You can't call yourself a Yachtmaster if.....

[Elessar]

There are a lot of people here drawing rather elaborate and generally uncomplimentary conclusions about those who haven't (yet) chosen to take yachtmaster qualifications. I was responding to these conclusions.

I'm sorry if it comes across as criticism. I have great respect for yachtmaster qualifications, just as I have great respect for sailing experience.

Experience is a prerequisite for the YM exam.
I am YM power. It is the first RYA exam i ever did. I've done more since.
I'd like to do my YM sail, I have plenty of miles. But they are old enough not to count. Which is fair enough. I guess but annoying.

So you have to have experience to be a YM. And it has to be reasonably current.

Some more facts that some may not like:
1. The average yachtmaster is a better sailor than the average non yachtmaster. That does not mean every yachtmaster is better than you. But as I don't know how well you sail I can factually say a yachtmaster is probably a better sailor than you. Why can I say this? Because insurance cos give discounts and they do this based on statistics not because they like the idea of an exam.
2. I dont understand inverse snobbery and am proud of having acheived a YM pass. I look forward to building my sail hours back up and passing that too.

 

[JumbleDuck]

You claim "I have great respect for YM qualifications", as well as denigrating hose who have achieved that qualification, because they are either fast track or young or both!

Which part of "I respect experience as well as paper qualifications" is causing you the problems? I'm not sure if I can put it any more simply for you, but in a spirit of openness and friendliness I am willing to try.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Experience is a prerequisite for the YM exam.

True, and it's a reasonable although modest amount. The limited amount of night sailing involved surprises me a bit.

50 days, 2,500 miles including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must be in tidal waters. All qualifying seatime must be within 10 years prior to the exam.​

1. The average yachtmaster is a better sailor than the average non yachtmaster. That does not mean every yachtmaster is better than you. But as I don't know how well you sail I can factually say a yachtmaster is probably a better sailor than you. Why can I say this? Because insurance cos give discounts and they do this based on statistics not because they like the idea of an exam.

They also give discounts for experience. I have no idea how these discounts compare with YM discounts, and would be interested to know.

I look forward to building my sail hours back up and passing that too.

Good luck. As a matter of interest, why are you doing it? Personal challenge, better deal on insurance, sheer hell of it? All of these are perfectly good reasons, by the way, so I am not asking in order to snipe.

In a spirit of openness, I'm happy to say why I haven't gone for the qualification: (1) I don't need it because I don't charter and my insurance is cheap and (b) I don't think my experience (though it significantly exceeds the minimum required) is enough, mainly because I don't think I have sailed enough types of boats - all my recent experience is in a 26' long keeler.

By the way, I have Day Skipper (theory), Coastal Skipper (theory) and started doing Yachtmaster Ocean (theory) but dropped out when I found that the first practice example in the RYA course notes was demonstrably wrong.

 

[GrahamM376]

Then don`t bloody fly.........but that should be your responsible decision. Sailing is an amateur occupation...NOT a profession. By your way of thinking...nobody who hasn`t ridden a bicycle/been skiing/gone hillwalking recently should be allowed to do it. Its all part of this ridiculous nannystateelfansafety pusillanimous way of thinking and organising society.

To compare sailing to gliding isn't on as, if you haven't flown for a while, check flights are needed. Also, someone may have several hundred hours on a flat site but may not be allowed to fly solo elsewhere, depending on conditions. That's not the case with unregulated sailing in the UK.

I admit to having done RYA courses as a means of learning and, after a few years took the YM exam, not to feel better than others but as test of my skills. I'm well aware there are thousands of better sailors out there with far more experience and, in my mind, not having a piece of paper doesn't make them second class.

 

[GrahamM376]

1. The average yachtmaster is a better sailor than the average non yachtmaster. That does not mean every yachtmaster is better than you. But as I don't know how well you sail I can factually say a yachtmaster is probably a better sailor than you. Why can I say this? Because insurance cos give discounts and they do this based on statistics not because they like the idea of an exam.

Maybe the reduction in premium is only because it's proof of experience and they know you're not lying about experience to get cheaper cover.

 

[Bajansailor]

I did my YM 20 years ago because I wanted to try and get into the world of crewing on big boats - got a commercial endorsement on it, and thought the world was my oyster job wise, but it didnt quite work out as planned.
I know that there is no way I could pass a YM exam now, unless I did a lot of revision and practice. But it was good fun at the time.

 

[alant]

True, and it's a reasonable although modest amount. The limited amount of night sailing involved surprises me a bit.

