Recreational: Yachtmaster Offshore (Power or Sail)
Overview
The IYT Yachtmaster Offshore course has become the most globally accepted course for the operation of recreational yachts up to 200 Tons.
What are the IYT Yachtmaster 200 Ton certificates?
The IYT Yachtmaster courses are recreational courses designed to provide the highest standard of maritime education for the recreational yachtsman and woman and for those who are serious about obtaining the best nautical qualifications available. They are ideal for those who greatly want to expand their knowledge and experience and increase their confidence in commanding a yacht. For those who are taking the courses, completion of the Elements of Shipboard Safety, basic safety training courses is not required but highly recommended. The three day course covers Fire Fighting, Sea Survival, First Aid and Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities.
Yachtmaster courses are not for beginners, candidates will have to meet minimum requirements as outlined below.
How many Yachtmaster courses are there?
There are three:
What are the advantages of holding an IYT Yachtmaster Certificate?
What are the minimum entry requirements to complete the IYT Yachtmaster Offshore Course?
There are no pre-requisite courses required.
However, candidates must provide documented evidence of boating experience as stated below:
1. Candidates must have logged 50 days on board a yacht at sea as an active crew member. For the purpose of this requirement, a day is defined as a period of 24 consecutive hours. Parts of a day may be included in this total, but a day is not invalidated by a candidate leaving the yacht for a few hours during a cruise. The term “at sea” is defined as being on a vessel outside of any harbor – natural or artificial – in which a cruising yacht could secure or anchor for a prolonged period of time.
2. Have logged 3,000 miles in a yacht while cruising at sea (power or sail). This mileage must be logged on genuine cruises or passages but not short day trips. At least 2,000 miles must have been completed on coastal voyages and not ocean crossings. It is important that the candidate has considerable time of actual vessel handling.
3. Thirty hours on watch at night underway as an active member of a yacht’s crew. For at least six hours of this night time experience, the candidate must have been acting as the vessel’s captain/watchleader. “Night,” in this context, is defined as the time between sunset and sunrise.
4. A current medical examination and a colour blindness eyesight examination which allows the participant to safely perform the relevant duties on a yacht, including being able to see and distinguish lights and signals of other vessels and navigational marks in typical weather conditions without risk to him/herself, other crewmembers or the safe operation of the vessel.
What does the programme consist of?
The programme consists of three separate courses as outlined below. Each course stands alone and can be taken individually or together. They can be taken in any of our participating partner schools and it is not necessary to complete them all at the same time or at the same location if you do not wish to. However, it is recommended that all three courses be taken in as quick a succession as possible in order to retain as much information before the final on-board examination with an IYT examiner.
(A) A six day comprehensive high level shore based course with assessment papers and assessments incorporating subjects including navigation, tidal calculations, international collision regulations, pilotage, meteorology, anchoring, berthing, buoyage, safety, passage planning, general ship knowledge and seamanship. Candidates are advised that a considerable amount of private study and varied cruising experience is required in addition to the formal instruction provided.
(B) A five day practical course which is conducted on board a yacht (either power or sail) covering seamanship skills such as nautical terminology, tides, ropework, anchors/anchoring, boat handling, docking, yacht presentation, general boating skills, weather, navigation, ability to command, situational awareness and passage planning. This will be a preparation course for your final IYT Yachtmaster Offshore Examination.
(C) A 6 hour VHF Radio Operators course. This course covers the general rules and procedures for the safe operation of a VHF/HF marine radio. This course will either be conducted on board the yacht or in the classroom after completion of the theory course.
(D) A 3 day Elements of Shipboard Safety Training courses consisting of:
A Personal Survival course
ESS consists of classroom subjects such as emergency situations, evacuation, survival craft and rescue boats, personal lifesaving appliances, survival at sea, emergency radio equipment and helicopter assistance. The remainder of the course is spent in a swimming pool performing an actual life raft inflation and inversion and the simulation of other abandon ship procedures. The theory and practical are both followed by a short written examination.
A Fire fighting and prevention course
Elements of Shipboard Safety includes shipboard fire fighting organisation, the elements of fire and explosion, types of ignition, fire and smoke detection, breathing apparatus use and automatic alarm system familiarisation. Candidates will fight and extinguish actual fires using personal survival equipment, appliances methods and various agents. The course includes seminar and practical instruction taught by licensed and certified fire fighting professionals. It takes two days to complete and is followed by a short written examination.
What is required for my final Yachtmaster examination?
All of the courses and criteria must be fulfilled before a candidate may apply to take the final on-board examination.
What does the final exam consist of?
The final exam will be conducted by an independent IYT Yachtmaster examiner and takes the form of an extensive oral and practical test on a yacht (either power or sail). Candidates can expect to be examined on any subject covered by the syllabus of the shore based or practical courses and to be questioned on any aspect of their yachting experience to date.
In the event that the examiner considers an examinee not to have achieved the required standards and/or the candidates ability as Captain does not reach the required standard, and/or the prerequisites have not been met for the IYT Yachtmaster Offshore, a Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate may be issued in the interim. In this case and if requested, a personal report will be sent to the candidate outlining the reason or reasons for failure and suggesting remedial action prior to re sitting the exam.
Completion of the Yachtmaster Offshore certification course is not a guarantee of passing the examination and receiving your certificate.
Candidates may apply to any of the participating IYT Partner Schools worldwide who offer this course.
In order to apply for the IYT Yachtmaster Certification courses, please contact Peter Bachelor at Cairns Boat School on 0439311796 or the International Marine College for further details.
Acceptance onto the course does not automatically guarantee obtaining an IYT Yachtmaster Certificate. All the prerequisites must be fulfilled and satisfactory standards achieved in all of the courses.
