A Yachtmaster Exam of any level is a serious undertaking; here, we describe the RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail so you can be suitably prepared to pass your exam.

If you have not already done your RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Theory, then you should do that first. You can find more information about our online course here; RYA Coastal Skipper Theory.

What Is the RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Week Sail?

The RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail is not an official RYA course but a preparation week run by accredited RYA sailing schools and instructors. It is taught on board a cruising yacht of 7 to 15 metres in length.

The RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail is designed to prepare students for their RYA Yachtmaster exams. It is the same for candidates going for both RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and RYA Yachtmaster Coastal.

You do not have to complete this course in order to progress to an RYA Yachtmaster Exam, but it is highly recommended. You can find more information on organising an RYA Yachtmaster exam here.

You can learn more about the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail here and the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail here.

What Is the Aim of the RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail

The aim is to ensure your sailing and skippering skills are at the required standard for an RYA Yachtmaster and for the instructor to guide you on the correct RYA Yachtmaster exam, be it offshore or coastal.

During the prep course, you will work on your own personal Yachtmaster skills and get refined teaching relevant to you from the instructor in order to suitably prepare you for the exam and the skills that will be required in order to display your suitability for the RYA Yachtmaster award.

Where Should I Book My RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail?

There are various aspects to consider when booking, and these include where you might sail in the future, what areas you are experienced in sailing in, and where it is practically applicable for you.

Another point to consider is the climate in which you are sailing. Courses in higher latitudes in winter can be subject to severe weather and stormbound days. At the same time, in the summer, these same schools will struggle to provide prolonged night navigation, albeit they will provide some amazing evening passages. Night navigation and time on the water are key to passing the RYA Yachtmaster exams so these points should be considered carefully.

At Ardent Training, we have various trusted practical partners, which can be found here.

You may want to pick somewhere close to home, somewhere you have good navigational experience, or somewhere new to explore.

As we progress to RYA Yachtmaster level, we should be confident in sailing and navigating new destinations.

What Questions Should I Be Asking Before Booking?

Ideally, you want to check how many will be on your prep course, 3 or 4 is a good number. 5 is too many and should not be allowed, as only 4 can take the exam at any given time.

Will you be getting your own cabin ,or will you have to share. it?Sharing is common ,but of course, iit s not for everyone.

You will want to know what is included, food onboard being an absolute minimum.

It is also nice to know who your instructor might be. A good training centre will have a pool of trusted instructors they work with, and they should be able to give you a couple of names and information about each of them, as we do with Ardent Training. At this level, we are taught by RYA Yachtmaster instructors.

Finally, we want to check that the other candidates on this course are all on the RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail, too; no other subjects should be taught on this prep course.

What Will I Be Doing On My RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail?

A good course will see the instructor chat with each candidate about their strengths and weaknesses, test these out and ensure each candidate is capable of the tasks and skills required at the RYA Yachtmaster level.

The instructor should then work with you in order to upskill and fine-tune your RYA Yachtmaster skills.

Nothing on this prep course should be new to you as the experience and skills should have been taught on earlier RYA courses, this prep course is designed to fine tune and refine your existing knowledge and skills.

How Should I Pack for the Sailing Course?

The climate will dictate, but in general, we want to dress in layers, have suitable waterproof clothing, suitable and perhaps waterproof footwear, and, of course, all of these want to be both warm and breathable. It is always colder on the water than it is on land, so always worthwhile taking that extra layer.

Warmer climates may mean taking swimming gear, sunhats and sunglasses while colder climates may need woolly hats and gloves.

Here we have made a couple of lists of extra kit than everyday clothing to help you with your packing.

Colder climate extras:

• Sailing Boots
• Thick socks
• Thermal trousers
• Thermal top
• Quick dry clothing
• Warm hoody-like top
• Buff / Neck warmer
• Woolly Hat
• Gloves
• Waterproof / Oilskins (Sometimes provided or available to rent)

Warmer climate extras:

• Breathable but safe footwear
• Swimming kit
• Peaked hat
• Sunglasses
• Sun cream
• Fingerless gloves
• Quick dry clothing

What Navigational Equipment Should I Take?

While all equipment, including charts, almanacs and pilot guides, should be provided on board during your prep course, there are a few extra bits of stationery that you can take to be suitably prepared.

These include any notes taken from your theory, a notebook or pad of paper for taking further notes on your RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail course, your own pencil case, plotter, and divider if you have one, and post-it notes or sticky notes, which can be super ,helpful too.

If you have any kit for your own boat,, it is a good idea to take it so you can learn and practice using the same tools you will be using in anger. These could be a plotter, divider, hand-bearing compass,, or even your own nautical almanac.

Suppose the school has provided any course notes. In that case, you will want to take these too, along with your personal logbook if you have one, and we recommend checking out our Ardent Training resources for any helpful pro forma sheets that can be used to aid your navigation.

