yachtmaster ocean requirements

• Yachtmaster Ocean
• Recreational

Yachtmaster Ocean Qualifications

This certificate is a qualification that indicates that the holder has sufficient knowledge of celestial navigation to navigate a 24-metre vessel globally using a sextant and to plan, undertake and manage an ocean passage together with a comprehensive understanding of the factors involved with regards to routing and meteorology. The minimum age to obtain this certification is 18.

What are the entry level requirements?

To gain the IYT Yachtmaster Ocean certificate, candidates must first hold the IYT Yachtmaster Offshore certificate.

What does the Yachtmaster ocean theory course consist of?

The course consists of six days of astronavigation and worldwide meteorology. A thorough knowledge of all subjects covered in the IYT Yachtmaster Offshore course is assumed. There will be a final written examination on the last day of the course.

It has come to our attention that it has not been made perfectly clear to all IYT Worldwide yachtmaster candidates that this certification is for recreational use only and may never be upgraded to a professional certificate. Therefore, we require all candidates taking a recreational IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore or Ocean course to complete an acknowledgement prior to taking the course.

Course Outline

• The Earth and the celestial sphere
• The PZX triangle
• The sextant
• Measurement of time
• Meridian altitudes
• Planet sights
• Starsight planning
• The pole star
• Moon sights
• Compass checking
• Satellite navigation systems
• Great circle sailing
• Meteorology
• Passage planning

The IYT Yachtmaster Ocean certificate is a qualification that indicates that the holder has sufficient knowledge of celestial navigation to navigate globally using a sextant and to plan, undertake and manage an ocean passage together with a comprehensive understanding of the factors involved with regards to routing and meteorology.

Certificate Limitations:

• Command of a vessel up to 24 meters in length
• all oceans / anywhere in the world
• not for commercial use

Note: Yachtmaster Ocean is a recreational course that can be taught in any language BUT cannot be upgraded to the professional Master of Yachts certificate.

How Do I Apply for Enrollment?

Candidates may apply to any of the participating IYT Partner Schools worldwide who offer this course.

As you advance and become more proficient as crew or skipper you take on bigger challenges that require proper training to ensure the safety of your family and friends. The bigger the boat or length of adventure the more training you require.

Most of us prefer to spend our time on the water and not in a classroom. To facilitate this, IYT has a series of E-learning courses available for the theoretical part of sail and powerboat training.

• Take one of our online (Elearning) courses for your next level of training.
• Plan your practical training at one of our many schools worldwide to earn your final qualification.
• Book in advance with your school as class sizes and availability may be limited.
• Review the IYT course progression details to learn about professional level courses.
• Spend time on the water and properly log your seatime.

The Boating Lifestyle is one of the most rewarding pursuits available. There is something physically and emotionally invigorating when you are offshore. To enjoy the experience fully you need the proper training & skills to be safe, prepared and command a vessel.

Recreational Student Information

Benefits of an iyt certification.

IYT is the largest provider of crew and skipper certificates for the recreational yachting industry in the world. Learn more about the benefits of an IYT Certificate.

Certificate Renewal

For many IYT certificates, there is the need to re-qualify for your certificate every 3 to 5 years. This ensures that our certifications are meeting international standards.

IYT Yachting Passport

The IYT Passport is recognized in over 40 countries around the world and offers you an opportunity to study and train worldwide.

• Course Progression

A beginner at sailing or operating a powerboat should be familiar with the training path that is available from IYT. Many recreational boaters progress to become crew on superyachts.

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Neptune Maritime Training Sail & Power

Unravel the mysteries of astro navigation, using a sextant, ocean passage making, worldwide meteorology and electronic navigation aids.

This course is for those aspiring to blue water cruising and is ideal for holders of theYachtmaster Offshore certificate who are preparing for their first ocean passage.

Topics covered include:

• The earth and the celestial sphere
• Practical guide to use and care of sextant at sea
• Meridian altitudes
• Sun, star and other sights
• Ocean passage planning

Prior to the course your navigation skills should be at the standard of the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore shorebased course.

If you are working towards your Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence, completion of this shorebased course exempts you from the written exam.

The course is taught over 40 hours with one exam paper. It can be covered as a series of short sessions, as an intensive week-long course.

Ocean Yachtmaster Practical

We regularly organise practical experience in taking sights and plotting positions on board. We can also help you achive your quallifing passage.

We will work with you through the process and review your documentation before submitting for assessment.

you are welcome to borrow one of our sextants and almanacs to help you develop your skills before the practical passage.

A person holding a Yachtmaster Ocean qualification is experienced and competent to skipper a yacht on passages of any length in all parts of the world.

Details of Courses and Prices

The Yachtmaster Ocean exam is an oral and written test of your knowledge of ocean passage making including planning, navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management, yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs. You will also be questioned on your sights taken at sea during an ocean passage.

We hold regular Yachtmaster ocean theory courses . these cover the essencial knowledge as well as practice in taking sights and plotting positions while sailing.

Course costs

• RYA yachtmaster ocean course 790e
• practical trip for celestial sights 450e (2 days)
• RYA exam fees for ocean oral 250e (£200 direct to RYA)

What is include

• Course material
• use of a sextant during the course
• RYA course completion certificates
• teas, coffee soft drinks

What is not included

• flights and travel to course
• accomodation ashore
• meals and drinks ashore
• personal travel insurance
• any RYA examination fees for certification

The candidate must provide the examiner with:

• A narrative account of the planning and execution of the qualifying passage
• Navigational records, completed on board a yacht on passages, out of sight of land showing that the candidate has navigated the yacht without the use of electronic navigational aids.

The records must include as a minimum: planning, reduction and plotting of a sun run meridian altitude sight and a compass check carried out using the bearing of the sun, moon, a star or planet.

During the oral test the candidate may be required to answer questions on all aspects of ocean passage making in a yacht, including passage planning, astro navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management and yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs.

The written exam will include questions on star sight planning and reduction and worldwide meteorology. Candidates who hold the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased certificate, Royal Navy Ocean Navigation Certificate or a DoT Certificate of Competence as a Deck Officer will be exempt from the written examination.

Before you book your exam please check that you:

• have completed the required mileage and experience as skipper
• hold a VHF Radio Operators License or Short Range Certificate
• hold a valid first aid certificate
• have read the syllabus in RYA publications: G15 (sail) or G18 (power)
• have read and comply with the pre-requisites above.

If you need a Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence in order to work on board a commercial craft subject to the MCA’s codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed – see left. You can then work worldwide as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt.

The Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence can be used commercially in its own right. It is also a pre-requisite for the MCA’s Chief Mate, Master 500 and Master 3000 qualifications.

Contact details

RYA Certificates of Competence, Part 5 - Yachtmaster Ocean

Sailing qualification recognised around the world as a clear mark of your sailing ability.

By Marcin Wojtyczka

In this article in series about RYA certifications we reveal how to pass the RYA Yachtmaster® Ocean Certificate of Competence.

The RYA Yachtmaster® Ocean Certificate of Competence is proof that you have the knowledge and experience needed to skipper a yacht on passages of any length in all parts of the world. The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean is the highest certification level at RYA.

The holder of a Yachtmaster Ocean qualification should be competent to skipper a yacht of up to 24 metres LOA (up to 200gt) anywhere in the World (Category 0 waters - unlimited).

The assessment is done by oral interrogation (~1.5 hours). You also need to pass the written (~1.5 hours) exam if you did not complete the Ocean Theory course, complete a qualifying passage, and prepare narrative account and navigational records. You have to stand to attention before seasoned most likely old RYA-appointed salt and convince him that you sailed as skipper or first mate and that you know the job. To be honest, there is probably no better way of doing it.

Don’t treat the examination just as an exam. This is a great opportunity to get feedback on your skills and become a better sailor.

Requirements

You can find the official requirements here .

