What is an RYA Yachtmaster? 

The RYA Yachtmaster® Certificate of Competence is the ultimate goal of most aspiring skippers. It is a well - known, highly respected qualification that is recognised widely around the world for use on small commercial vessels as well as for recreational purposes, and provides credible proof of your experience and competence as a skipper. 

Unlike other qualifications in the RYA cruising programme, there is no formal training course to become an RYA Yachtmaster. Instead, the examination is undertaken once the candidate has completed the required pre-requisite sea time and courses, and is confident they are at the required level of competence both in their theory knowledge and their practical skills in everything from navigation and boat handling, right through to the management of a crew. Provided you have sufficient experience, certification and seatime, you can put yourself forward for an exam to test your skills and knowledge. This would usually be the culmination of at least many months of training and experience, or in the case of those relying on the “non – training” route, probably several years of experience combined with self - study.

There are a number of RYA courses that will help you prepare for your exam. Many RYA Yachtmaster candidates also choose to book themselves into an RYA training centre for some specialised exam preparation training. Whilst undertaking RYA courses prior to your Yachtmaster examination is not compulsory, the statistics show that those who have undertaken RYA training prior to the exam have a far greater likelihood of success than those who have not.   

Related courses

Working as an RYA Yachtmaster

With an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore or Ocean Certificate of Competence you can start a career at sea.