IAN CROWSON YACHTING SERVICES
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THE RYA CRUISING SCHEME.
THE RYA TRAINING COURSES.
The Royal Yachting Association run training Schemes for all those who go afloat. They range from jet ski and dinghies to the world class RYA/MCA Yachtmaster qualification.
The cruising schemes start with the Competent Crew (sail) or Helmman's Course (motor) and progress through Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper to Yachtmaster Ocean - Motor or Sail. These courses, theory and practical, should be interspersed with your own experiences and adventures.
Many people are taking the Day Skipper to gain the ICC - International Certificate of Competence - this qualification is required by most boat charter companies and the authorities of counties abroad. Note the Greeks now require this.
In the UK charter companies usually accept the Day Skipper for charter of sail boats.
You can join the Scheme at any level of experience, indeed Yachtsmen with the experience required can "go straight for Yachtmasters"
The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster scheme goes back more than 30 years and was developed so as amateur yachtsmen and women had a measure of their ability. It remains the pinnacle of many yachtsmen's achievement. It has also become to be used as a professional qualification
These really are world class schemes, I regularly train men and women from all over the world who come to Britain especially to "do their Yachtmaster" - motor and sail - knowing the qualification they earn is the best anywhere. Owners of charter and super yachts, and their insurers world wide look for the UK RYA/MCA Yachtmaster qualification when employing crew and skippers. More details below.
Full details of the Sail Cruising Scheme are in the RYA G15 Logbook
Full details of the Motor Cruising Scheme are in the RYA G18 Logbook.
Both available from the RYA
Join the RYA today , not only do they administer great training schemes they look after the interests of all those going afloat
COURSE DETAILS BELOW:
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COMPETENT
CREW
SYLLABUS
DETAILS
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5 Day
Course
The aim
of this course is to introduce the complete beginner to
cruising and to teach personal safety, seamanship and seamanship
to the level to be a useful member of the crew of a
cruising yacht
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| DAY
SKIPPER SHOREBASED
SYLLABUS
DETAILS
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5 Day
Course (or 3 weekends)
A
Comprehensive introduction to chart work, navigation,
meteorology and the basics of seamanship. You will find
this course invaluable if you want to learn how start
making decisions on board. It gives enough knowledge to navigate around familiar
waters by day.
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DAY
SKIPPER PRACTICAL
SYLLABUS
DETAILS
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5 Day
Course
This
course teaches pilotage, navigation, seamanship and boat
handling up to the standard required to skipper a small cruising
yacht safely by day in tidal waters with which the student
ifs familiar.
The Day
Skipper course is conducted on board a cruising
yacht (7 to 13m loa).
The
practical course gives you a chance to take charge on
short passages under instruction with plenty of advice and
help from the instructor.
This
qualification will enable you to charter smaller sail yachts, and can
be used to obtain an International Certificate of
Competence for overseas use if required.
There is
also a non-tidal course, this would be taken in the
Med.
The
Watch Leader Course which shares the Day Skipper
Shorebased is taken on board a large sail training vessel.
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| COASTAL
SKIPPER/ YACHTMASTER OFF-SHORE SHOREBASED
SYLLABUS
DETAILS
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5 Days
or 3 weekends
A
advanced course in navigation and meteorology for
candidates for the Coastal Skipper and
Yachtmaster Practical Examination. This is not a
course for beginners, the course does assume
knowledge to Day Skipper level although a certain amount
of revision is programmed.
Those
who have not acquired the knowledge set out in the Day
Skipper Course are unlikely to assimilate the subjects
covered in this advance course .
NOTE:
CS & YM SHARE SAME SHOREBASED COURSE
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| COASTAL
SKIPPER PRACTICAL COURSE
SYLLABUS
DETAILS
Note: This now known as Coastal Yachtmaster |
5 Day
Course
The aim
of the course is to teach the skill and techniques
required to skipper a yacht on coastal and offshore
passage by day and night.