• Hold an RYA Yachtmaster® Offshore Certificate of Competence
• Have completed a qualifying passage which meets the following criteria: You were fully involved with the planning of the passage, including a selection of the route, the navigational plan, checking the material condition of the yacht and her equipment, spare gear, victuals and organising the watch-keeping routine. Throughout the passage you must have acted in a responsible capacity either in sole charge of a watch or as a skipper. Qualifying passage should be non-stop by the shortest navigable route with no change of skipper. During the qualifying passage a minimum non-stop distance of 600 miles must have been run by the log, the yacht must have been at sea continuously for at least 96 hours and the yacht must have been more than 50 miles from land or any charted navigational object while sailing a distance of 200 miles. You can find the exact requirements of the qualifying passage here . If you have any doubts about whether your chosen route qualifies, you can always contact RYA at [email protected] During the qualifying passage you should take some sights to prove that you are actually capable of navigating out of sight of land by astro navigation. If circumstances prevent astro sights from being taken on the ocean-qualifying passage you can also take them on another shorter passage. You just have to make sure to be enough far from shore so that the sights are taken out of sight of land.

Preparation

Before taking the oral exam, it is recommended to take Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course . If you complete the course, you will be exempted from the written examination.

Please also take a look at our routes . On all our offshore passages we are navigating using celestial navigation. Some of our passages qualify for the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean certification where you can be a watch leader to meet the qualifying passage requirements. Many of our participants passed the prestigious RYA Yachtmaster Ocean exam and keep returning year after year to us in order to become yet more confident and experienced. Our practical on-the-water training builds confidence, teaching you everything from basic terminology and safety tips to how to skipper a yacht and manage its crew.

Exam Syllabus

During the oral exam, the questions should generally be related to your qualifying passage but may also refer to longer passages if needed to find out if you are capable of an ocean crossing. You may be required to answer questions on all aspects of ocean passage-making in a yacht, including passage planning, navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management and yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs.

After booking the exam and at least 1 week before the exam date you must provide the examiner with:

• A narrative account of the planning and execution of the qualifying passage.
• Navigational records, completed on board a yacht on passage, out of sight of land, showing that you navigated the yacht without the use of electronic navigational aids. As a minimum, this should include the planning, reduction, and plotting of a sun-run-meridian altitude or sun-run-sun sight and a compass check carried out using the bearing of the sun, moon, star or planet.

The examiner will not be hard on you if you provide a good narrative account and lots of navigational records. You should show him or her that you thought about many aspects of voyage planning and execution, and that you care about the safety of the yacht and the crew. You will definitely fail if you show a cavalier altitude.

The narrative should include the following:

• Brief description of the chosen vessel and suitability for the voyage
• Crew selection
• Pre-checks on the condition of the yacht, including hull, rigging, engine, electrics and fittings checks
• Navigational passage planning: route selection, sources of information to decide on a strategy, expected and possible durations of the passage if no wind/rig failure/divert to the port of refuge etc.
• Navigational equipment: electronic and manuals
• Weather: source of information pre-departure, weather forecasting sources on passage, actual weather experienced
• Harbours planned: pilotage, reporting, berthing, customs and immigrations procedures
• Ports of refuge
• Watchkeeping rota
• Consumables provisioning: victualling (water and food) and fueling/bunkering - estimating daily usage, the amount carried, allowance for delays, calms and emergencies, preparation for what-if scenarios (e.g. contamination of water, fridge failure etc.)
• Consumables monitoring en route: fuel, gas, food, water, battery
• Methods of charging batteries, battery capacity and electrical consumption calculations
• Medical kit carried and preparation for medical emergencies (e.g. availability of suitable courses)
• Standing orders
• Safety briefing conducted
• Routine equipment checks and maintenance, precautionary replacements
• Drills practices before departure and during the passage
• Fire precautions
• VHF / HF / MF channels monitored
• Communications equipment carried
• Position reporting to shore stations
• Navigational hazards including shipping lanes and shallows
• Expected shipping traffic and other vessels encountered (e.g. fishing fleets)
• Use of courtesy ensigns and Q flag
• Emergency (contingency) plans: MOB, rig failure, hull breach, steering failure, port/hatch failure, engine failure, abandon ship, divert to the port of refuge, heavy weather preparation and tactics, emergency repairs (e.g. jury-rigging, repairing damage to the hull, jury-steering)
• Spare gear and tools required, carried and used
• Deck safety: clipping on and numbers of the crew on deck
• Charts and publications used
• Copy of ship’s log and charts
• Navigation by sextant: all written sight reduction, compass check and plotting sheets completed at sea (not tidied up ashore)
• Procedure for cleaning and securing the yacht at the end of the passage

Here you can find an example of RYA Yachtmaster Ocean narrative and navigational records for passage from Gibraltar to Tenerife prepared for my exam.

The written exam will include questions on celestial navigation (sights and sight reduction) and worldwide meteorology.

If you hold the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean shorebased course completion certificate you will be exempted from the written examination.

Learning materials

• Celestial Navigation in practice - Astro navigation primer.
• Celestial Navigation - With the Sight Reduction Tables with Pub. No 249 - This book gives the clearest explanation of how celestial navigation works and how to use it without bogging down in theory.
• How to use sextant (PDF) , Video
• RYA Certificates of Competence
• Certificates

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RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam

IMPORTANT : **** WE DO NOT OFFER THE ORAL EXAM (USUALLY DONE IN THE UK OR AUSTRALIA) ****

WE ONLY OFFER THE OCEAN THEORY COURSE ( click here for details ).

A person holding a RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean qualification is experienced and competent to skipper a yacht on passages of any length in all parts of the world.  Full details of the exam syllabus and requirements are shown in the RYA’s Sail Cruising Logbook (code G15) which we can supply.

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean exam is a two part exam (oral and written) where you will be tested on your knowledge of ocean passage making including planning, navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management, yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs.  You will also be questioned on your sights taken at sea during an ocean passage.

Those who have passed the RYA/MCA Ocean Theory course are exempt from the written test.

For an idea of how the exam will be run, take a look at our  Notes for Examiners .

What to Bring

Definition of a Passage :

• Qualifying passages for Yachtmaster Ocean and Offshore should be non stop by the shortest navigable route with no change of skipper. Passages such as recognised races which may not comply exactly with these requirements may be submitted to the RYA for approval before the voyage.
• Trainee skippers undertaking 60 mile passages are strongly advised to obtain a Coastal Skipper qualification first.
• For Ocean passages the following definition will apply. “Throughout the passage the candidate must have acted in a responsible capacity either in sole charge of a watch or as a skipper”.
• Ocean candidates may take their sights on a shorter passage than the qualifying passage. The examiner will determine whether the candidate is competent at astro navigation.

Examiners are responsible for establishing the level of a candidate’s competence during the exam.

Where a candidate’s qualifying mileage is doubtful examiners will question the candidate carefully.

Passage planning documentation.

Sights taken on passage.

We don’t currently offer this exam.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean

• 6th November 2023
• by Pete Green

Part 1 Theory

Is it still relevant for today?

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean is the RYA’s highest shore-based theory qualification. With multiple sources of GPS on a boat, why is it still relevant to learn an instrument based on 800-year-old technology and look up data from volumes of paper tables?

For centuries sailors have navigated oceans by fixing a position with a sextant observing the sun, moon, stars, and planets. Today, it is not only a fascinating art, but an essential alternative to GPS and electronic plotters when redundancy and reliability are essential for crossing oceans.

Electronics and the power to supply them can and do fail.  Salt water is an enemy and there is plenty of it in the middle of an ocean.  You may have redundancy with multiple GPS devices but that doesn’t help if none of them are receiving because of jamming, interference, or atmospheric conditions.

If you know the sun rises in the East and the North star is in the North, you already have some astronavigation knowledge.  With the reliability of just paper & pencil and a simple mechanical instrument, you can find out where you are on the planet to within a few nautical miles.

Many sailors will embark on learning celestial navigation for their own satisfaction, knowledge and dare I say pleasure.  For others, it is a required vocational qualification and revered standard.  Halcyon Yachts employs yacht delivery skippers with a minimum Yachtmaster Ocean qualification so to become a delivery skipper it is a qualification you rightly need to gain.

RYA Syllabus and Pre-Requisites

To get the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence you need to be a Yachtmaster Offshore, do a qualifying passage, take astro navigation sights and pass an exam.

