An RYA Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence is often the ultimate aim of aspiring skippers. It is a well known, highly respected qualification worldwide, proving your experience and competence as a skipper.
The Yachtmaster Offshore is competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour.
The Yachtmaster Coastal has the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages.

Certificates are becoming increasingly important in the international world of sailing. Charter companies liabilities become heavier as more people explore exotic and far away waters that are far free from risks. Insurance companies demand more and proven experience from skippers on charter- or rental yachts. This tendency is noticeable as professional and semi-professional charterskippers enhance their position by obtaining internationally recognised certificates. Yachtmaster is such a certificate. Not only does it display your level as a sailor, it is also one of the sailing documents recognized throughout the world.

50 days, 2,500 miles including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must be in tidal waters. All qualifying seatime must be within 10 years prior to the exam. VHF radio operators certificate and a valid First Aid certificate. Minimum age 18.

30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night hours (if you hold the Coastal Skipper course certificate this is reduced to 20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, 12 night hours). Half the qualifying sea time must be conducted in tidal waters. VHF radio operators certificate and a valid First Aid certificate. Minimum age 18.

The exam will be conducted by an external examinator from the RYA and takes the whole weekend. It will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS (collision regulations), meteorology and signals. Candidates will be set tasks to demonstrate their ability and may also be asked questions on any part of the syllabus for all practical and shorebased courses.

During the prep course, you will be trained in several techniques of boat handling, navigation, pilotage, man overboard recovery and overall yacht management skills and advanced skippering techniques as will be examined during the RYA Yachtmaster exam. If needed we will also give you some final training and advice in the theoretical subjects that could come across during the exam. Four excellent training days, even for those that are not yet doing their yachtmaster exam.

The extra training day on Friday before the exam is to do some final practising and finetuning and to get you familiar to the boat and in an exam mode before the examinator arrives. Please call us at 070-351 4858 for a complete overview of all theoretical and practical knowledge and skills.

Seasailingschool Scheveningen educates sailors for more than ten years with a wide variety of courses. From racing to international sailing, theory courses but also navigation and VHF. We have all the ingredients for everyone to go to sea on a independent and secure way .