RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Preparation & Exam

National Yachting School » RYA Sail Crusing Courses » RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Preparation & Exam

A 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.

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence examination is the next natural step for those who have completed the RYA Coastal Skipper course and have completed some coastal sailing since in order to put the lessons learnt into practice. The holder of an RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence has the knowledge needed to to skipper a yacht on coastal passages, but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer offshore passages. The theory knowledge required for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence is the same as that for Yachtmaster Offshore, but less practical experience and skill is required.

During the first couple of days your instructor will asses your existing skills and give you an honest appraisal of your likely performance during the exam. Over the following days your instruction will be tailored to cover any areas of weakness that have been highlighted. You will take charge of the yacht in various situations and become familiar with close quarter manoeuvres both under sail and power. You will practice dealing with emergency situations, navigating in restricted visibility, pilotage plans and skippering techniques.

After 5 days your instructor will give you a thorough debrief and you should feel confident in your ability to take the exam should you feel ready to do so.

During the exam, your RYA examiner will meet you onboard and talk you through the plan for the day. They understand that you could be nervous and will do their best to allay your fears and make sure you are clear about what they want you to do. They are there to find out what you can do, rather than pick holes. You will be asked to undertake a short passage, but you may have to plan a longer one. In general, you should skipper the yacht in your normal style. If this means putting the kettle on every half hour, then do it!

Your examiner isn’t looking for first-time-every-time success, but you will need to demonstrate competence and a good understanding of how the boat reacts at various situations. Don’t hesitate to change sails or reef, if you think it is necessary for the task.

Whether you are fully in command of the yacht is the most important assessment that your examiner will make.

A good skipper leads the crew and communicates with them, making sure they understand what is going on and listening to them when they have something to say. They do not shout a stream of commands, leaving their crew in a quivering mess. Quiet competence instils confidence, helping your crew feel safe in the knowledge that the right decisions are being made.

Course Duration: 5 days for the course and 2 days for the exam. Most courses start on Saturday evening and finish on Thursday afternoon, the exam starts the next morning after the end of the course.

Previous Experience Required: 30 days aboard, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles logged ( (min. half of it MUST be in tidal waters!), 12 night hours, VHF operators certificate (SRC or higher), RYA recognised First Aid certificate. If an RYA Coastal Skipper completion certificate is held only 400 miles required. click here for the list of acceptable first aid certificates

Course Overview: Preparation and brush up for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence. Revision of advanced skippering techniques, close quarters handling under power and sail, navigation and pilotage by day and night, man overboard recovery and overall yacht management skills.

Minimum age: 18

Course price DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• exam fee paid directly to the RYA (241 GBP for YM Offshore, 208 GBP for YM Coastal)
• examiner's travel expenses from/to th UK (estimated approx. 300 Euro, shared between exam participants)
• food, harbour fees and diesel used for the boat

There are currently no available dates.