The qualifying passage must be over 600 nm (and over 96 hours) where 200 nm are more than 50 nm from land or charted objects and completed within the last 10 years. You must evidence taking a full part in the planning and preparation and had a solo watch. The astro navigation requirements are a sun or noon sight transfer position fix and a celestial compass check, not necessarily on the qualifying passage.

The exam is an oral and written test.  The oral test covers all aspects of ocean passage making in a yacht, including planning, navigation, meteorology, crew management and yacht preparation, maintenance, and repairs. Candidates must send the examiner an account of the qualifying passage and evidence of taking sights 48 hours in advance.

The good news is if you pass the Yachtmaster Ocean Theory you don’t need to take the written part of the exam and that is the subject of this blog.

Ocean Theory Courses

The two main routes to learning RYA Ocean theory are classroom and online.  Courses are typically a weeklong or online with 40 hours estimated study and cost from under £300.

There are many providers of online theory courses, I used www.skipperson line.net which has a modern interactive interface, worked on all my devices, and allowed learning at my own pace. The exam can be done at home if just for personal development but if commercial endorsement is required then the exam must be invigilated by any RYA Instructor using only the student tables and sight proforma templates provided.

What is Astronavigation?

I won’t pretend to explain astronavigation in a blog but can give a flavour of the content and principles. It was only on the last course module covering the North Star (Polaris) that I had the eureka moment and things clicked into place, so I’ll start there to give a layman’s guide to the theory.

The North Star is always in the North so it’s bearing (or Azimuth) is always north.  It is almost directly above the North Pole (89° 16’ N) so is in the same place every day!  If you were stood at the North Pole, it would be right above you, on your Zenith (an imaginary point directly above a location). If you were close to the equator, it would be very low in the sky, almost on the horizon (90° from your Zenith).  Some basic trigonometry then proves your latitude (in the Northern hemisphere) is always equal to the height of the North Star above the horizon.

Let’s say you measure Polaris as having an altitude of 50°, then your latitude is also 50°.  This doesn’t tell you where you are, but it does confirm your latitude as one position line.  At 50° latitude you could be anywhere west of the Isles of Scilly, East of New Foundland or in the North Pacific but hopefully you’ll be able to narrow that down!

The principal is then the same as Day Skipper, getting position lines from more than one source (or the same one transferred over time) then plotting where they cross to get a fix. If you get stuck an excellent additional resource is “The Practical Guide to Celestial Navigation” by Phil Somerville.  A copy of which is now on the bookshelf of my boat along with some generic proformas and plotting sheets.

Using a Sextant

The shore-based course teaches how to use a sextant but unless you construct an artificial horizon with a bowl of water you’ll have to wait until on passage to try it out.

It is called sextant because its arc is 1/6 th of a circle i.e., 60° but it can measure angles up to 120° using a principle of double reflection. The mechanics are to adjust the sextant arm whilst using telescope, mirrors, and shades to bring the celestial body being measured down (or up) to meet the horizon.  You should take a series of readings over a minute or two and average them on a chart ignoring outliers to select a reading you will use.

There are then some adjustments to make including “index error” of the instrument, “dip” from curvature of the earth based on your height of eye and various potential altitude corrections such as the semi-diameter of the celestial body, terrestrial refraction, and parallax.

The final corrected result is the True Altitude (Ho).  After looking up in tables what the Calculated Altitude (Hc) should be, the difference is then how far away you are on the earth’s surface from an assumed position giving a position line.

We have produced a series of videos that will also help you to learn and master the sextant:

What Sights Can You Take?

To take a sight both horizon and celestial body must be visible, and you need more than one sight for a fix.  One method is to take a sun sight, update your approximate position to be on the sun sight position line then apply dead reckoning and take another sun sight as a running fix.  This is known as a “sun run sun”, one of the position lines could be a simple latitude derived from a “noon sight”, the sun at local noon (Meridian Passage).

Other options may be available at twilight if the moon and planets are visible along with the horizon. Possibly easier are stars.  Of the 2 x 10 23 stars in the visible universe and the 4,500 visible by eye, the positions of 57 most useful stars are recorded in non-perpetual volumes valid for a few years (epoch). To simplify things, altitude and azimuth are given relative to a hypothetic point in the sky (Aries) and don’t require sight reduction calculations.

Meridians and Hour Angles

The Earth is mapped by an imaginary grid of latitude and longitude lines. Latitudes run from 0° at the equator to 90° North and South at the poles.  Latitudes are measured in degrees of declination, the angle north or south from the celestial equator. The declination of the sun changes seasonally from the tropic of Cancer 23.4°N (northern hemisphere summer) to the tropic of Capricorn 23.4°S (northern hemisphere winter) as the Earth orbits the sun.

Longitudes are vertical meridians like segments of a chocolate orange running East to West from a prime meridian. Greenwich meridian was voted by 22 countries as the global prime meridian in 1884, although France continued using the Paris meridian until 1911.

Each minute of longitude is a nautical mile at the surface, and hence a degree of longitude is 60nm. In Astro navigation, the longitude position of a heavenly body is measured by Greenwich Hour Angle (GHA) running west from 0° Greenwich Meridian.  A longitude of 90° East is thus GHA 270°. The earth rotates every 24 hours, hence 15° per hour or 1° every 4 minutes. As you sail west, noon becomes later.

A Local Hour Angle (LHA) is the angle from your position to the heavenly body and is GHA minus your longitude if west or GHA plus longitude if East. For stars we use a Siderial Hour Angle (SHA) which is the angle between GHA and “Aries”, a hypothetical point in where the sun crosses the celestial equator on the northern spring equinox.

Because the earth spins, to measure any hour angle from celestial bodies you need to know the exact time to the second. The British Parliament passed the Longitude Act in 1714 with a reward of £20,000 (£3.35m in 2023) for solving longitude at sea to within half a degree, eventually won by John Harrison, carpenter and clockmaker who invented the marine chronometer.

Today a cheap digital watch set to GMT will work but may still need correcting as can vary 15-30 seconds per month.  In preparation for taking sights, I set three cheap digital watches to the exact time using www.time.is and plan to measure their variation before leaving.

5 Top Tips for Tables

The theory course is full of opportunities to make errors and it can be hugely frustrating having to trace your steps back to the start to try and find the error.  Here are some things that tripped me up when referring to the student tables provided:

Read the headings for columns and rows very carefully.  Column headings can change down the page for blocks of rows (e.g., data for stars) so may it not be the heading at the very top.

Check carefully whether data is positive or negative. In some cases, refer to prior rows where this is given.

The typeface is old and sometimes tricky to read.  Look at the trend for the previous and subsequent periods as a check.

Note how data trends to check if you should add or subtract.  Is declination for example increasing or decreasing and apply that when using data for corrections.

Get used to mental arithmetic in base 60.  A simple technique for subtraction is to re-write degrees and minutes with one less degree (e.g., convert 90° 00’ to 89° 60’) to make base 60 subtraction easier.

Proformas and Spreadsheets

For each type of sight (sun, planets, moon, and stars) there is a separate proforma to use in calculations.  I made my own spreadsheet versions as calculators for backup and for notes to remind me of the process.  Other versions can be found online with various formats, but these worked for me.  They are free to download and whilst I believe they are stress tested they come with no warranty and are no substitute for paper and pen!

Example Sun Sight from Excel Templates – Free Download: Astro Nav Templates

More than just Astro

The theory course is not just astronavigation but includes ocean passage planning, communications, global meteorology and how to check your compass.  You may find some parts of passage planning common sense and communications is a rapidly changing subject with advances in satellite internet access.  You will however need to dust off your Yachtmaster Offshore meteorology and learn about great circle passages, tropical cyclones, trade winds and ocean currents.

Taking the Exam

The exam is two hours long and you will have some sight reductions, plotting and non-astro navigation questions to answer.  For an online course, you’ll need a computer, internet connection and venue with any RYA instructor to invigilate.

