RYA Exams
International Certificate of Competence (ICC)
As more and more people venture aboard to enjoy their sailing the need for a certificate of competence that is internationally recognised has arisen. As the skipper of a vessel, you must ensure that you are aware of any requirement for qualifications before venturing into another country's jurisdiction.
Although it is still not recognised in all countries and you should check well in advance of your trip, the ICC is a useful document to carry and will generally be accepted where proof of competence is required, presuming you are skippering a UK flagged boat on a short visit abroad.
The RYA is the UK issuing authority for the ICC and it can be issued to any British national or resident over the age of 16 who either holds one of the appropriate RYA certificates or passes the ICC practical assessment .
We at rusailing are recognised to carry out assessments on behalf of the RYA for the ICC – please contact us for full details and to see what is required.
RYA qualifications, in particular the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and Yachtmaster Ocean Certificates of Competence, are recognised and respected around the world. Qualification as an RYA Yachtmaster is the ultimate aim of many skippers, both professional and recreational.
An RYA Yachtmaster needs a wealth of knowledge, not only to cope with plain sailing but also to be able to cope in demanding situations.
So how can we help you achieve this high level? Here at rusailing we have a tried and tested format for exam preparation that works! We will only take two exam candidates at once thus ensuring that you get the time to work on the areas that you need to rather than waiting for others to practice and improve their weak points. We also never mix standard courses with exam preparation as that takes away from what our candidates need.
We similarly structure the week so that you have at least 5 full days of preparation with the exam on day 6. The preparation is always conducted in the area that the exam will take place and all exercises are repeated time after time. This program has so far resulted in a 100% success rate that we are very proud of.
For further details of what is involved and the exam prerequisites please see below -
The Yachtmaster Coastal Skipper has the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages.
The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS (collision regulations), meteorology and signals. Candidates will be set tasks to demonstrate their ability and may also be asked questions on any part of the syllabus for all practical and shorebased courses up to Yachtmaster Coastal level.
Yachtmaster Coastal exam prerequisites
30 days seatime, 2 days as skipper, 800nm, 12 night hours (if you hold the RYA Coastal Skipper practical certificate this is reduced to 20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400nm, 12 night hours). Half of the qualifying mileage must have been conducted in tidal waters. All of the qualifying seatime must have been within 10 years of the exam.
You must also hold a restricted VHF Radio Operators Licence and also a valid First Aid Certificate
Minimum Exam Duration 6-10 hours for one candidate, 8-14 for two candidates
Minimum Age 17 years
Exam Fee 2013 £171
The Yachtmaster Offshore Skipper is competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour.
The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals. Candidates will be set tasks to demonstrate their ability and may also be asked questions on any part of the syllabus for all practical and shorebased courses up to Yachtmaster Coastal level.
Yachtmaster Offshore exam prerequisites
50 days seatime, 5 days experience as skipper, 2,500nm including at least 5 passages over 60 miles along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least 2 of these passages and including two which must have involved overnight passages . Half of the qualifying mileage must have been conducted in tidal waters. All of the qualifying seatime must have been within 10 years of the exam.
You must also hold a restricted VHF Radio Operators Licence and also a valid First Aid Certificate
Minimum Exam Duration 8-12 hours for one candidate, 10-18 for two candidates. No more than 2 candidates can be examined in 24 hours and no more than 4 in one 2 day session.
Minimum Age 18 years
Exam Fee 2013 £198
A person holding a Yachtmaster Ocean qualification is experienced and competent to skipper a yacht on passages of any length in all parts of the world.
The Yachtmaster Ocean exam is an oral and written test of your knowledge of ocean passage making including planning, navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management, yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs. You will also be questioned on your sights taken at sea during an ocean passage. The written test is not required if you hold the Yachtmaster Ocean shorebased certificate.
In order to take this exam you must first hold the Yachtmaster Offshore licence. Your ocean passage must be as skipper or mate of watch and you must be fully involved in the planning, navigation etc. During the passage a minimum non-stop distance of 600nm must have been run by the log, the ship must have been at sea continuously for at least 96 hours and it must have been at least 50 miles from land whilst sailing a distance of at least 200nm
The exam is oral and takes about 1.5 hours. The cost in 2013 is £150.
Any of the Yachtmaster licences above can be commercially endorsed by the RYA thus enabling you to work on commercial vessels. The following wording would appear on your certificate:
For Yachtmaster Offshore and Yachtmaster Ocean Certificates of Competence: This certificate is valid for use as a Master of yachts of up to 200gt on commercially and privately registered yachts until (date of expiry).
In order to apply for the Commercial Endorsement you must also attend a one day RYA Sea Survival course (or the equivalent) undergo a personal medical (form ML5 or ENG 1) and also complete the on-line PPR course. We will be happy to help you with this if required.