There is
also a non-tidal CS course
Coastal
Skipper Practical Exam
Those
who have accumulated a minimum of 30 days sailing
experience, 2 days as skipper, a total of 800 sea
miles and 12 night hours can take the exam ( which is not
part of the above course) which lasts around 6 to 10
hours. The above sea time is reduced to 20 days, 2 days as
skipper , 400 miles and 12 night hours for candidates
holding a Coastal Skipper Practical Course completion
certificate (gain following the above course)
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YACHTMASTER
PREP COURSE
SYLLABUS
DETAILS
Read my article below.
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Flexible
- usually 5 Days plus exam
A
coaching course for the full RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore
exam. You should have the requisite experience and knowledge before undertaking the course and look upon it
as an opportunity to fine tune any
areas of weakness.
Following
this course, you will undertake you
exam which you should expect to last between 8 to 12 hours
during which time you will examined by an independent RYA/MCA
examiner.
Pre-exam
requirements:
50 days
on board a cruising yacht, 5 days as skipper, 2500 miles
(at least half tidal) 5 passages of ver 60 miles including
2 overnight and two as skipper. The main reason for
failure is fudging experience - the examiner can tell!
A
99% knowledge of the IRPCS is ESSENTIAL before attending
the YM prep Course
VHF
Radio Operators
GMDSS SRC Cert. and a valid RYA recognised First Aid Certificate.
(lots are)
Coastal
Skipper candidates for full exam can attend a similar prep
course./exam
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| YACHTMASTER
OCEAN SHOREBASED
SYLLABUS
DETAILS
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This is
a course in astro-navigation and worldwide meteorology
which reveals the mysteries of the sextant. It assumes a
knowledge of all subjects covered in the other shorebased
course.
This
course give candidates with the knowledge
to navigate the worlds oceans knowing that without GPS
they would not be lost.
The
revised syllabus (2003) concentrates less on the stars and
more on passage planning, passage making and modern
communication systems
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| YM
OCEAN EXAM
SYLLABUS
DETAILS
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Oral
examination. See syllabus details.
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The RYA Yachtmaster Off-Shore - An exam in competent Skippering.
PREPARATION FOR THE YACHTMASTER EXAM ON YOUR BOAT
Ian has prepared well over a hundred successful skippers for their Yachtmaster Exam
Coaching for the prestigious RYA/MCA Off-Shore Yachtmaster or Coastal Yachtmaster can be given aboard your own yacht with as many days as you require practising and brushing up on exam techniques
You can be examined on your own boat. The examiner is invited on board for a comfortable exam with the boat and crew you know best.
The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster scheme goes back more than 30 years and was developed so as amateur yachtsmen and women had a measure of their ability. It was thought that a trained band of yachtmen would be helpful in time of war!
The “Yachtmasters” remains the pinnacle of many yachtsmen's achievement. It has also become to be used as a professional qualification.
This really is a world class scheme, I regularly train men and women from all over the world who come to Britain especially to "do their Yachtmaster" - motor and sail - knowing the qualification they earn is the best anywhere. Owners of charter and super yachts, and their insurers world wide look for the UK RYA/MCA Yachtmaster qualification when employing crew and skippers.
The exam is easily attainable for those with the required experience, knowledge and skills. A minimum of 2500 miles at sea and 50 days on board are required. This should include a minimum of 5 sixty miles passages, some as skipper and some at night.
For the ‘private’ yachtman with his own boat this might amount to 5 or more very active seasons cruising the English Channel. In my experience of preparing well over a hundred and fifty candidates, such a person has few problems with the exam.
In recent years the Fast Track Yachtmasters have emerged with the need for able and qualified crew in the super yacht industry. About seventeen weeks of intensive training leads to the exam. Most of the training period is under expert tuition so candidates are skilled, if not very experienced in a range of conditions and seasons. Usually skippering skills are the problem area when fast track candidates are faced with the examination.
The examiner is looking for a safe and competent skipper. A skipper he would feel happy to allow to take his own family across the Channel. There is no RYA method, any safe way will do
Back to Navigation
training by Ian Crowson
Coaching
for YM Exam by Ian Crowson
E
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Contact
page - address and phone numbers
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