Take your time to get settled with coloured pens, 2b pencils, plotter, dividers, student tables and some plain A4 paper. Unlike previous theory courses, plotting is not done on charts but on self-made plotting sheets.  You can buy generic plotting sheets, but the course will teach you to make your own based on your approximate latitude to get the relative scale right.  The student tables are all based on 50° latitude so I made a plotting sheet for that and (with permission) printed half a dozen off to take into the exam which I was very glad of.

You start the exam in your own time, then move forwards or backwards through the questions to complete as you wish. When the time is up, you’ll be asked to upload scans or photos of your work, a camera phone is useful for this.

Getting the Result

Once uploaded, a system message said results would come through in 2 or 3 working days’ time, however I had an email that evening confirming I had passed along with detailed feedback and model answers. Shortly after, an electronic copy of the certification was emailed with a hard copy in the post.

If you are a member of Halcyon Yachts, then please update us with any new RYA qualifications by email to [email protected] . To become a yacht delivery skipper with Halcyon Yachts you will need RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Commercially Endorsed, at least 10,000 NM experience as skipper, a trial sail, good references, and skippers’ third-party liability insurance.

Our continued outstanding reputation is based on the skills and dedication of our skippers. We have the highest standards in the industry, as such our Skippers are qualified to RYA Yachtmaster Ocean as a minimum.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the course and have learned a new skill that will be used.  For nearly a decade I carried a Mark 25 Davis sextant on my 32ft yacht with an equally unopened astronavigation book. Not much use without the sight reduction tables, proformas, plotting sheets and knowledge to use it. Our next long passage I’m going to enjoy impressing the crew by plotting a few sights to update our dead reckoning with a fix.  We will of course still use GPS, but the Mark 25 will no longer be hidden at the bottom of a locker.

Author: Richard Payne, Sales and Operations Manager – Halcyon Yachts. 

With highly qualified and experienced crew, Halcyon Yachts Ltd offers a dedicated international yacht delivery service. For more information or to see details of their recent deliveries please visit: https://halcyonyachts.com/

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• Certificates of Competence

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam

Full details of the exam syllabus and requirements are shown in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158), which is available from the RYA webshop.

The exam consists of an oral and written test.

The candidate must provide the examiner with the following information 48 hours prior to the exam:

• A narrative account of the planning and execution of the qualifying passage providing all relevant details.
• Navigational records, completed on board a yacht on passage, out of sight of land showing that the candidate has navigated the yacht without the use of electronic navigational aids. The records must include as a minimum, planning, reduction and plotting of a sun run meridian altitude sight and a compass check carried out using the bearing of the sun, moon, a star or planet.

During the oral test the candidate will be required to answer questions on all aspects of ocean passage making in a yacht, including passage planning, navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management and yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs.

The written exam will include questions on sights and sight reduction and worldwide meteorology.

Candidates who hold the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Course Completion Certificate (final exam must have been invigilated at an RYA RTC), or a MCA issued full STCW Certificate of Competence as a Deck Officer (Unlimited) will be exempt from the written examination.

Before you book your exam please check that you:

• have completed the required mileage and experience as skipper
• have read the syllabus in RYA Logbook (G158)
• have read and comply with the pre-requisites above.

If you need your Certificate of Competence in order to work on board a commercial craft subject the MCA's codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed - see 'Related articles'.

Please note: Only those who hold the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence are eligible to receive the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence on passing the oral exam. Those holding OOW (Yacht 3000gt) will receive a pass confirmation certificate.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean exam pre-requisites

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Requirements for Yachtmaster Offshore exam

There is some confusion around the requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Coastal or Offshore exam. We hope this guide helps explain these requirements.

Whats covered

In this post, we will answer the following questions:

Sea time requirements for the Yachtmaster Offshore exam

Qualifying passages.

• If my sea time is all on Superyachts
• How to record my sea miles

Converting from sail to power

• What first aid qualification do I need
• Power or Sail?

Commercial endorsement

• Do I need RYA Yachtmaster Theory
• What other skills do I need for the RYA Yachtmaster

To sit the RYA Yachtmaster offshore exam, you are required to have, as a minimum, the following experience. All completed within the last ten years:

• A minimum of  2,500 miles are logged  before you sit the exam. At least half the sea time must be in tidal waters.
• 50 days at sea on yachts up to 500GT.
• During your qualifying sea time, you would have completed  five passages of over 60 miles **. Two of these passages would have been at night, and two acting as skipper.  All five  qualifying passages must have been on a vessel between  7 and 24m in length.
• At least five days experience as skipper.
• Please note if you hold an STCW Elementary First Aid, then it must have been issued in the  last five years .
• For RYA First Aid, it’s  three years.
• A GMDSS short-range VHF radio certificate

Click here if you need to refresh your  STCW Elementary First Aid  or complete a  GMDSS short-range VHF course .

To sit the Yachtmaster Offshore exam, you MUST have completed at least five passages of over 60 miles.

A 60-mile qualifying passage is defined as:

A non-stop voyage from departure port/anchorage A to departure port/anchorage B (Points A and B can not be the same place). 

The 60-mile passage must be a continuous passage. The distance, in this case 60 miles, must be measured as a straight line from port A to port B.

**Qualifying passages must be completed on a vessel less than 24 meters.

Acting as Skipper

The skipper is the person nominated and responsible for planning the passage. The skipper is not necessarily the most experienced or qualified person on board but must be the person with responsibility for the safe execution of the passage. 

If the skipper’s role is transferred to another person at any time during a passage then neither person can claim to have skippered that passage.

What if all my sea time has been on Superyachts/vessels over 24m in length?

The RYA accepts that 50% (1,250) of the qualifying sea miles gained on a vessel over 24m can be used towards the 2,500 miles required for the Yachtmaster Offshore exam.

You should provide a testimonial or Discharge book confirming 1,250 sea miles.

The other 50% of the qualifying sea time must have been completed on vessels between 7 and 24 meters in length . Some Superyachts have large tenders and chase boats. In this case, any miles gained at the helm go some way to 1,250 sea miles.

Sea time requirements for RYA Yachtmaster Coastal

• 30 days at sea on a vessel less than 24m in length, and a minimum of 800 miles logged before you sit the exam. At least half the sea time must be in tidal waters.
• Two days as skipper, on a vessel less than 24m in length.
• 12 night hours.
• Short-range radio certificate (VHF), or equivalent.
• A valid First Aid certificate.
• You must be 17 years old at the time of the exam.

If you hold the RYA Coastal Skipper course completion certificate, then the miles required for Yachtmaster Coastal are reduced to 400.

To convert from Yachtmaster offshore sail to Offshore (Power) you must have completed, in the last 10 years:

• Minimum of 1,250 miles on a vessel between 7 and 24 meters in length
• 25 days living onboard
• 3 days as skipper
• Three passages of over 60 miles, including one overnight and one as skipper

How do I record my sea time for the RYA Yachtmaster exam?

The miles that you have gained on vessels between 7 and 24 meters in length in the past ten years can be recorded in either:

• RYA’s G158 logbook
• A CV detailing your sea time
• An Excel spreadsheet

When recording experience at sea, make sure you detail the following:

• Dates the passage/trip took place.
• Name and type of vessel
• Details of the passages
• Miles sailed on the passages
• Night hours (if applicable)

Flying Fish has created a simple spreadsheet that you can use to record your sea miles. Yachtmaster power personal log

What First Aid Qualification do I need for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore?

You must have a valid, in-date first aid qualification to sit the Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam. RYA first aid, STCW, Seafish first aid certificates are all accepted by the RYA.

If you hold the STCW Elementary First Aid certificate that was issued  more than 5 years  ago, then you will need to refresh your  first aid qualification  before sitting the Yachtmaster exam.

Power or sail?

The RYA offers two practical schemes depending on whether you want to skipper a Power or Sail. boat. Both schemes lead to the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence. The requirements for the Yachtmaster Offshore power or sail qualification are the same, minimum of 2,500 miles, etc.

