Key takeaways
- ✓You must already hold the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate of competence (or OOW Yachts <3000GT) to sit the exam.
- ✓Within the last 10 years you need one qualifying passage as skipper or mate of the watch: at least 600 miles non-stop by log and at least 96 hours at sea.
- ✓At least 200 miles of that passage must be sailed more than 50 miles from land or charted objects, and the shortest route between start and finish must be over 600 miles.
- ✓You must show astro navigation done at sea without electronic aids, including a sun-run-meridian-altitude sight and a compass check by celestial body.
- ✓The exam is an oral and a written test (about 1.5 hours); the written part is waived if you hold the Yachtmaster Ocean shorebased certificate.
Requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite certificate | RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore CoC (or MCA OOW Yachts <3000GT) |
| Qualifying passage | Within 10 years; skipper or mate in sole charge of a watch, for the whole passage |
| Distance | 600+ miles non-stop by log; shortest route between departure and arrival over 600 miles |
| Time at sea | At least 96 hours continuously |
| Offshore | At least 200 miles sailed more than 50 miles from land or charted objects |
| Astro navigation | Sun-run-meridian-altitude sight and a celestial compass check, done at sea out of sight of land |
| Exam | Oral + written (written waived with the Ocean shorebased certificate); about 1.5 hours |
The qualifying passage
You must be fully involved in planning the passage: route, navigation plan, checking the boat and her equipment, spares, water and food, and organising the watch system. During the passage you must be skipper or mate (in sole charge of a watch) the whole way — there can be no change of skipper or mates.
Passages that artificially lengthen the route do not count. The planned distance and the distance run must both exceed 600 miles. A typical choice is the Canaries to the Caribbean, Europe to the Azores, or another ocean delivery.
If you cannot take sights on the qualifying passage, the RYA allows sights from another, shorter passage — as long as they are taken on passage and out of sight of land.
What happens in the exam
- •48 hours before: send the examiner a narrative of how you planned and sailed the qualifying passage, plus your navigation records from sights taken at sea
- •Oral: ocean passage planning, navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management, yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs
- •Written: sights and sight reduction, and worldwide meteorology (waived with the Ocean shorebased certificate or a full deck officer CoC)
What it lets you do
- •Skipper a yacht on passages of any length, worldwide
- •With a commercial endorsement, work as a paid skipper on vessels covered by the MCA small commercial vessel codes
- •Qualify for the unlimited-area MCA Master (Code Vessels) <200GT (Offshore holders get the 150-mile limited version)
- •Stand out for ocean deliveries and Atlantic crossings
Frequently asked questions
What are the requirements for Yachtmaster Ocean?+
You need Yachtmaster Offshore, plus a qualifying passage within 10 years as skipper or mate of the watch: at least 600 miles non-stop by log, 96 hours at sea, and 200 miles more than 50 miles from land. You also need astro navigation sights taken at sea.
Do I need celestial navigation for Yachtmaster Ocean?+
Yes. You must show navigation records from a passage out of sight of land without electronic aids, including a sun-run-meridian-altitude sight and a compass check using a celestial body.
Is there a practical sailing exam for Yachtmaster Ocean?+
No. The exam is an oral and a written test of about 1.5 hours, based on your qualifying passage and navigation records.
Does an Atlantic crossing count as a Yachtmaster Ocean qualifying passage?+
Usually yes, if you were skipper or mate in sole charge of a watch for the whole passage and it meets the 600-mile, 96-hour and 50-miles-offshore rules.
Sources
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