Do I have enough sea time?
Enter what's in your logbook from the last 10 years, in the discipline you're being examined in (sail or power). Nothing you type leaves this page.
Fill in your numbers to see what you still need.
Sea time
All of it must be logged within the last 10 years, on seagoing vessels of the same discipline as your exam (sail for a sail exam, power for a power exam).
| Requirement | Needed | If you hold Offshore in the other discipline |
|---|---|---|
| Days at sea (yachts up to 500gt) | 50 | 25 |
| Days as skipper (vessels under 24m) | 5 | 3 |
| Miles (yachts up to 500gt) | 2,500 | 1,250 |
| Passages over 60 miles | 5, including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper | 3, including 1 overnight and 1 as skipper |
At least half of the qualifying sea time must be in tidal waters, on vessels under 24m. If most of your time is on superyachts over 24m or in the Mediterranean, where tides are slight, check this one carefully.
What counts as a day at sea?
The RYA defines a day on board (or as skipper) as eight consecutive hours living aboard, the majority of it at sea. Shorter periods can't be added together, and only one day can be counted in any 24 hours. Day sails of a few hours build experience but don't count towards the 50.
An area counts as tidal if published tidal stream, current or range data exists for it and is significant enough that you have to allow for it when planning and making the passage.
What counts as a 60-mile passage?
A non-stop voyage from one port or safe haven to another. The distance is taken as the shortest navigable route you'd plan for a safe and efficient passage, and both the planned distance and the distance actually run must exceed 60 miles: going the long way round to add miles doesn't count. There should be no change of skipper or mates during the passage, and if the skipper role changes hands, neither person can claim to have skippered it.
Expect the examiner to ask about your passages in detail, so keep your logbook entries accurate and specific: dates, ports, distance, your role and the conditions.
Certificates and age
- First aid: a valid first aid certificate, such as the RYA First Aid certificate.
- Radio: a GMDSS radio operator's certificate, such as the RYA Short Range Certificate (SRC), or higher.
- Age: 18 or over on the day of the exam.
The exam itself
Yachtmaster Offshore is a practical exam on a boat, not a written paper. The RYA allows 8 to 12 hours for one candidate and 10 to 18 hours for two. The boat must be 7 to 18m long, seaworthy and properly equipped, with two crew aboard besides the candidate.
You'll be tested on boat handling, skippering and navigation under way, and questioned on theory throughout: the collision regulations, lights and shapes, buoyage, tides, passage planning, weather, safety and engines. The shorebased theory course isn't compulsory, but you're expected to know the theory to that standard. See the questions examiners ask most.
Commercial endorsement
To use your Yachtmaster Offshore professionally, for example as crew working towards a superyacht career, skippering charters or delivering boats, it must be commercially endorsed. The RYA says an endorsed Offshore certificate lets you work as master of commercial vessels up to 200gt within 150 miles of a safe haven, and it's also a prerequisite for the MCA Officer of the Watch (Yachts) route.
Alongside your Yachtmaster Offshore certificate, the RYA asks for:
- an ML5 medical certificate (or an ENG1, which you need to skipper in category 0 or 1 waters)
- RYA Basic Sea Survival, or STCW Personal Survival Techniques
- an SRC or other GMDSS radio certificate
- the RYA's online Professional Practices and Responsibilities (PPR) course, taken before you apply
An endorsement lasts up to five years. To revalidate it you'll need 150 days of sea service on suitable vessels in the previous five years and an in-date medical. Check the RYA's commercial endorsement page before you apply, as the details depend on the vessel and code you'll work under.
Yachtmaster Coastal vs Offshore
| Coastal | Offshore | |
|---|---|---|
| Days at sea | 30 | 50 |
| Days as skipper | 2 | 5 |
| Miles | 800 | 2,500 |
| Night hours / passages | 12 night hours | 5 passages over 60 miles |
| Minimum age | 17 | 18 |
| Exam length (one candidate) | 6 to 10 hours | 8 to 12 hours |