid for the crew. If you screw up don't give up as it is possible to recover. I messed up the blind nav, but then did well when a 40knot squall blew in and passed.

Get the crew on side, makes all the difference

Good luck

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[graham]

Fully agree with Kas. Chart up in the cockpit is worth its weight in gold it al;lows you more time to relax .

Also I can endorse the"dont give up whatever happens"theory.Noone is perfect and exam pressure affects most people.

Thing to remember is the examiner is a fellow yachtsman try to make it an enjoyable day out.Make sure everyone gets fed and watered well .

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[YMRookie]

Thanks to all so far, sound advice all

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Badger]

Chart in Cockpit on YM Exam or any other time ?

Forgive me for saying but I don't think having a chart up in the cockpit is going to send the right message to the examiner.Particularly in an area like the Solent which is really open pilotage.I think it is perfectly vaild to have a pilotage plan in to a port you are not familiar with traced or sketched out in the cockpit but not a chart.If I was the examiner I would be thinking the candidate lacked confidence if he needed to be looking at a chart all the time.I'd rather see him running the vessel and popping down every now and again if required to check something.

Charts belong on the chart table as confirmed by Tom Cunliffe in "The Complete Yachtmaster" IMHO.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: Chart in Cockpit on YM Exam or any other time

Disagree. Well, for the Solent I don't usually, as I know my way around pretty well. But outside of the Solent I usually have a chart in the cockpit in pilotage waters. The UKHO small craft folios are good for this - good size, and that nice clear plastic envelope that will take Chinagraph. The size is just right to put on the coachroof, alongside the companion hatch and under the spray hood. Pilotage notes only tell you what you expected to see, what courses you expected to steer. They don't do anything in terms of satisfying your curiosity (What's that headland over there? How much water is there the other side of the buoy?) or helping you when things don't work out quite as planned, like missing a tidal gate or finding an anticipated reach has turned into a beat.

A chart in the cockpit is the £20 version of an all-singing chartplotter bolted in front of the steering wheel.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[jimi]

Agree!

Spend as little time at chart table as poss .. but know where you are all the time in relation to the chart . ie there's that bouy fine on port bow on the chart here.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[NigeCh]

Sorry. Disagree.

If you know the channel inside out then you can leave the chart below: ie I know the Menai Strait backwards both by day and by night, but it still doesn't stop me running aground. At night I still use a marked up chart in the cockpit with the transits added as there as a number of the buoys are unlit.

Now let's assume that you are tasked to take a boat into Jackson Creek by night. Where's Jackson Creek you ask? Well, it's on the Cheasapeake by Deltaville. It's a double Z entrance over 1 mile long with about 12 unlit buoys and as many daymarkers. You will need a torch to spot the daymarks. The daymarks are crucial to keeping to the very narrow channel. There is no way that you could get into there for the first time without having the chart in the cockpit with you constantly referring to it, a 2nd spotter and a helmsman.

My copy of Tom Cunliffe's "The Complete Yachmaster" is kept at home. It makes good winter reading - but I don't agree with everything he says. IMO, it's horses for courses and a good YM candidate will use whatever means necessary to ensure a happy sail with a crew under external pressure (as they are or may be being examined too) to ensure primarily crew safety and then boat safety.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by NigeCh on 12/09/2003 10:43 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[webcraft]

Re: Chart in Cockpit on YM Exam or any other time

Why not scan, print (A4) and laminate any useful sections of chart or pages from the pilot?

I've got laminated pages from the CCC pilot for several of the local anchorages and entrances which require care and attention. They're totally waterproof and easy to handle - I can just grab the appropriate one and slide it out of the way under the coachroof hatch cover to be consulted instantly as and when the need arises. They can be done double sided to save space/paper/laminating film/time, and a cheap laminator can be picked up for about £40.

- Nick



<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com>http://www.bluemoment.com</A></font size=1>

 

[Cornishman]

Re: Sorry. Disagree.

He'd be a pretty daft examiner giving someone the task of entering an unlit creek after dark. After 30 years as an examiner I cannot recall ever being asked to conduct exams in Chesapeake Bay, anyway! It would be a bit like asking someone on a driving test to drive along a dual carriageway after dark without the lights on. Interesting, but would not test anything other than one's night vision.



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Badger]

Re: Chart in Cockpit on YM Exam or any other time

That's what I would call a pilotage plan in or out of a harbour, whether it is a tracing or photocopy, sketch with rough heading etc.Very useful. Different from having the chart in the cockpit all the time.

<hr width=100% size=1>