Chieftain Training

RYA & STCW Courses – Sail, Power, Super-Yacht & Workboat

RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Power

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RYA/MCA YACHTMASTER POWER OVERVIEW:

Ready to take the next step in your power/motor boating career? Our Yachtmaster Power Preparation Course and Exam is designed for experienced skippers who want to refine their boat handling, close any knowledge gaps and prepare properly for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore Power practical exam.

This course is ideal for candidates who already have significant skippering experience but want expert coaching before the exam itself. It is also suitable for commercial operators, professional crew, delivery skippers and serious leisure boaters who want to achieve one of the most respected practical qualifications in power boating.

We have been training and examining  skippers in the Solent area for many years. Our Southampton Water / Solent operating area offers an outstanding environment for Yachtmaster preparation, with busy harbours, strong tides, confined marinas, commercial traffic, pilotage challenges and open-water passages all close at hand.

The Yachtmaster Power (Coastal and Offshore) Certificates of Competence Courses are run in parallel. Whilst the syllabus for each is very similar, the Offshore candidate requires more logged sea time and will be pushed harder in the exam. If you’re unsure as to exactly which level you should aim for, we are happy for you to book the preparation course and decide part way through, once you have seen the kind of exercises involved. The external examiner will not know which exam you are each taking until he/she meets you. Be mindful however that the scheme was written with the intention you would take the Yachtamster Coastal CoC Exam first. Then with your new commercial qualification gain more experience before returning for the Yachtmaster Offshore CoC Exam. If it is your intention to dive straight into Yachtmaster Offshore then you will need to have gained experience as a skipper before you join us.

 

Yachtmaster-Power

RYA/MCA YACHTMASTER POWER AIMS:

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore certificates of competence are advanced practical qualifications for skippers of motor cruisers and other power-driven craft. They are widely recognised within the leisure and commercial marine sectors and demonstrate that the holder can command a vessel safely, confidently and competently.

The practical exam is conducted by an independent RYA examiner and tests real-world skippering ability. Candidates are expected to demonstrate a high standard of:

  • boat handling
  • close-quarters manoeuvring
  • pilotage
  • passage planning
  • collision regulations
  • navigation
  • seamanship
  • safety and emergency procedures
  • command and decision-making

Passing the exam is a genuine achievement and candidates should not underestimate the standard required. We work with you to ensure you pass your exam. Be aware, this is not like other training courses, you need to arrive with the necassary sea time, skills and experience. The preparation course will help get you familiar with the boat, the operating area and the crew, exam techniques and to polish rusty skills. We can not teach you the Yachtmaster Offshore syllabus in 4 days.

RYA/MCA YACHTMASTER POWER COURSE DURATION:

This is a four day preparation course followed by an exam (making a five day package). The exam will start on day 4 evening or day 5 morning. The finish time may be well after dark on Day 5 evening.

There will be several late finishes during eth week as night pilotage is key part of the training and the exam.

In the rare event that you are the only person to have booked, we reduce the training by 1 day and you will have three days 1:1 tuition followed by the exam. We do not cancel this course due to low numbers.

RYA/MCA YACHTMASTER POWER PRE REQUISITES:

This is not a beginner or intermediate course. Candidates should already have substantial skippering experience and should be broadly operating at Yachtmaster standard before attending.

You will normally be expected to have:

  • significant practical powerboat or motor cruising experience
  • good chartwork and navigation knowledge
  • strong understanding of collision regulations
  • experience of skippering on coastal passages
  • logged mileage and sea time appropriate to the level sought (see below)

Exact exam eligibility requirements are set jointly by the RYA and MCA. Candidates are responsible for ensuring they meet the mileage, experience and pre-entry requirements before joining us. You will typically gain 4-8 night hours of night pilotage on our preparation course, biut will needs some night nav experience already.

YACHTMASTER COASTAL

* For holders of the RYA Coastal Skipper Course Completion Certificate, Sea Time is reduced to 20 days, 400 miles, 12 night hours and 2 days as skipper.

