Overview
Our Yachtmaster Power Prep Course is a one-week practical course to consolidate your practical and theoretical knowledge in preparation for the RYA Yachtmaster exam.
This course is popular with experienced Superyacht Deckhands, crew from the commercial maritime sector, or those with RYA Yachtmaster sail looking to convert to Yachtmaster Power.
The RYA Yachtmaster qualification
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Power Certificate of Competence allows the holder to skipper of a motorboat up to 24 meters in length, 150 miles from a safe haven. Add STCW Basic Safety Training, and you have a qualification to skipper a motorboat up to 200GT, which may be more than 24 meters.
RYA Yachtmaster Theory
To pass the practical exam, candidates must have an excellent knowledge of navigation to RYA Yachtmaster Theory standard or equivalent. If you have not completed the RYA Yachtmaster theory course, we recommend joining our two-week theory and practical course.
Course Overview
Our two-week course starts with RYA Yachtmaster Theory. The advantage of the combined theory and practical course is the navigation is fresh in your memory, and you have all your notes to refer back to. We find that customers help and encourage each other and learn a lot more than if studying at home.
Week two is the practical prep week, with five days of practical training, putting the theory into practice as well as learning how to manage the yacht and its systems, mooring, as well as a whole host of other skills required to be a competent skipper. A day-by-day breakdown of what is covered can be found in the key facts below.
Course prerequisites
For the practical prep course, you must have the prerequisite miles and experience, which you must document and provide to the examiner before you sit the Yachtmaster Offshore exam. Some key requirements are:
- You must have been to sea for at least 50 days.
- Completed 2500 miles in the last ten years.
- Within the 2,500 miles above, completed at least five passages (known as qualifying passages) of over 60 miles. You would have been acting as skipper for two of these passages.
- You must hold a valid First Aid certificate, and a GMDSS-compliant marine radio license, such as the RYA VHF short-range radio certificate.
These are just the headlines. We recommend you read our comprehensive guide on the Yachtmaster Offshore and Coastal exam requirements. If you are unsure, don’t hesitate to contact us, and we can guide you through.
The RYA Yachtmaster Exam
The Yachtmaster exam is conducted by an RYA examiner independent of Flying Fish. Your instructor will not be onboard for the duration of the exam. The RYA examiner will look at all areas of the Yachtmaster syllabus and assess each candidate’s practical and navigational skills. Your examiner will complete a report form detailing skills covered during the exam.Â
The Yachtmaster exam will take between 24 and 36 hours to complete.
The Solent offers a great training ground with numerous ports, strong tides, and lots of traffic. Training in the Solent will improve your knowledge of skippering a small motorboat.Â
Flying Fish is based in Cowes, in the middle of the Solent; therefore, we can operate in almost any weather conditions.
There are a maximum of four candidates on this course.
The Yachtmaster Exam
The Yachtmaster exam is conducted by an RYA examiner independent of Flying Fish. Your instructor will not be onboard for the duration of the exam. The RYA examiner will look at all areas of the Yachtmaster syllabus and assess each candidate’s practical and navigational skills. The RYA examiner will complete a report form detailing skills covered during the exam.Â
The Yachtmaster exam will take between 24 and 36 hours to complete.
The Solent offers a great training ground with numerous challenging ports, tides, and traffic. Because of the conditions, you will improve your overall knowledge of skippering a small motorboat.Â
Flying Fish is based in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. The Island offers protection, which means we can operate in almost any weather conditions.
There are a maximum of four candidates on this course.
Please read our key facts for some of the detail regarding this course.
Key facts
Before you join the course
- You must be 18 years old to sit the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam.
- Have completed a minimum of 2,500 miles before you sit the Yachtmaster offshore exam. At least half the sea time must be in tidal waters on a Motorboat between between 7 and 24m in length.
Note: If you have been working on a Superyacht/a vessel over 24m, then at least 1,250 sea miles gained on the larger vessel can be used towards the 2,500 required.
Please click the link below for more details on recording your sea miles, converting from sail to power, and more.
For RYA Yachtmaster’s to work as professional skippers, you must apply for commercial endorsement through the RYA. If you plan to work in the maritime sector, please see our article on how to apply for Commercial endorsement.
