Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation Course

3:1 Ratio

Advanced

7 days afloat

£1,750

Exam fee £266 (paid directly to RYA)

The Yachtmaster examination is one of the most rigorous practical assessments in recreational sailing. It cannot be passed on good boat handling alone. The examiner will test your skippering judgement, your navigation, your seamanship, your knowledge of the IRPCS, and your ability to manage a vessel and crew competently in demanding conditions.

The WTS Yachtmaster Preparation course is designed to make sure you are ready. Seven days of intensive, tailored sailing with an experienced instructor — not following a fixed syllabus, but identifying and working on the gaps specific to you. At the end of the week, if you choose to sit the exam, an independent RYA examiner will assess you on board. We will advise you honestly throughout the course on whether we believe you are ready, and at which level.

Course at a Glance

Level	Advanced
Duration	7 days (09:00 Day 1 to 12:00 Day 7)
Format	Practical, liveaboard on the Solent and offshore
Location	Port Hamble Marina, Southampton
Vessel	Beneteau Oceanis 37 or Oceanis 38 (own boat tuition also available)
Ratio	Maximum 3 students per instructor
Course fee	£1,750 per person
Exam fee	Yachtmaster Coastal: £230 · Yachtmaster Offshore: £266 (paid directly to RYA; optional)
Examiner	Independent RYA examiner, fully separate from WTS

How the Course Works

Unlike the formal RYA practical courses, the Yachtmaster Preparation course is not a standardised syllabus. It is a tailor-made programme built around you. Your instructor will assess your strengths and weaknesses early in the week and shape the remaining days around what you most need to work on.

All the topics found in the Coastal Skipper syllabus are covered, but in greater depth and with a deliberate focus on the standard the Yachtmaster examiner will expect. You will be pushed. You will be put in command of demanding passages and assessed on your decision-making as much as your boat-handling.

Throughout the week your instructor will give you honest, ongoing feedback. After 5 days, both you and your instructor will have a clear picture of where you stand. You are under no obligation to sit the exam at the end of the week — but those who follow our advice have a significantly higher pass rate than those who do not. If you do not take the exam, we continue your training until the end of the course.

Topics Covered

The preparation course covers all areas within the Yachtmaster examination scope, with particular emphasis on:

• Passage planning: tidal strategy, waypoint selection, weather assessment, and go/no-go decisions.

• Preparation for sea: safety briefings, equipment checks, and departure planning.

• Pilotage: entering and leaving unfamiliar harbours, transits, leading lines, and night pilotage.

• Passage making and skipperly authority: managing the vessel and crew on extended passages.

• Yacht handling under power: close-quarters manoeuvring in marinas and in confined waters.

• Yacht handling under sail: sail trim, manoeuvring, and anchoring in varied conditions.

• Adverse weather: decision-making and boat management in deteriorating conditions.

• Emergency situations: man overboard recovery, fire, flooding, distress, and towing.

Prerequisites

To benefit fully from the preparation course, you should have solid knowledge of all subject matter in the RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Theory course, and sufficient logged sea time to meet the prerequisites for your chosen exam level. Full exam prerequisites are set out in Part 2 and Part 3 of this document.

If you are unsure whether your experience is sufficient for the exam, contact us before booking. We are happy to review your logbook and advise.

What’s Included

✓ Seven days of intensive, tailored preparation with an experienced WTS instructor

✓ Your own cabin aboard the yacht for the duration of the course

✓ Breakfast, lunch, and snacks on all course days

✓ Fuel and berthing fees

✓ Free parking at Port Hamble Marina

The RYA Yachtmaster exam is optional and not included in the course fee. Exam fees (£230 Coastal / £266 Offshore) are paid directly to the RYA.

Not included

• Transport to and from Port Hamble Marina.

• Dinners. Students are expected to cover the cost of dinner for the group, including the instructor, as is customary on liveaboard courses.

• Alcoholic beverages.

• Personal insurance.

A full kit list is sent with your joining instructions. Bedding and foul weather gear can be hired from us at an additional charge if required.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Examination

Full details of the exam syllabus and requirements are set out in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158), available from the RYA webshop. The summary below covers the key requirements. Candidates should read G158 in full before booking their exam.

Exam Format

The Yachtmaster Offshore examination is a practical assessment conducted on board a sailing or motor vessel. Your certificate will be endorsed accordingly. The exam is conducted by an independent RYA examiner arranged by the training centre.

• Duration: 8–12 hours for a single candidate; 10–18 hours for two candidates. No more than two candidates may be examined in 24 hours; no more than four in a two-day session.

• Minimum age: 18 at the date of the exam.

• The exam covers: skippering skills, boat handling, seamanship, navigation, safety awareness, IRPCS, meteorology, and signals. Anything within the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus up to and including Yachtmaster Offshore level is within scope.

Sea Time Requirements

Candidates must have documented sea time completed on a seagoing sailing or motor yacht (as appropriate) within the last 10 years, comprising:

• 50 days at sea on yachts up to 500gt — may be reduced to 25 days if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence in another discipline.

• 5 days as skipper on vessels under 24m LOA — may be reduced to 3 days if an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence in another discipline is held.

• 2,500 miles on yachts up to 500gt — may be reduced to 1,250 miles if an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence in another discipline is held.

• 5 passages of over 60 miles, including 2 overnight passages and 2 as skipper — may be reduced to 3 passages (including 1 overnight and 1 as skipper) if an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence in another discipline is held.

• At least half of qualifying sea time must be in tidal waters and on vessels under 24m LOA. All sea time must be on vessels of the same discipline as the exam (sail or power). Contact training@rya.org.uk if your sea time is on a yacht greater than 24m and 500gt.

Required Certificates

Before sitting the exam, candidates must hold:

• A GMDSS-compliant Marine Radio Operator’s Certificate — RYA SRC or higher.

• A valid First Aid Certificate — RYA First Aid Certificate or equivalent, as detailed on the RYA website.

• Photographic ID — passport or driving licence.

Boat Requirements

Candidates may use their own boat, a chartered boat, or a borrowed boat. The candidate is responsible for ensuring the boat is seaworthy, suitable for the exam area, and correctly equipped.

• LOA: between 7m and 18m.

• Condition: sound and seaworthy, equipped to the standard in the RYA Boat Safety Handbook 2nd Edition (G103).

• Charts and publications: a full, up-to-date set for the exam area, with working instruments and either a plotter or GPS.

• Crew: two crew must be on board in addition to the candidate. The examiner will not participate in the management of the vessel during the exam.

• If not on board, the following must be brought to the exam: laminated or waterproof charts; a dedicated GPS set; tide tables; pilotage information for the local area; plotting instruments; and photographic ID.

The RYA reserves the right to refuse an exam on a vessel that, in the view of the RYA Chief Examiner, will not allow the examination to be conducted to the required standard — regardless of whether it meets the general guidelines above. If you need your Certificate of Competence commercially endorsed, contact the MCA.