Course Description

The course completion certificate is a PREREQUISITE for booking the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean oral examination, unless candidates are prepared to take a written examination as well as the oral. Candidates must also have an ocean passage as skipper or mate.
The candidate must provide the examiner with:

• A narrative account of the planning and execution of the qualifying passage
• Navigational records, completed on board a yacht on passages, out of sight of land showing that the candidate has navigated the yacht without the use of electronic navigational aids.

The records must include as a minimum: planning, reduction and plotting of a sun run meridian altitude sight and a compass check carried out using the bearing of the sun, moon, a star or planet.

During the oral test the candidate may be required to answer questions on all aspects of ocean passage making in a yacht, including passage planning, astro navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management and yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs.

If you need a Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence in order to work on board a commercial craft subject to the MCA’s codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed.

The Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence can be used commercially in its own right. It is also a pre-requisite for the MCA’s Chief Mate, Master 500 and Master 3000 qualifications.

Topics covered include:

• The earth and the celestial sphere
• Practical guide to use and care of sextant at sea
• Meridian altitudes
• Sun, star and other sights
• Ocean passage planning

Learn about our Deckhand and Stewardess Courses

Course Description

This course equips you to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages. It allows some time for revision of the basics and then moves on to advanced navigation techniques.

This course will take your theory knowledge to the standard required for the Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams, concentrating on advanced navigation and meteorology skills.

The course is relevant to the southern hemisphere – we use a southern hemisphere version of the RYA training materials.

The course is taught over 6 days or 48 hours (excluding assignments) with three exam papers. It can be covered as a series of short sessions, as an intensive week-long course, or by distance learning.

Sailing Course topics include:

• position fixing
• course shaping and plotting
• tidal knowledge
• use of almanacs and admiralty publications
• electronic position finding equipment
• taking and interpreting forecasts
• plotting weather systems
• weather predictions using a barometer and by observation
• collision regulations
• customs and excise regulations for cruising abroad