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Power certificate of competence allows the holder to skipper of a Motorboat up to 24 meters in length, 150 miles from a safe haven.
Add STCW Basic Safety Training, and you have a qualification to skipper motor boats up to 200GT, which may be more than 24 meters.
Not all candidates have the sea time or command experience for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate.
Candidates with 800 miles logged choose the Yachtmaster Coastal certificate. Furthermore, some skippers have no intention of going offshore and want to stick to coastal waters.
If you own a motorboat, have no intention of going offshore, and are looking for a qualification that provides confidence, we recommend the Yachtmaster Coastal route.
This course is suitable for RYA Yachtmaster Coastal.
Fish Tales is a Fairline Phantom 40′. She has two Volvo Penta 370 HP diesel engines. She is a shaft-driven boat with a bow and stern thruster to help with maneuvers.
Fish Tales has two 12″ Garmin 8600 series plotters, a 24″ Garmin HD Radar, and an engine and rear-facing camera. All the instruments connect to a TV in the saloon so the entire crew can visualize the navigation exercise.
She is a comfortable, well-equipped boat with heating, a generator, and all the safety equipment you would expect to find on a CAT 2-coded vessel.
If you choose to stay with us, you will stay in one of our self-catering crew houses in Cowes, which are comfortable and centrally located. There is plenty of space to complete homework and chat through the day with others on the course. Our accommodation is a 5-minute walk from the town and our training centre.
All customers booked onto our Yachtmaster Prep courses have their own room.
- All training, fuel and berthing fees included
- 100 miles logged
- Accommodation is not provided onboard.
£231 Yachtmaster Offshore/Coastal exam fee is not included.
Monday
- Introduction to the boat, systems, and safety producers onboard
- About the exam, what to expect
- Engineering, engines, control systems, and what to look out for
- Boat handling
- Marina berthing
- MOB and recovery at sea
Tuesday
- Engine checks/safety brief
- Navigational exercises in the Solent
- Anchoring
- Picking up mooring buoys
- MOB and recovery
- Marina berthing
- Night-time navigational exercises
Wednesday
- Engine checks/safety brief
- Marina berthing/confined space boat handling
- Single engine berthing
- Picking up mooring buoys
- Navigational exercises day-time
- Night Navigation exercises
Thursday
- Engine checks/safety brief
- Navigational exercises in the Solent
- Radar
- Picking up mooring buoys
- Marina berthing/confined space exercises
- Single engine berthing
Friday
- Engine checks/safety brief
- Navigational exercises in the Solent
- Boat handling exercises/single-engine berthing
- MOB and recovery
- Revision of the Yachtmaster syllabus
Friday afternoon, the RYA examiner arrives
Saturday/Sunday
The examiner will join the boat, and your instructor will step off. The Yachtmaster Power exam will last between 12 and 48 hours depending on the number of candidates being examined, a maximum of 4 in any 2-day session. The exam will take place within the Solent. The examiner will ask each candidate to perform a series of practical and navigational exercises based on the weather and tidal conditions of the day.
What our previous customers have to say
What an absolute honour and pleasure it was being a part of Flying Fish family for the 2 weeks I completed with them! From the professional, helpful and attentive staff to fun, laughter and memories.
Monika B
Staff are amazing and so kind! Great course and great accommodation. Lovely location and an all round great friendly atmosphere.
Ossia M
Book Yachtmaster Power Prep Course today!
6 day(s)
£1,700
Cowes, Isle of Wight
Still not sure?
From training to career advise we’ll be happy to sit down and give you the guidance you need!
Have you completed your VHF course?
If you hold an STCW Elementary First Aid Certificate, it will need need to be refreshed if more than five years old.
If you have not completed the RYA Yachtmaster Theory and want to brush up on your navigational skills, why not join our two-week Yachtmaster Power, Theory, and Practical Course.
1 day(s)
£170
RYA Yachtmaster Theory Course
The RYA Yachtmaster theory is an advanced course for anybody who wants to master offshore navigation.
6 day(s)
£380
Yachtmaster Power Theory and Practical
Combines both RYA Yachtmaster Theory and the practical prep week.
14 day(s)
£2,080