Any Other Items I Should Take on My RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail Course?

A battery charger for your phone is often helpful as power or USB ports are not always available. If you have one, a dedicated camera is often nice as you will undoubtedly see some lovely sights. Ear plugs can be helpful if sharing sleeping spaces, as can a head torch with a red light for moving around at night or navigating the chart table.

A quick-drying towel can be a great addition, too. There is not a lot of space underway for kit, but they generally take up little room. It can be worthwhile investing in a good one of these.

While food and snacks should be provided, it can also be worthwhile to bring your own favourite snacks for when you need that extra energy boost. Coffee or tea lovers may also want to take their favourite brand.

What Bag Should I Use to Pack for a Sail Cruising Trip?

Firstly, make sure you use a collapsible bag. Rigid suitcases are not only not suitable for boats but will generally not fit anywhere to store them. A bag that is easy to stow away is what is needed onboard vessels.

Then, pack your kit in sections, perhaps even have separate dry bags for your stuff so that these can be easily found. 

Ideally, you want to be able to go down below and know exactly where that extra layer or hat is and be able to grab it quickly.

Finally, remember that you are sharing your living space with others, so ensure that you are packing your kit away and it is stored safely and tidily.

How to Learn the Area I am Sailing In?

There are various resources to learn more about the area that you are going to be sailing in. One of perhaps the most available but least used is Google Maps. This can be used as a standard map, satellite map or even as google earth.

A more nautical resource to use is electronic charting apps for phones, such as Navionics and Savvynavvy. C-map also has a great free web app for using their tool, which is perfect for getting to know the sailing area you are going to visit.

Other useful ways to get to know the area you are going to be sailing in are to look for recognisable place names and even read up a little bit about local meteorological trends.

What RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Admin Is There?

Firstly, ensure you have filled in any course forms for the school.

You then need to fill in an RYA exam application form and pay for the exam.

Additionally, for your exam, you will need to provide a logbook detailing all your relevant experience, a VHF SRC certificate, a valid 1st Aid certificate and a personal ID.

Read all the joining instructions to make sure you have understood everything about your course.

What Can I Practise or Revise Before My RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail?

One of the best tasks to practise before going on your RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail course is knowing all your theory as this will be tested during the exam. IRPCS knowledge should roll off the tongue, meteorology should be sound and you should be able to replicate any aspect of the RYA theory courses if requested.

If you are going to use any phone apps on your course or exam, then be sure to have practised with these before you go and also print out any pro forma resources that you plan to take with you.

Checking the Weather and Tides

The day before you go on your RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail course is a good time to check not only the upcoming weather but also to note down some tidal info.

Knowing the tidal heights, streams and tidal gates in advance will save so much time during your prep course and exam.

In the UK, the Met Office is the best place to get an inshore waters forecast suitable for going out on the water. Looking medium range into the surface pressure charts is also key since you are going to be on board for 5 to 7 days.

Other sources are useful, too; watch our video on “Which weather forecast” to learn more. Depending on the area you are potentially sailing in, the shipping forecast could be worthwhile to check.

As for tides,  Imray Tide Planner can be useful, but if in doubt, then it is best to wait till you are on the boat in order to use the correct sources.

What about When I Am on the Course?

The biggest tip for students is to get involved as much as possible, be proactive, and ask questions. Becoming a core part of the team onboard and showing enthusiasm will only allow you to get more out of the prep course and exam. This includes, but is not limited to, getting on with boat prep jobs, putting the boat to bed and helping to tidy away meals.

Again, note-taking is going to be key. It will be an intensive prep course so having notes to remind yourself afterwards will be key in your long-term learning. The best way to be efficient with these is to note down what you did each day and any step by step instructions for tasks and boat manoeuvers.

You can also learn a lot from other students and candidates, watching their attempts at tasks, listening to their debriefs and applying the learnings in your work can help to fast track your skill building.

5 Top Tips for When on the RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail Course

• Concentrate on listening to the instructors’ tips on how to upskill.
• Always consider all options when looking into pilotage techniques.
• Listen to the instructor’s recommendations.
• Always be aware of what the tide is doing.
• Don’t be afraid to use all the materials, instruments and tools provided.

Dealing with Boat Life on Your RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail Course

As noted before, you will be sharing a sleeping and living space with others so it is important that all students are considerate and accommodating of others. Think about your cleanliness and hygiene, share duties both below deck and on deck and respect others.

It can not only be super nice to get off the boat but also a great chance to enjoy your own space and reset, so it is important to take these opportunities and have short breaks when the opportunity arises.

What Will Be Next After the RYA Yachtmaster Exam Prep Course Sail Course?

At the end of the course, the instructor will give you a personal debrief. In this, they will note your strengths and weaknesses while also noting the suggested next step, which, in this case, is which RYA Yachtmaster exam to go for.