Requirements
  • Instructor : Student Ratio – 1:3

  • 7 day course (5 days training + examinations)

Requirements
  • Coastal Skipper recommended

  • Valid First Aid Certificate

  • SRC (VHF) Licence

  • YM(Coastal): 30 days experience, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles and 12 night hours.

  • YM(Offshore): 50 days experience, 2,500nm and five passages over 60nm, including two as skipper and two overnight.

  • Age 18+

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Yachtmaster Examinations Summary

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.

There are two levels to this qualification, each with different pre-requisite mileage and experience:

  • Yachtmaster Coastal – ideal for candidates with limited knowledge of long passage making
  • Yachtmaster Offshore – allows holders to skipper passages of up to 150nm offshore

At RAFSA, we run this course in two phases. The first 5 days are a ‘preparation phase’ with an experienced instructor. This has no set syllabus and will aim to fine tune existing skills and knowledge over a wide range of situations and with lots of challenging boat handling experiences. A separate examiner will board for the final two days until all candidates have been examined.

2024 Courses

Course 24-12
Plymouth – Atlas
Sun 15th Sep – Sun 22nd Sep 2024
Course 24-12
Plymouth – Atlas
Sun 29th Sep – Sun 6th Oct 2024

Course Fees (YM)

All of our RYA courses are sponsored by the RAF Sports Charity, which allows Serving RAF personnel the opportunity to pay minimal fees. Students not currently serving can still attend, and pay a higher (but still extremely competitive) rate.

There is an extra fee charged by the RYA which will be payable on the first day of examinations.

Membership Type Training Price RYA Examination Fee
RAFSA Serving member £250 £21
RAFSA Civilian £450 £231
Non-RAFSA Civilian £750 £231

During the course, additional costs will be incurred and shared among the students to cover on-board food, marina fees, and fuel. These costs will vary according to crew choices on victualing, instructor/crew choices on marina locations, weather and on how many crew are on-board but should be approximately £60 – £80 per person.

Our cancellation policy is that full fees are due if cancellation is within 30 days of the course start date. Cancellation prior to that will result in loss of deposit, but this can be carried forward to another course with RAFSA(O).  For Serving personnel who are unable to attend for Service reasons, a full refund will be offered once confirmation is received from the individual’s chain of command.

Should the course be cancelled for reasons attributing to RAFSA, an alternative course will first be offered. If the student is unable to take this up, then the full cost of the course will be refunded. This will not include any additional costs relating to travel or subsistence.