Many choose to commercially endorse their RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam qualification after completing the RYA Yachtmaster exam. If this is your chosen path, then in addition to holding a valid first aid and VHF certificate listed above, you will need the following:

• Either an  ENG1 or ML5 medical
• STCW or RYA Sea survival certificate
• Complete the RYA’s online  PPR course

Once you have completed these three steps, you can apply for  commercial endorsemen t  through the RYA.

STCW Endorsement

Complete  STCW Basic Safety Training , then the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate will be endorsed to allow the holder to skipper a commercial or privately owned vessel up to 200 gross tonnes, which may be greater than 24m in length.

Do I need RYA Yachtmaster Theory?

In short, yes. To become an RYA Yachtmaster offshore then, you need to be able to navigate as well as handle the boat at sea. Furthermore, holding the RYA Yachtmaster Theory as well as your Yachtmaster Offshore certificate of competence is required if your goal is the Officer of the Watch 3000GT. If you have not sat at the chart table for a while, then consider a combined  Yachtmaster Offshore Theory and practical prep course .

What other skills do I need before I join a prep course?

If you are considering a  Yachtmaster Prep course  then Flying Fish will provide some pre-course reading. If you did some background reading before your prep course, it would help if you had a good knowledge of the following:

• I.R.P.C.S (rules of the road) and distress signals.
• Weather. The passage of frontal depression, sea breeze, fog, effects of wind and tide, and terminology used in a weather forecast.
• Navigation. Understand how to calculate tidal heights, course to steer, and estimated position.
• Ability to tie the basic knots.
• Have knowledge of Radar, rule 19, and how to use it for collision avoidance.
• The  G158 logbook  provides all sea time requirements and a section where you can record all your sea time.

Register today and get £50 off

Enter voucher code HOME STUDY in the booking form

Online Theory Course

An outstanding course - I can highly recommend this. The details, feedback and support is excellent - makes celestial navigation understandable!

Unravel the mysteries of astro navigation, the sextant, global meteorology and ocean passage making

The online RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean theory course teaches advanced techniques to those aspiring to blue water cruising and is ideal for holders of the Yachtmaster Offshore certificate who are preparing for their first ocean passage, and for commercial Skippers or Mates planning on operating more than 150nm from a safe haven.

This course will introduce you to the principles of astro navigation, the practical use of the sextant, the measurement of time, position fixing by the sun and stars, compass checking and great circle sailing.  

You’ll also study the concepts of worldwide meteorology, including tropical revolving storms, and passage planning for ocean voyaging.

• Assumed knowledge Yachtmaster level.
• Minimum duration 40 hours study is specified by the RYA.
• Ability after course Theory knowledge to undertake an ocean passage.

Simply click below to try a free lesson.

Introduction to Astro Navigation

• Introduction & Basic Astro Navigation Theory
• Using a Sextant
• Meridian Passage
• Plotting Your Position
• Planet Sights
• Moon Sights
• Star Sights
• Latitude by Polaris (The Pole Star)
• Compass Check by Sun’s Amplitude
• Ocean Weather & Tropical Storms
• Passage Planning
• Satellite, HF communications and obtaining weather data

Unlimited support from our dedicated RYA Instructors - 365 days a year via email, phone or Skype/Zoom.

14-day unconditional money-back guarantee.

13 fully-narrated online lessons including animations, videos and realistic 3D graphics.

Embedded quizzes with instant feedback in each lesson.

Self-assessment exercises with fully worked answers.

Final exam with detailed instructor feedback and free repeat attempts if requried.

RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Shorebased Theory Course Completion Certificate.

12 months access to study with instructor support and exams - you can extend this if you want.

Lifetime access to training materials once you’ve completed the course.

This course is accessed online with no additional software required.

Lessons are accompanied by optional professional narration, and notes. 

They are intuitive and easy to follow, whilst more complex subjects are accompanied by interactive animations and graphics to help you gain a full knowledge of each subject in the course syllabus.

Whilst the process of translating a sextant sight into a position line is straightforward it is quite challenging to get to grips with. Unlike classroom training, where time is limited and students progress at different rates, online learning allows you to participate in lessons as many times as you wish to fully get to grips with the concepts.

At the end of each lesson there are excercises containg similar questions to the exam, with detailed and illustrated answers sent to you immediately to confirm your progress and fully prepare you for your final exams.

You can repeat entire lessons and excercises as often as you wish until you are confident that you fully understand each subject.

When you have completed the course you can request the final exam.

This is assessed by our RYA Instructors and detailed feedback is provided in any areas that may require further study within the course.

If you pass the final exam you will be awarded the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Course Certificate , which will be posted to you.

Ad ditional free resits, with suitable Instructor guidance, are available if required.

If you  are working towards your Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence, successful completion of this course exempts you from the written exam.

For most students exam invigilation is not required - see here for examples of when invigilation is required.

Call us for advice on 0238 218 2604

Course reviews.

Nigel Andrews

Helped me master it

This was my third attempt at an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean online course from different companies, and by far the best. For an admittedly difficult subject matter to get one’s head around, the instructor presents a very organized and understandable series of lessons that combine learning with wisdom and humour. Its still a tough subject, but this course helped me master it. Thanks!

Mathew Myatt

Ability to repeat when in doubt

Logical and clear. What was really good was the ability to go back and repeat or all or part of a lesson to ensure you truly understand a concept / principle, something which is more difficult to do when in a real classroom situation

David McIntyre

An excellent course

I found this course to be very comprehensive and informative. The format was very well presented and clear. The main advantage for me was the convenience of doing this in your own time. They are very generous with this. All my correspondence was very promptly replied. They are certainly very on the ball. The instructors gave clear and prompt feedback.

David Collins

Well worth the investment. Excellent!

A challenging course which stretches you but backed up with excellent coaching and instructor support. Worth the investment in time and money. Highly recommended.

Combined - RYA Day Skipper & Yachtmaster to fast track your theory learning

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean

Find out About the Yachtmaster Ocean Theory & Practical Training, (both Online & Shorebased)

Use the global Yachtmaster Ocean Directory to Find a Course Near me (Select any Location)

Quick Links

• RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Overview
• RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Overview
• RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Online Course
• RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Prerequisites
• RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam
• Find a Yachtmaster Ocean Course Provider

An RYA Ocean certifies an individual as competent to captain a vessel up to 24m in length on passages unlimited by distance. With the addition of the STCW basic training modules, the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean (practical and theory certificates required) may be endorsed as a commercial MCA Master of Yachts 200GT / Officer of the Yachts (500GT) Unlimted. The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean or IYT Master of Yachts Unlimted certificates are also requirements for the Chief Mate (Yachts 3000), Master of Yachts 3000 or Master of Yachts 500 Certificates of Competency.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory

The theory component of the Yachtmaster Ocean course assumes candidates either hold a Yachtmaster Offshore or the knowledge of such shore-based courses. Although a Yachtmaster Offshore is not a prerequisite to enroll in the Theory course, candidates must hold a Yachtmaster Offshore in order to attain an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean CoC by passing the final exam.

Completion of the theory course will result in exemption from the written component of the final exam (only the oral exam will remain) provided the theory exam is written under invigilated conditions at an RYA-approved training center.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Topics

• PZX Triangle
• Star Sight Planning
• Merpass / Meridian Altitudes
• The Sextant
• Time Zone / Measurement of time
• Planet Sights
• Star Sights
• Latitude by Polaris
• Compass Checking
• Satelite Navigation Systems
• Passage Planning
• Passage Making
• Communicating at Sea

Yachtmaster Theory Online: 

If you wish to study at your own pace, the Yachtmaster Theory can be studied as an online course. At the end of the Yachtmaster online theory course, an exam can be written online or in a classroom environment. If you wish to take the Yachtmaster Ocean final exam in order to gain your certificate of competence, you will have to write an additional theory exam unless your exam was invigilated (at an RYA-approved Centre) at the end of your online course.

Yachtmaster Ocean Exam Requirements / Prerequisites:

In addition to holding an RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence (or an MCA OOW Yachts less than 3000gt) the candidate must complete a qualifying passage on board a sailing or motor yacht up to 500gt.

