These are the final stages of training for leisure yachtsmen and are run as 5-day courses followed by a practical sailing examination.

Work-up to hone skills before taking the Yachtmaster (YM) Exam, which usually follows the course immediately.

For those about to take the exam, the Gold Standard of the RYA cruising qualification system.

Obligatory pre-exam requirements:

YM Coastal:
VHF Short Range Cert
Valid First Aid Cert
Seatime – 30 days living on board, 800 miles (20 days, 400 miles if you have the Coastal Skipper Practical Course Completion Certificate), 12 night hours, 2 days as skipper.

YM Offshore:
VHF Short Range Cert
Valid First Aid Cert
Seatime – 50 days living on board, 2500 miles. 5 passages of over 60 miles, acting as skipper for at least 2 of these and including 2 which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half the qualifying seatime must have been accrued in tidal waters.