MCA RYA Yacht Training

Plymouth Sailing School  & Plymouth Powerboating is now part of the SeaRegs training group and is an RYA recognised centre for providing all manner of Sail Training for both groups and individuals, we can often tailor our instruction to meet your specific requirements. We offer yacht training on our boat or yours.

The Instructors: The most important part of the SeaRegs training group are our instructors. They are first class. All are RYA/MCA Instructors and the majority are also RYA/MCA Examiners. They are picked not because of their qualification but because they are experienced seafarers and most importantly patient and effective instructors. They are there to help you achieve your aim.

A short introduction to sailing for complete beginners.

By the end of the course you will have experienced steering a yacht, sail handling, ropework and be aware of safety on board.

Holders of the Start Yachting certificate can go on to complete the Competence Crew course in a reduced time of three days or two weekends.

Previous experience:None
Assumed knowledge:None
Cost:£240
Duration: 2 Days
Content:The yacht, ropework, underway, rules of the road, man overboard recovery, clothing and equipment, emergency equipment and precautions, meteorology.

This course is for beginners and those who would like to become active crew members rather than just passengers.

Experience living on board and really get to know the boat. Virtually all the course is hands on. You are the crew – without you the sails won’t go up and the boat won’t be steered. By the end of the course you should be able to steer, handle sails, keep a lookout, and assist in all the day to day duties on board.

Previous experience:None
Assumed knowledge:None
Cost:£600
Duration: 5 Days
Content:Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat, her rigging and sails, sail handling, ropework, fire precautions and fighting, personal safety equipment, man overboard, emergency equipment, meteorology, seasickness, helmsmanship, general duties, manners and customs, rules of the road, dinghies
Commercial use:None – although many deck crew undertake this course for vessel familiarity and to show a level of knowledge.
Pre reading:

A course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills.

Learn to skipper a short passage with the instructor on hand to give advice and encouragement and ensure your safety. Experience being in charge, taking credit when it all goes well and being responsible when it doesn’t.

If it’s help with navigation that you need, you should take our Day Skipper shorebased course (see our shorebased courses page).

Previous experience:5 days, 100 miles, 4 night hours on board a sailing yacht
Assumed knowledge:Navigation to Day Skipper shore based standard
Duration: 5 days
Cost:£600
Content:Preparation for sea, deck work, navigation, pilotage, meteorology, rules of the road, maintenance and repair work, engines, victualling, emergency situations, yacht handling under power, yacht handling under sail, passage making, night cruising
Assessment:Continual training and assessment
Commercial use:When commercially endorsed, qualifies holder to skipper a commercial yacht up to 24m in length in Category 6 (3 miles NDP daylight) or 5 (20 miles NDP daylight) waters (Cat 5 when combined with day skipper theory certificate).
Pre-reading:

5 day course covering advanced skippering techniques on coastal passages by day and night involving more challenging passages than the Day Skipper course and more about passage planning as well as pilotage by day and night.

Please note your shorebased knowledge is up to Yachtmaster standard. Our shorebased courses can be found here.

Previous seatime and qualifications:15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours.
Assumed knowledge: Boat handling to the standard of Day Skipper and navigation to Yachtmaster shore based standard
Cost:£600 per person
Duration: 5 days
Content: Passage planning, Preparation for sea, Pilotage, Passage making and ability as skipper, Yacht Handling under power, Yacht handling under sail, Adverse weather conditions, Emergency situations.
Commercial use:The Coastal Skipper course on it’s own can not be used commercially however combined with the Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence, it is part of the new route towards the MCA OOW 3000.
Pre-reading: RYA Navigation Manual, IRPCS, RYA Weather Manual.

Come join us for 5 days of preparation running into your Yachtmaster Coastal Exam.

Please note it is absolutely essential that your shorebased knowledge is up to Yachtmaster standard, and not meeting this requirement is likely to prevent you from passing your exam. Our shorebased courses can be found here.

Previous seatime and qualifications:30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night hours (if you hold the Coastal Skipper course certificate this is reduced to 20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, 12 night hours). Half the qualifying sea time must be conducted in tidal waters.  VHF/SRC licence, and valid/in-date First Aid certificate – STCW, RYA, or SeaFish.
Assumed knowledge:Navigation to Yachtmaster shore based standard
Cost: £750 per person, plus RYA MCA exam fee £193
Duration: 7 days (5 days plus 2 for the exam)
Content:There is no fixed syllabus for this course. We try to focus on areas that you need to work on, and that the examiners tend to look at during the exam. We go through usual preparation subjects such as skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and IRPCS, meteorology and signals.
Assessment:Practical examination by external RYA examiner on the last 2 days
Commercial use:When commercially endorsed, qualifies holder to skipper a commercial yacht up to 24m in length in Category 3 waters (20 miles from a safe haven). When combined with the RYA Coastal Skipper, it is part of the new route towards the MCA OOW 3000.
Pre-reading: RYA Navigation Manual, IRPCS, RYA Weather Manual.

Come join us for 5 days of preparation running into your Yachtmaster Offshore Exam.

Please note it is absolutely essential that your shorebased knowledge is up to Yachtmaster standard, and not meeting this requirement is likely to prevent you from passing your exam. Our shorebased courses can be found here.

Previous seatime and qualifications:50 days sea time, 5 days as skipper, 2500 miles, 5 passages over 60 miles including 2 as skipper and 2 overnight (half the seatime must be in tidal waters). VHF/SRC licence, and valid/in-date First Aid certificate – STCW, RYA, or SeaFish.
Assumed knowledge: Navigation to Yachtmaster shore based standard
Cost: £750 per person, plus RYA MCA exam fee £224
Duration: 7 days (5 days plus 2 for the exam)
Content: There is no fixed syllabus for this course. We try to focus on areas that you need to work on, and that the examiners tend to look at during the exam. We go through usual preparation subjects such as skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals.
Assessment: Practical examination by external RYA examiner on the last 2 days
Commercial use: When commercially endorsed, qualifies holder to skipper a commercial yacht up to 24m in length in Category 1 waters (150 miles from a safe haven).
Pre-reading: RYA Navigation Manual, IRPCS, RYA Weather Manual.

The boat: Our usual yacht for training is a Bavaria 36, Phoebe.

The training: We teach a maximum of 4 students onboard and often have smaller groups. Costs include fuel, onboard accommodation and meals, snacks, tea & coffee, mooring fees etc.

RYA MCA Commercial Endorsement

This is an endorsement to the Powerboat level 2, Day Skipper practical, Advanced Powerboat, Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore or Ocean certificates so that they can be used on small commercial vessels up to 24m  (200GT YM Offshore and Ocean).

In order to obtain your Commercial Endorsement you will need to send to the RYA:

  • A fully completed Commercial Endorsement Application form 
  • Your printed PPR certificate
  • A completed ML5/ENG1 medical form
  • Your original practical certificate to be endorsed
  • A copy of your RYA Basic Sea Survival Certificate or STCW Personal Survival Techniques
  • A passport size photo of yourself
  • The £35 application fee

In addition, if your wish to obtain a Commercial Endorsement on a Powerboat Level 2, Day Skipper or Advanced Powerboat Course Completion certificate* you will also need to send to the RYA along with the above:

  • A Valid and in-date STCW Elementary First Aid, RYA First Aid, or SeaFish First Aid certificate – see guidance here
  • A VHF/SRC Radio Operators Licence

*Only Advanced Powerboat Course Completion certificates issued prior to 2005 can be Commercially Endorsed, after this date Commercial Endorsements can only be applied to Advanced Powerboat Certificates of Competence.

Pre reading: RYA Commercial regulations for small commercial vessels

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