*Candidates must hold an OOW (Yachts less than 3000gt) in order to claim qualifying passages on vessels greater than 24m LOA.*

Yachtmaster Ocean Qualifying Passage:

In addition to the above requirements the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualifying passage must meet the following requirements:

• 600M including at least 200M more than 50 miles from land or charted objects capable of being used for navigation;
• Duration of at least 96 hours;
• The candidate must have taken a full part in the planning and preparation of the passage, including a navigational plan, checking the material condition of the yacht and her equipment; storing with spare gear, fuel, water, and victuals.
• Throughout the passage, the candidate must have acted in a responsible capacity, either in sole charge of a watch or as a skipper.
• Candidates must have successfully navigated a yacht at sea by Astro navigation. As a minimum, this should include the planning, reduction, and plotting of a sun-run-meridian altitude or sun-run-sun sight and a compass check carried out using the bearing of the sun, moon, star, or planet.

The minimum qualifying passage must have been accrued within 10 years of the examination date.

*If passages were done on a vessel greater than 500gt, the RYA should be contacted.*

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam:

The Yachtmaster Ocean examination is a combination of oral and written assessments which take approximately 1.5 hours. If candidates have completed and passed the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course, they are exempt from the written component of the exam. It is essential that the Theory exam is invigilated at an RYA Training center in order for this written component to be exempt from the final exam.

The exam is an assessment of the sights taken at sea during an ocean passage as well as other areas of ocean passages.

This includes:

• Worldwide meteorology
• Crew management
• Yacht preparation
• Maintenance, and repairs

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Training School Locations

Brazil Sao Paulo

Croatia Split

Greece Corfu

South Africa Cape Town Langebaan

Spain Barcelona

Turkey Marmaris

United Kingdom England

West Indies Antigua

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• Commercial Requirements – STCW, ENG1 and RYA PPR
• Course Calendar

Included in the Course fees are:

• Training material for the week, if applicable.

The use of books, tools and equipment necessary for training:

• RYA Training Almanac (Southern Hemisphere)
• South African List of Lights and Radio Signals
• Symbols and Abbreviations used on South African Charts
• International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs)

We will also provide you with the following which you will be able to keep:

• Personal Logbook
• Yachtmaster Sailing School pen and pencil
• 72-page blank quad exercise book
• Blank almanac pages for theory.

You will have full use of RYA Reference Books and navigation equipment.

Fees exclude:

• £60 – RYA Fees for SRC Radio Certificate – You would need to register for this course online and pay the RYA directly.
• £224 – RYA Fees for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Examination.
• £169 – RYA Fees for RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Oral Examination.
• £35 – RYA Fees for Commercial Endorsement of Certificates of Competence.
• ENG1 Medical Examination R2,800.00 (payable directly to the Doctor)
• STCW – 11 days 
• RYA PPR – online course required for commercial endorsement 
• Accommodation and meals for shore-based courses, time off and any time in Cape Town apart from when on board for a practical course.

Students are required to bring the following on their first day with Yachtmaster Ocean Sailing School:

• R1,500.00 CASH deposit /security for any loss or damage to yachts, equipment etc. At the end of your training, if no loss or damage has been noted, the deposit will be returned to you in cash.
• R100 CASH deposit for a temporary access card to Royal Cape Yacht Club. Students are requested to make their way directly to the reception on their first day and pay the deposit and receive the card. At the end of your training, please return the card to Reception where the deposit will be returned to you.
• Colour passport photographs for the following certificates: SRC Radio, RYA Day Skipper Practical, RYA Coastal Skipper Practical, Prep & Exam (x2), Commercial Endorsement Application, RYA Powerboat level 2.
• A sleeping bag for practical courses, alternatively this can be ordered and purchased from Yachtmaster and will be ready for you on your arrival. Costs R500.
• Foul weather clothing, for practical on-board courses, alternatively this can be ordered and purchased from Yachtmaster and will be ready for you on your arrival. (10% discount offered only to our booked students).

Need Assistance? Contact Us!

Contact details Melani Kruger | Sales Cell:+27 (0)82 088 7186 [email protected]

Perry-Anne Davies | Principal & General Manager Cell:+27 (0)73 187 3746 [email protected]

Yachtmaster Ocean Sailing School Duncan Road, Table Bay Harbour Cape Town, Western Cape 8001, South Africa

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Late notice spaces available for selected courses - click here for details

RYA Yachtmaster™ Ocean Theory

Price: from £485 (Finance now available)

Location: Starts from our base at Premier Gosport Marina

Duration: 5 days

The RYA Yachtmaster™ Ocean Theory Course brings students with at least the RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal or Yachtmaster™ Offshore qualification and some sailing experience, up to Yachtmaster™ Ocean level (Theory only).

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Yachtmaster™ Ocean Theory course!

Booking details

No dates currently available. Please contact us for more info.

Course Information

Joining Instructions: Please click here for course joining instructions

The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam application fee isn’t included in the above cost. Please click here to print-off the RYA Yachtmaster exam application form :

Recommended Reading: RYA Day Skipper Handbook Sail (G71), RYA Yacht Sailing Techniques (G94), RYA Yachtmaster™ scheme and syllabus (G158)

Course Prerequisites:  RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Offshore Certificate of Competence for those intending to ultimately gain the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Ocean Certificate of Competence, otherwise a knowledge of navigation to RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster™ Offshore theory level

Minimum Age: 17+

Holiday Insurance: We would advise ALL our customers to ensure they have suitable holiday insurance in-place. Yachtsman’s insurance is available from a variety of souces like Topsail Insurance and can cover things like cancellations and personal effects cover.

Who is the course for:

This is perfect for those sailors who have completed their RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Offshore and want to explore the world with some blue water sailing experience or major ocean-going passages.

What we cover on the course:

The course does cover all aspects of ocean navigation with particular emphasis on the use of astro-navigation and worldwide meteorology.

The lessons on astro-navigation will unlock the mysteries of the sextant and allow you to confidently take sights at sea to obtain your position and carry out compass checks.

• The earth and the celestial sphere
• Practical guide to use and care of sextant at sea
• Meridian altitudes
• Sun, star and other sights
• Ocean passage planning

Another important aspect of ocean sailing is worldwide meteorology, passage planning and communications at sea.

Publications and charts that assist the ocean navigator such as routing charts and other pilot books will be discussed and used.

The course also recognises that there has been a vast improvement in technology available to help with ocean routing and weather prediction.

Time will be spent discussing the various computer programmes, internet sites and satellite/radio broadcasts available to the modern ocean navigator.

Crew management, watch keeping, victualling, water and fuel management and emergency equipment are also covered to give a real all-round course and a vast depth of knowledge.

Upon having successfully passed this theory course you will be ready to put the theory into practice on an ocean voyage and passage.

If you return form your ocean passage and have done the required navigation and sights, you are eligible to sit the ocean master certificate of confidence exam.

This can be arranged through ourselves or direct with the RYA.

Course formats & details:

Courses run in a choice of two formats:

• 3 consecutive weekends: (Saturday to Sunday)
• 5 continuous days: (Monday to Friday)

The course includes free overnight accommodation aboard our immaculate, well-maintained yachts, and free tea and coffee, although no meals are included in the course cost (Free accommodation is during low season only and subject to yacht availability – Please check with us beforehand).

All meals are at the students own cost and are taken at any of the great local establishments in Gosport, or a short ferry hop across the harbour to Portsmouth.

Please note that during high season accommodation on-board cannot be guaranteed, so please ensure if you need to take advantage of this benefit you inform us of your requirements well in advance. Should we have no free boats available, you will need to arrange overnight accommodation at your own cost.

Fancy going VIP and having your own exclusive private course for you and your friends or family? You can book the whole yacht just for your own exclusive course from only £485 per person. Enjoy the course in style, with up to five persons on the boat being taught by one of our friendly, experienced Yachtmaster Instructors! What a way to start your sailing adventure!

Our Chief Instructor says this about the Yachtmaster™ Ocean Theory Course:

This is one of the coolest things you possibly can do as a Yachtsman.

Being able to use a sextant and navigate with confidence in the middle of the ocean is one of the pinnacles of sailing.

