PROFESSIONAL YACHTMASTER TRAINING

Our Courses

An intensive fastrack Professional Yachtmaster Training course. The RYA Yachtmaster course is ideal for those considering a career change, a gap year or gaining employment in the sailing industry. It would also be great personal training to confidently cruise your own yacht throughout the world. The RYA Yachtmaster certificate can create opportunities for work onboard yachts, and is essential for aspiring skippers, RYA Cruising Instructors, and anyone looking to provide yacht deliveries.

Lasting 18 weeks with 75 days on the water and 25 days ashore, working towards RYA/MCA DoT Yachtmaster with commercial endorsement this is an intensive and rewarding course. Space in the course is limited to five candidates as we believe quality rather than quantity is important.

The sailing areas will encompass the Firth of Clyde, the Irish Sea and the UKs best cruising area; the West Coast of Scotland. Combining these areas give great diversity, challenging sailing, strong tides, a variety of anchorages, marinas and harbours as well as superb scenery.

Our aim is to produce experienced and rounded skippers that are not just confident to pass the Yachtmaster exam, but who feel that the base for a successful career in yachting has been laid. To allow this to happen, we realise that people will learn at different rates. We will endeavour to build your experience at a pace that suits.

Students also spend time with maintenance professionals who train them in the basics of rope work, yacht maintenance, sail repair, marine electronics, winch servicing, outboard maintenance and gel coat and fibreglass repair.

Professional Yachtmaster Training

Age 18 +

sportscotland’s National Centre Cumbrae delivers an intensive course that will lead to all the sailing qualifications necessary for you to become a yachtmaster.
The intensive style of the course is ideal for creating career opportunities as well as for those wishing to gain RYA qualifications for personal recreational use.
Over the 18-week course you will work towards RYA Yachtmaster (commercially endorsed). This qualification could create opportunities to work onboard yachts, become a skipper, cruising instructor, provide yacht deliveries or confidently cruise your own yacht throughout the world.
Other qualifications gained include:
RYA Competent Crew and Dayskipper practical
RYA Watch Leader
RYA Dayskipper and Yachtmaster shorebased Theory
RYA Short Range Certificate (VHF) incl GMDSS Operations
RYA First Aid Course
RYA Sea Survival
RYA ISAF Offshore Safety
RYA Small Craft Radar Operations
RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance
RYA Powerboat Level 2
RYA Dinghy Start Sailing
RYA Start Windsurfing
The sailing areas will encompass the sheltered waters of the Firth of Clyde and its many islands, the Irish Sea and the west coast of Scotland.

This year two PYT courses are being run from 14th March – 18th July and 1st August – 5th December. Both course have a FREE information day.

The FREE Information Days explain in more detail the course, syllabus, structure and the career opportunities of the Professional Yachtmaster Training course, also providing opportunities for discussion and informal talks. These days are FREE with no obligation whatsoever, however Pre-booking is essential. 01475 530 757. For an information PDF please click here. An info pack can also be posted out please phone the centre and ask for a PYT info pack.

Fastrack Powerboat Instructor Training

Course One Cost £8800

Info Day31 Jan 10
Course 114 Mar 10 - 18 July 10

Course Two Cost £8800

Info Day13 June 10
Course 21 Aug 10 - 5 Dec 10

Qualifications gained include:

RYA Competent Crew and Dayskipper practical
RYA Watch Leader
RYA Dayskipper and Yachtmaster shorebased Theory
RYA Short Range Certificate (VHF) incl GMDSS Operations
RYA First Aid Course
RYA Sea Survival
RYA ISAF Offshore Safety
RYA Small Craft Radar Operations
RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance
RYA Powerboat Level 2
RYA Dinghy Start Sailing
RYA Start Windsurfing

John Kent (Centre Principal) - “We at the centre are really proud to see, all our candidates in the first year of this course successfully passing their Yachtmaster Exam”.

Mike Poole (Journalist)- “The candidates found the staff teaching the course to be very approachable and knowledgeable, I would have to say that this is also my view. Both the staff leading the courses I sat in on were Yachtmaster examiners”

Hamish Morrison (Yachtmaster) - “The best bits off the course were all the different boats and meeting others in the sailing industry”

The Yachts

Time afloat will be spent on Cumbrae’s two yachts, a Jeanneau Sunfast 37 and Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36i. You will also spend time sailing various other yachts that are chartered in to broaden your experience. An important part of building the diversity of experience will be sailing aboard the 92ft Gaff Schooner Spirit of Fairbridge and on the 72ft OYT Scotland’s, former BT Challenge yacht Alba Endeavour. These vessels allow an insight into how things are run and managed on board sail training vessels and can also open up networking and career opportunities.

Previous Experience

There is no formal requirement for any sailing qualifications. It is important that you enjoy sailing and have an idea of whether or not the course is for you therefore we require that you have a minimum of 200 tidal sea miles logged.

Clothing

As part of the course you will receive a set of Gill Atlantic Waterproofs. All other clothing should be provided by you and include warm layers, hats and gloves. Advice will be given to assist you having the correct gear.

Books and equipment

All necessary books will be provided at the start of the appropriate course. A G15 logbook will be issued at the start of the course. This is used to record your miles and the stages of your progress. We are always happy to have chat please give us a call 01475 530 7575