50 days, 2,500 miles including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must be in tidal waters. All qualifying seatime must be within 10 years prior to the exam.​

They also give discounts for experience. I have no idea how these discounts compare with YM discounts, and would be interested to know.



Good luck. As a matter of interest, why are you doing it? Personal challenge, better deal on insurance, sheer hell of it? All of these are perfectly good reasons, by the way, so I am not asking in order to snipe.

In a spirit of openness, I'm happy to say why I haven't gone for the qualification: (1) I don't need it because I don't charter and my insurance is cheap and (b) I don't think my experience (though it significantly exceeds the minimum required) is enough, mainly because I don't think I have sailed enough types of boats - all my recent experience is in a 26' long keeler.

By the way, I have Day Skipper (theory), Coastal Skipper (theory) and started doing Yachtmaster Ocean (theory) but dropped out when I found that the first practice example in the RYA course notes was demonstrably wrong.

That explains a lot!

 

[JumbleDuck]

That explains a lot!

I am glad I have been able to help resolve your confusion.

 

[Slow_boat]

I'm not sure why anyone would want to call themselves a Yachtmaster.

It's a paper certificate of competence, not a rank.

I am the master of my yacht whenever I'm on board. Swmbo is, of course, the Admiral.

 

[Elessar]

I'm not sure why anyone would want to call themselves a Yachtmaster.
.

well I'm proud of it. And others are too. If you're not, fine, that makes you no better or worse.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

...if you believe in the qualification, rather then your own knowledge of your experience and capabilities.

Of course it's a huge achievement for an amateur sailor - but look at what professionals have to do before they can take a course that includes chartwork, tides and navigation: 36 months at sea.

http://www.stc.ac.uk/content/marine-college/officer-watch-oow-%E2%80%93-rating-officer

The standard of YM exams is pretty variable (ask any instructor who has attended a few) and the 'professional endorsement' has meant that some examiners (understandably) tend to apply different standards depending on whether they think the qualification will be used professionally.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Of course it's a huge achievement for an amateur sailor - but look at what professionals have to do before they can take a course that includes chartwork, tides and navigation: 36 months at sea.

That's if they have deckhand experience. For ab initio officer cadets it's a three year course, and requires company sponsorship.

http://www.stc.ac.uk/content/marine-college/new-entrant-cadet-officer-training

 

[Victoria Sponge]

We did a flotilla in Turkey. The lead crew, with two yacht masters on board, ran out of fuel and asked for a tow back to base.

 

[alant]

We did a flotilla in Turkey. The lead crew, with two yacht masters on board, ran out of fuel and asked for a tow back to base.

So?

Explain the circumstances..

 

[alant]

I am glad I have been able to help resolve your confusion.

Bully for you.

 

[lw395]

Experience is a prerequisite for the YM exam.
I am YM power. It is the first RYA exam i ever did. I've done more since.
I'd like to do my YM sail, I have plenty of miles. But they are old enough not to count. Which is fair enough. I guess but annoying.

So you have to have experience to be a YM. And it has to be reasonably current.

Some more facts that some may not like:
1. The average yachtmaster is a better sailor than the average non yachtmaster. That does not mean every yachtmaster is better than you. But as I don't know how well you sail I can factually say a yachtmaster is probably a better sailor than you. Why can I say this? Because insurance cos give discounts and they do this based on statistics not because they like the idea of an exam.
2. I dont understand inverse snobbery and am proud of having acheived a YM pass. I look forward to building my sail hours back up and passing that too.

Makes sense to me.
I sailed for many years with a YM theory (I did that at night school at about age 17) and an 'elementary dayboat certificate'.
I did my YM because I thought I might dabble in delivery, but had to admit I learned, and re-learned a few things.
Not just about sailing/nav, but about getting crew to do things, and a few things about teaching people.

Also it was a pleasant week afloat, met some new people, forgot about work etc.

Since then, a few friends with a lot of miles afloat have done YM late in life, all have had to admit to learning the odd thing, at least alternative ways of looking at things.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I was told I was to be made a prefect, then a day later found that I had been vetoed by my arch-enemy, the head of PE. It was one of the proudest days of my school career.

I was a naughty but not evil little tyke at school. I too was turned down for my prefects badge.

I went out and got qualified ..... became a teacher! .... "Y"

S.

 

[Jamesuk]

.... You don't know your reverse Turkey from your goose wing.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Bully for you.

Apology accepted.

 

[Simondjuk]

If you ninnies spent a little more time reading than bickering, you might learn something.