What certificates will I receive at the end of the entire course?
Those completing the IYT Yachtmaster Offshore Theory program will receive the following:
1. The IYT Yachtmaster Offshore 200 Ton shore based certificate
2. VHF Radio Operators Certificate (if applicable)
3. Elements of Shipboard Safety (if applicable)
4. First Aid Certificate (if applicable)
Syllabus
Part 1: Theory Component
1. Navigational Drawing Instruments
a. Parallel rulers.
b. Dividers and compasses.
c. Proprietary plotting instruments.
d. The Breton Plotter.
2. Navigational Charts – Latitude and Longitude
a. Suppliers – Admiralty, DMA, NOAA Stanford, Imray, etc.
b. Information contained on charts.
c. Chart symbols and abbreviations – Chart 1.
d. Projections – Mercator and Gnomonic.
e. Latitude and Longitude.
f. Chart correction.
3. Definition of Distance, Speed, Time and Direction
a. Position by bearing and distance.
b. True bearings and courses.
c. The Knot.
4. The Magnetic Compass, Variation and Deviation
a. Allowance for variation. Change of variation with time and position, use of transits and comparison to check deviation.
b. Sitting of compass and causes of deviation.
c. Steering and hand bearing compasses.
d. Swing for deviation (but not correction).
5. Position Lines and Position Fixes
a. Techniques of visual fixing.
b. Horizontal angle fixing.
c. Running fixes.
d. Radio fixes.
e. Fixes containing a mixture of position lines.
f. Deviation of position from a line of soundings.
g. Ranges by dipping distances.
h. The running fix.
6. Dead Reckoning and Estimated Positions
a. Definition of D.R. and E.P.
b. Working up D.R. and E.P. by plotting on a chart.
c. The log book.
7. Tides
a. Causes of tides – springs and neaps.
b. Tidal heights and definitions.
c. Tidal level and datums.
d. Times and heights at standard ports.
e. Correction for secondary ports.
g. The rule of twelfths.
8. Currents
a. Current definitions – levels and data.
b. Current set and drift.
c. Current tables.
d. Current rips, overfalls and rates.
9. Course to steer to counteract a current
a. Plotting a C.T.S.
b. Leeway, variation and deviation
10. Meteorology
a. Basic meteorological terms – The Beaufort Scale.
b. Air Masses.
c. Cloud types.
d. Weather patterns associated with pressure and frontal systems.
e. Sources of broadcast meteorological information.
f. Tropical revolving storms – development. Tracking and danger quadrants.
g. Land and sea breezes.
h. Preparing synoptic charts from radio information.
11. Pilotage
a. Pilot books, charts and nautical almanacs.
b. Method of pre-planning.
c. Port control, lock gates and marinas, pilotage symbols.
d. Harbour regulations and control signals.
12. Passage Planning
a. Preparing for a passage.
b. Passage plan headings.
c. Considerations for offshore passages.
13. Electronic Navigation Aids
a. Chart Plotters
b. Global Positioning Systems.
c. Electronic Charts
d. Chart Plotters, Lap Tops & PC’s
e. Other!
14. International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
A sound knowledge of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
15. Boat Handling Under Power
a. Control of vessel in confined spaces
b. Berthing & un-berthing situations in various wind & tide conditions
c. Anchoring
Boat Handling Under Sail
a. Use of sails to control the yacht in a confined space
b. Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind & tide
c. Sailing effectively on all points of sail
16. Nautical Knowledge, Aids to Navigation, Offshore Seamanship, Customs Clearing In & Out, Stamps
Part 2: Practical Component
1. Safety
a. Knowledge of the safety equipment to be carried, its stowage and use.
b. Fire precautions and fire fighting.
c. Use of personal safety equipment, harnesses and lifejackets.
d. Ability to send VHF/HF radio distress message.
e. Life raft, grab bag and essential items.
2. Boat Handling
a. Coming to and weighing anchor under power or sail.
b. Picking up and leaving a mooring buoy under power or sail.
c. Berthing and leaving a berth, alongside or between piles under power.
d. Recovery of a man overboard.
e. Boat handling in confined areas under power or sail.
f. Boat handling in heavy weather.
g. Helm and sail trim to sail to best advantage.
h. Use of warps and fenders for securing in and alongside berth.
3. General Seamanship
a. Properties, use and care of synthetic fibre ropes.
b. Knots and splices.
c. General deck work, at sea and in harbour.
d. Engine operation and maintenance.
e. Improvisation of jury-rigs following gear failure.
4. Responsibilities of the Captain
a. Communication with the crew.
b. Delegation of responsibility and watchkeeping organization.
c. Preparing the yacht for sea and adverse weather.
d. Tactics for heavy weather and restricted visibility.
e. Emergency & distress situations.
f. Customs procedures.
g. Standards of behaviour and courtesy.
5. Navigation
a. Chart work, including position fixing and course shaping allowing for tide and leeway.
b. Tide and Tidal stream calculations.
c. Buoyage and visual aids to navigation.
d. Instruments, including compasses, logs, echo sounders, radio navaids and chart work instruments.
e. Passage planning and navigational tactics.
f. Pilotage techniques.
g. Navigational records.
h. Limits of navigational accuracy and margins of safety.
i. Navigation by Loran and G.P.S.
6. Meteorology
a. Definition of terms.
b. Interpretation of weather forecasts, barometric trends and visible phenomena.
c. Ability to make passage planning decisions based on forecast information.
7. International Regulations for prevention collisions at sea
a. General rules.
b. Steering and sailing rules.
c. Lights and shapes.
d. Sound and light signals.
e. Distress signals.
8. Elements of Shipboard safety Components
a. First Aid
b. Fire Fighting
c. Sea Survival
d. Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities
