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Q1: WHAT EXPERIENCE DO I NEED BEFORE THE
EXAM?
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The official answer is 50 days, five days as skipper, 2,500
miles logged, five passages over 60 miles logged from the
point of departure to the destination. Two of these passages
must have been undertaken overnight and two as skipper. Half
of the experience must have been in tidal waters. In practice,
the amount of miles you have logged is less important than
the amount and the quality of your skippering experience.
For example, miles gained as a watch member on an ocean passage
will be useful in many ways but may not prepare you in the
same way as miles gained as a skipper of a small yacht in
tidal waters. In essence, the examination is essentially a
test of your ability to take charge of a yacht and direct
the crew.
Q2: WHAT HAPPENS DURING AN EXAMINATION?
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Having pre-arranged a date and time, the examiner will meet
you on board the boat. All exams are slightly nerve racking,
even for highly experienced or professional skippers. Talking
to the examiner and making sure you understand what is required
will help you unwind. The examiner understands that the first
hour or two is difficult and will emphasize that the idea
is to find out what you can achieve, rather than to pick holes
or ask trick questions. You will be asked to undertake a short
passage, although you may have to plan a longer one. Overseas
candidates will be asked to do a significant amount of tidal
passage planning to demonstrate their experience in tidal
waters. Before your passage, discuss with your examiner what
you are being asked to do. In general, you should skipper
the yacht in your normal style.
Navigation:
You must know your position more or less accurately throughout
the exam, with and without electronic navigational aids. Be
aware that the examiner will be just as interested in your
awareness of future position and projected ground track, as
your knowledge of current position. A common mistake is to
be busy plotting fixes down below when in busy pilotage waters,
good skippers make a pilotage plan and spend most of their
time on deck observing. Remember that marks are not awarded
for over navigating.
Q3: IN
WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES DO I NEED A QUALIFICATION IN THE UK OR
ON A RED ENSIGN VESSEL?
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No Certificate of Competence is
required on board British Flag pleasure vessels.
Pleasure yachts
over 80 GRT and up to 200 GRT:
Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate
of Competence as long as the vessel does not carry paying
passengers or cargo.
Vessels under 24m in length used for sport or recreation
on a commercial basis:
Vessels used for sport or recreation
on a commercial basis are subject to Merchant Shipping legislation. ‘Commercial
basis’ can be thought of as a situation where money
or reward is given to a person or persons providing the
facility for others to get afloat. In effect, this encompasses
a wide range of activities from trips round the bay to sailing
tuition.
It is important to be very clear about the distinction
between amateur or pleasure yachting and commercial operation
because of the legal implications. The qualification you
require depends on what size of vessel you will use and
your area of operation. See the commercial endorsement page
for details.
For commercial yachts larger than 24m you require a Class
4 or Class 5 qualification. Briefly, this involves the RYA
Yachtmaster Commercial qualification and other modules such
as fire fighting.
Q4: WHAT IS A COMMERCIAL ENDORSEMENT?
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If you take up to 12 paying
customers to sea on boats under 24 metres you are required
by law to hold a RYA Certificate
of Competence with a Commercial Endorsement. The following
certificates can be commercially endorsed –
RYA Yachtmaster Ocean, RYA Yachtmaster Offshore, RYA Coastal
Skipper, RYA Day Skipper, RYA Powerboat Level 2, RYA Advanced
Powerboat Certificate.
The endorsement is stamped or printed on the original certificate.
The RYA holds a record of all commercial endorsements
Q5: WHICH
CERTIFICATE DO I NEED?
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This depends on the area of operation under the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA)
Codes of Practice. Commercial vessels under 24 metres are surveyed and certified
for different categories of use.
Details of the requirements for the boats and manning can be found in the following;
Code of Practice for Small Commercial Sailing Vessels Code of Practice for Small
Commercial Motor Vessels Nominated Departure Point Code (Available from the Stationery
Office or RYA online shop).
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