Being out in the middle of the ocean, stood in the cockpit taking sights and then using reduction tables to work out where you are makes some of the most amazing journeys throughout your time as a Yachtsman.

Carrying that wooden box with you onto the vessel as you move towards your passage can be an amazing feeling. With the additions of world meteorology and also ocean passage planning the course really is a good all rounder for those who want to prepare themselves for an ocean voyage of a lifetime.

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Our exciting and very popular luxury 7-day Channel Island Cruises are aimed at breaking the confines of the Solent for a relaxed and enjoyable Channel Islands adventure. They are a great way to relax, gain sea miles, enhance your sailing skills and see the beautiful Channel Islands. All under the watchful eye of our professional Skipper.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the Channel Island Cruise!

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The popular and fun Spinnaker & Downwind Sailing Weekend is a great introduction to flying the “big kite”, especially for budding racing sailors wanting a taster of the skills required. This is an essential for those wanting to do any offshore racing, including the iconic RORC Fastnet race!

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the Spinnaker & Downwind Sailing Weekend!

RYA Sea Survival

The RYA Sea Survival Course is an essential for any sailor. Teaching self-help techniques and what to do when all is lost, it’s a prerequisite for longer passages and those wanting to get into racing like RORC Fastnet!

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Sea Survival course!

Customer reviews

Great team of instructors with a huge range of knowledge, and experience. Lovely yachts, and a stylish floating class room. The place to expand your sailing life.

Positive: Value After last summer me and my family definitely want to go back to Croatia. And will definitely get a Prestige 46 again! Nice boat! Brac and Hvar were great, and then Mljet and Lastovo...another level! Thanks Commodore yachting team, we felt like home.

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Yachtmaster Ocean Theory

Unlock the magic of Celestial navigation with the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course!

Our expert instructor will teach you what to do step by step so that you understand “why” you’re doing it, and can then confidently put it into practice when on board.

You will look at  at passage planning, astro-navigation and worldwide meteorology, as well as exploring and solving the mysteries of the use of a sextant!

The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean certificate is also a pre-requisite for the MCA’s Chief Mate, Master 500 and Master 3000 qualifications.

899  €

• Description

Additional information

• Reviews (1)

Event Details

Find your way in any situation:  Even the best GPS equipment may break down or malfunction. If your boat’s GPS fails while you are out on the open water, celestial navigation can help you find your way. Star navigation may also come in handy when boating in sight of land without a GPS onboard. When the sun goes down, and you can no longer see those once familiar landmarks, stellar navigation will point you towards the shore.

Expand your knowledge of the world:  Celestial navigation requires sufficient knowledge of stars and constellations. Mariners must be able to identify major stars and constellations and understand their movement in the sky. By learning how to navigate by stars, you expand your knowledge of the universe and learn more about how the world works.

Impress your friends:  In addition to being useful and educational, star navigation is also fun. You’ll impress your friends with your ability to navigate using stars and can even share this fascinating art with them.

Despite modern innovations that allow for highly accurate navigation, navigating using stars remains a valuable and enjoyable skill. When you know how to navigate using the stars, you can always find your way home on a starry night.

Course content

• The Earth & the celestial sphere
• The PZX triangle
• The sextant
• Measurement of time
• Meridian altitudes
• Sun, star & other sights
• Compass checking
• Satellite navigation
• Great circle sailing
• Meteorology
• Passage planning
• Passage making
• Communications

Pre-course experience / requirements

Assumes knowledge of all subjects covered in previous shorebased courses (e.g. YM Offshore shorebased)

1 review for Yachtmaster Ocean Theory

Amador N. – August 6, 2019

Recommended!!

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What Sailing Qualifications Do You Need?

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

One main question you probably have in mind is, what qualifications do I need to sail a boat? And if not, what licenses do I need to sail in international waters?

Well, we have compiled for you all the information about the licenses you need as well as sailing qualifications needed.

To quickly answer the question on which qualifications one needs to sail a boat, we can say that there is no “boat license'' you need to obtain to sail a boat but there are different requirements and qualifications you need to get to navigate through different waterways.  However, these sailing requirements and qualifications differ from state to state within the US, and between countries overseas. You can learn more here about state specific boating license requirements.

This means that even if you have a local sailing license such as one from American Sailing Association (ASA) or have met all the sailing requirements in your state, it might not be accepted overseas. That’s why we recommend that you get the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) if you would like to go beyond local water bodies.

Some states are quite flexible when it comes to sailing qualifications you need to venture out on the water, but this doesn’t mean that there are no requirements. You do not want to find yourself in trouble with the law enforcers.

Simply put, we can say that sailing a boat requires you to go through strict tests. Therefore, if you would want to be on the safe side, you need to get all the licenses and certifications needed to sail a boat since this is mandatory in some states.

One of the certificates you should not miss is the International Certificate of Competence. This certificate shows that you are competent enough to handle boats in foreign countries. It is mostly recognized worldwide and confirms that a candidate can safely sail during the day.

So, how do you obtain sailing licenses, including the International Certificate of Competence? Well, there are several courses you should undertake, and in this brief guide, we will take you through different legal requirements you need to meet as well as the courses you should undertake so as to become a qualified sailor.

Note that our guide is only suited for those who are looking for qualifications for sailing a boat for recreational purposes.

Let’s get started…

Table of contents

Sailing Certification Organizations

There are two respected organizations that offer international sailing certificates. These include;

• ‍ International Yacht Training

American Sailing Association

The American Sailing Association is the veteran school for sailing qualifications. ASA has been offering sail training for a long time and serves as a non-profit organization.

The ASA is US-based and focuses purely on offering certificates to people who are interested in recreation sailing- it doesn’t offer certificates for commercial or racing qualifications. Most beginner sailors in the US prefer to get ASA certification. Some of their training includes information that is relevant to only those sailing in the US waters.

IYT can be termed a newcomer as it started in 2002. Unlike the ASA, IYT is not a non-profit organization. One benefit of IYT is that it offers courses in different languages. ASA courses are only taught in English.

Sailing Qualifications Needed

Regardless of whether you want to charter a boat with family or friends or you want to make a career out of sailing, there are specific qualifications you have to obtain. We will discuss the various courses you need to take to get certifications from the above three organizations.

Beginner Courses

Beginner sail courses can take between two days and a week and involve a mixture of classroom work and practical tasks. In ASA the courses are called 101-103.

After you complete these courses, you are requested to apply your skills on smaller boats or yachts so that you can have a feel of how to sail . This way, you will have lesser chances of making mistakes than when you start with heavier boats.

Just like any other beginner course, the courses offered in this first step are all about helping you understand the basics of sailing so that you can learn to sail right from the start.

As such, they are invaluable, and you should take them seriously. They also offer an opportunity to have any general questions you may have about the courses that suit you, places where you can get sailing experience, how you can build your miles, and much more answered by an instructor. These courses will provide you with all the necessary skills you need to assist a skipper.

Intermediate Courses

Intermediate sail courses take three days to one week and involve onboard learning (practical). In ASA, they call it 104 while in IYT, the course is called International Bareboat Skipper. You may also find a purely classroom-based course for the same in other organizations.

Intermediate courses are aimed at providing skills to sail a boat within sight of land during the day. Candidates take up these courses so that they can sail a boat or yacht with a recognized charter company. Many charter companies require individuals to have a certification in an intermediate sail course. Others require one to have an International Certificate of Competence as well as certification for VHF radio operation.

Advanced Courses

In most cases, advanced sailing courses are known as Yachtmaster. You will find them split into three sub-groups by IYT, including Coastal, Ocean, and Offshore.

ASA divides the courses into 106, 107, and 108. To undertake Yachtmaster courses, a candidate must have managed to get a minimum of 800 miles at sea. These courses are meant to enhance candidate skills, such as enabling them to navigate in bad weather, sailing at night, blind navigation, etc.

It is important to mention that the Yachtmaster Offshore course/ ASA107 requires a candidate to have logged in more sea miles-2500 sea-miles. For the Yachtmaster Ocean course/ ASA108, you get to learn advanced navigation skills to allow you to sail a boat in deep waters.