RYA-Yachtmaster-Power

YACHTMASTER OFFSHORE

Qualifying passages and seatime should have been logged in the ten years preceding the exam, seatime that is more than ten years old does not qualify.

If you are unsure about your mileage and background, Contact Us to Discuss Your Experience

RYA/MCA YACHTMASTER POWER COURSE CONTENT:

The preparation part of the week is intended to act as a refresher on pilotage, boat handling, safety, skippering and passage planning. In particular, skills like blind navigation, electronic navigation (radar and GPS), night pilotage and MOB procedure are practiced. This is not the time to be learning these skills from scratch if they are unfamiliar then you need to look at the Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper Courses. During the exam, candidates will be set various skipper tasks to demonstrate their ability as a Yachtmaster. They can be asked questions on any part of the syllabus from all practical and shorebased courses up to Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore level.

RYA-MCA-YACHTMASTER-POWER

For some candidates, the preparation confirms they are ready. For others, it identifies areas that need more work before taking the exam. Either outcome is valuable.

RYA/MCA YACHTMASTER POWER COURSE RATIO & VESSEL & TRAINING AREA:

The RYA set a maximum Motor Cruising ratio of 5 students to 1 instructor (5:1). Some UK centres reduce this to 4:1, but we go further, 3:1. This means you spend at least a third of the time on the wheel, with considerable opportunity to navigate and skipper. You will not sit through long periods of your course watching other candidates, “have a go.” We do NOT cancel this course due to low numbers, if you are the only candidate booked it still goes ahead (see above)

How do we do this? We run a sensible sized (8.5m) single screw motor boat and a 9.5 twin screw, both can be operated safely by just 2 crew. If you want to train on a larger, twin flybridge yacht then we are probably the wrong school for you! Be aware, you are unlikely to be guaranteed such a good Student : Instructor ratio elsewhere! Click here for information about our training vessel(s). Vessel allocation for a particular student or course is our choice.

One of the major advantages of taking your Yachtmaster Power prep course and exam with us is our operating area. Southampton Water, the Hamble, Cowes and the Central Solent are where the Yachtmaster Exam was first written and developed. Initially all exams took place in the Solent. It is a world renowned area for allowing candidates to develop true practical skills including:

  • busy marinas and fairways
  • strong tidal streams
  • close-quarters boat handling opportunities
  • commercial traffic and large ship awareness
  • pilotage challenges
  • buoyage and navigation marks in abundance
  • sheltered and open-water conditions within easy reach

For that reason Solent trained and examined Yachtmasters are held in far higher regard than those examined in many other worldwide locations.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

  • Up to 5-days shared use of our motor cruiser
  • 4-days of instruction (or 3 days 1:1 if you are the only candidate that has booked).
  • Diesel and on board consumables
  • Loan of a life jacket
  • Lunch, tea/coffee and snacks onboard
  • Three evening meals on board
  • Free berthing at the home port
  • Free parking (at SWAC)

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:

BESPOKE OWN BOAT YACHTMASTER TRAINING

In many cases, candidates may take the preparation and exam on their own boat, provided it is suitable for the exam and properly equipped. Training on your own vessel can be a very effective option, particularly if you intend to use the qualification in connection with that boat. WE offer own boat tuition globally, subject to vessel suitability. Contact us to discuss the best option for your circumstances.

WHY CHOOSE CHIEFTAIN TRAINING?

We are one of the best-established power and motorboat training providers in the Solent area. Our team understands what Yachtmaster candidates need: honest assessment, strong coaching, realistic training and a proper exam-standard approach.

When you train with us you benefit from:

  • experienced local instructors
  • excellent Solent training waters
  • practical, no-nonsense coaching
  • preparation tailored to your strengths and weaknesses
  • a realistic understanding of exam standards
  • a professional but supportive training environment

We do not believe in false promises. Yachtmaster is a serious qualification and the standard is high. Our job is to help you prepare properly and give you the best possible chance of success.