FOD RYA Sail Cruising Scheme
RYA & FOD Recognised Centre
Safe and responsible sailing: your journey, our mission.
Sailing courses on the North Sea – from Start Yachting to Yachtmaster.
We partner with C-Masters , meet C-Masters at boot Düsseldorf 17–25 January
We will be making further adjustments to our website in the coming days.
RYA Yachtmaster Coastal prep course (YC)
“All certificates are issued via C-Masters.”
The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal qualification is a globally recognised standard of skippering competence, demonstrating your ability to command a yacht safely on coastal passages. It confirms not just knowledge, but real experience, sound judgement, and effective leadership at sea.
This preparation is aimed at skippers who have completed the RYA Coastal Skipper practical course and are ready to progress towards the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal examination, refining their skills to the level required for assessment.
Duration: The prep course is available as 5 days including a one day theory booster session. The examination can take place during 2 days.
Location: Nieuwpoort (Belgium) or Kortgene (Zeeland, the Netherlands)
Students: 4
Assumed knowledge: Your knowledge of coastal navigation, diesel engine, radar and meteorology should be to the standard of the RYA Coastal Skipper Yachtmaster Offshore theory course.
We highly recommend doing the RYA Radar and RYA Diesel Engine course.
You must hold an in date valid First Aid certificate and VHF GMDSS marine radio licence.
Previous experience: You should have logged at least:
30 days sea time (of which 2 as skipper)
800 nautical miles of which at least half on tidal waters
12 night hours
For holders of the Coastal Skipper practical course certificate this requirement is reduced to:
20 days sea time (2 as skipper)
400 recorded miles of which at least half on tidal waters
12 night hours
Language: English
Intensive preparation for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal exam, with continuous assessment and coaching by the instructor
One-day theory refresher covering passage planning, navigation, pilotage, meteorology, COLREGs, safety, and yacht systems
Practical training, taking command of the yacht on coastal passages by day and night
Focus on exam-standard decision-making, leadership, and seamanship in realistic conditions.
Personal debriefs and targeted coaching to help you reach the required Yachtmaster standard
Achieve the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal qualification.
The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal exam confirms your competence to skipper a yacht safely on coastal passages, by day and night. It assesses your practical seamanship, navigation, boat handling, safety awareness, and leadership while you take full command of the yacht in real operating conditions. Successfully passing the exam demonstrates that you meet the internationally recognised RYA/MCA standard for Yachtmaster Coastal.