More about Sailing

It is important to mention that the above timeline applies to the average sailor who wants to sail for recreational purposes- they do not cater for commercial sailing.

For those who are new to the field of sailing, you should start at the beginner level. Your local sailing club can offer all the information you need to get started by undertaking a beginner course in sailing.

A quick Google search for sailing lessons in your local area should return results for friendly courses you can undertake in different schools.

With beginner courses, you will be able to experience a sailboat under the supervision of an instructor. The majority of these beginner courses come with all the equipment you need, including life jackets and standard wet gear. This means that at first, you will not have to invest in these things.

Entry-level lessons help you familiarize yourself with basic sailing techniques, navigation, how the boat moves, standard procedures for operating the boat, etc.

Once you are done with beginner courses, you will want to advance to intermediate courses so that you can get professional qualifications. Depending on the country you are in, these courses may differ slightly. Also, the cost will vary. You should contact a local sailing club to get the details of the course and prices.

Below are the requirements and curriculum of ASA;

There are different sailing courses offered by the American Sailing Association, and thus the requirement needed for a certificate of competence varies. You should check out the different courses and their requirements on their  official website .

Now that you know the courses you should take for you to qualify to sail a boat locally, let's talk about the requirements for sailing around the world- getting an International Certificate of Competence.

About International Certificate of Competence

For people who want to sail small boats or yachts on international waters for recreation purposes, this is the certificate to get. This certificate is internationally recognized and certifies that a skipper is competent to operate a boat or yacht for recreational purposes. Note that this certificate is not meant for commercial purposes.

Just as the name suggests, this certificate is recognized internally as a license for boating, although it is not an actual license.

Therefore, if you want to sail around the world for recreational purposes, this is the certification to get. It acts as an international driver’s license, but solely for sailing into other countries. Keep in mind that this is a certificate you get as part of advanced sailing courses.

What Does The ICC Course Involve?

The International Certificate of Competence course is divided into two parts- the theory assessment part and practical assessment. Let’s discuss the two parts in detail;

The ICC Theory Assessment

This part covers the following;

• ‍ Navigation and chart work whereby you learn how to calculate the course when sailing, how to read latitude/longitude bearings as well as measuring distance
• Regulations for international boating
• How to identify shapes; night lights, day ships, sound signals
• How to use VHF Radio

The ICC Practical Assessment

This covers the following;

• ‍ Engine checks
• Fire safety
• Primary medical care and first aid
• Boating safety
• Leaving and returning the boat to the shoreline

Note that the above areas may vary slightly depending on your locality, but they all interrelate.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Sailing Courses?

How long does the icc course take.

The International Certificate of Competence course takes approximately 3-4 weeks to complete. However, the duration for the course can vary from country to country and also based on the ability of the candidate to complete the course.

Where can one undertake the ICC course?

As we mentioned earlier, popular websites such as American Sailing Association have lists of schools that provide the ICC course.

But you can do a simple Google search that includes your local area to get details of the nearest centers that offer ICC courses. The most popular areas are in the US, but you can find centers in most countries that offer this course.

What is the approximate cost of the ICC course?

The cost of the course varies from place to place and also depends on your learning ability. If you don’t have previous experience or knowledge in sailing a boat, you are going to incur more to get to an advanced level of sailing. In terms of fees, it can range from $100 to $1,000s. The exam fees are not extreme.

There are many online courses you can take if you want to enhance your skills. The courses can help you prepare for the ICC exam.

Again, you can visit the official website of ASA to get more information about the course details and costs.

Will I need to renew my ICC?

Your ICC will be valid for five years, after which you will need to renew it.

Do charter companies require one to have any experience before leasing you a yacht or boat to you?

Well, charter companies want assurances that you will be able to handle their boats. They also do not want you to damage their boats or get into accidents. That’s why they will ask questions about your experience.

They will mostly ask you whether or not you have chartered similar sized boats before in similar waters, and also if you can handle currents and tidal ranges. They will also gauge your reef navigation skills and if you can confidently anchor a boat . These are some of the things they will be looking for before leasing a boat or yacht to you.

Is there anything else I need to know about ICC?

There have been changes enacted in the last couple of years. For instance, charter brokers are now requesting more qualifications than the ICC for high-end boats valued over $400,000.

However, this depends on the broker in question, but it is crucial that you become aware of this. You don't want surprises when you have already planned for your vacation.

Are there fast-track skipper courses one can undertake?

Yes. Many sailing schools have fast-track, intensive courses that you can take for a week. A fast track skipper course covers more about boat navigation techniques in your locality.

Can you undertake an intensive sailing course with no experience?

Yes. However, it is important to mention that these are intensive courses, and thus are meant for people with some sailing experience.

Most schools recommend students to undertake beginner sailing courses before doing a fast-track bareboat skipper course. This way, you will have the basic knowledge of sailing, and thus it will be easier to learn navigation skills.

Are there advanced qualifications one can undertake?

Yes. You can undertake Yachtmaster certification/ASA 106 as well as Bareboat Skipper to allow you to sail in moderate conditions during the day. There are also Yachtmaster courses that empower one with skills to sail at night. You can contact the nearest school in your locality to know more about advanced courses you can undertake.

To summarize all this, we can say that sailing qualifications required to sail a boat vary from one country to another. Some countries may not have legal requirements when it comes to sailing qualifications, but it is always best to get a certificate to avoid inconvenience.

If you are not planning on venturing into international waters, local competence certificates will be enough. However, if you will be traveling in international waters, you will need to get an International Certificate of Competence (ICC). This will protect you in foreign waters as you will be compliant with maritime laws.

If you want a charter boat of varying sizes without a skipper, you may need to undertake an advanced course for proof of competence.

Finally, just to remind you, all the certificates and courses we have discussed here are for those planning to operate a boat for recreational use. There are professional certificates needed for those who want to operate a boat for commercial purposes.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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• Certificates of Competence

Qualifying passages

Definitions.

• Skipper:  The skipper is the person nominated and responsible for the planning and execution of a passage including vessel and watch management. The skipper is not necessarily the most experienced or qualified person on board but must be the person with responsibility for the safe execution of the passage. If the skipper's role is transferred to another person at any time during a passage then neither person can claim to have skippered that passage.
• Mate:  For the purpose of qualifying passages, a mate is any person on board who has sole responsibility for managing a navigational watch during a passage. They must be actively engaged in the planning and execution of a passage.
• Tidal:  An area is deemed tidal if published stream, current or tidal range data is available, the influence of which is significant enough to require the effects to be taken into account to plan and execute a safe and efficient passage.
• Days on board:  A day on board or as skipper is a period of eight consecutive hours living on board, the majority of which the vessel should have been at sea. Periods of less than eight hours cannot be aggregated to make up eight hours. Only one eight-hour period may be counted in any 24 hour period.
• During a qualifying passage there should be no change of skipper or mates. Trainee skippers undertaking 60 mile passages are strongly advised to obtain a Coastal Skipper qualification first.

Additional for RYA Yachtmaster Ocean:

• Candidates on Ocean qualifying passages must have acted in a capacity of either mate or skipper throughout the entire passage.
• If circumstances prevent astro sights being taken on the ocean qualifying passage candidates may take their sights on another shorter passage. Such sights must be taken whilst the vessel is on passage and out of sight of land or charted objects capable of being used for navigation/position fixing. The examiner will determine whether the candidate is competent at astro navigation.
• Qualifying passages, sea time and days as skipper must take place on a suitably sized vessel appropriate to the discipline being examined, as detailed below.

Suitability of vessels for exam pre-requisites for RYA Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore and Ocean exams:

For vessels over 24m LOA greater than 500gt please contact RYA Training 2 .

• Up to 50% of the minimum requirement. Evidence of status on board required by testimonial or seaman's discharge book.
• For vessels up to 200gt candidates must hold a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or higher Certificate of Competence. For vessels over 200gt candidates should hold an STCW Officer of the Watch (Yacht 3000gt) Certificate of Competence or higher to be able stand navigational watches during the passage. Please see MSN 1858 for further information.
• Contact [email protected]  if your sea time is on a yacht greater than 24m and 500gt.