We’re delighted to launch our Professional RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Programme for the 2020 season. Our programme has been designed to help you reach the grade of RYA Yachtmaster Offshore in time for the 2021 summer season, and to assist you through the process of gaining a commercial endorsement.
Our next programme begins in October and consists of intensive and hands on training. By the end of the programme, you’ll have more than covered the required mileage for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore assessment. There’s an outline of the programme below, but please get in touch with us as we’d like to spend some time to talk to you about the programme in more detail.
The programme fees are €9,950.
Get in touch…
Tel: +353 (0)1 2844195
Email: sailing@inss.ie
Programme Outline
Module 1: Learn to Skipper
After this module, candidates will be sufficiently qualified to receive an ICC in both sail and power.
- RYA Competent Crew Course: 28th September - 2nd October
- RYA Day Skipper Theory Course: 5th - 9th October (9am-5pm each day)
- RYA Day Skipper Practical: 12th – 16th October
- Practise Drills: 19th – 21st October
- Med Mooring, Power Manoeuvres, Parking, MOB
- National Powerboat Certificate: 22nd and 23rd October
1 week break (children’s Mid-Term Break)
Module 2: Shorebased & Advanced Powerboating
This module builds on the background skills required to operate a sailing vessel safely and builds powerboating experience.
- First Aid Course: Sunday 1st November 2019 (9.30am-5pm)
- VHF Course: Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd November (10.30am-5pm each day)
- Intermediate Powerboat Course: Wednesday 4th and Friday 5th November (9am-5pm each day)
- Powerboat Handling and Manoeuvre Self Practise: Friday 6th November (9am-5pm)
- Sea Survival Course: Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November (9.30am-5pm each day)
- PWC (Jet Ski) Proficiency Course and further Powerboat Practice: Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th November (9.30am-5pm each day)
- Advanced Powerboat Course: Wednesday 11th (9.30am-9pm) and Thursday 12th (10am-4pm) November
Long weekend off, Friday 13th – Sunday 15th November
Module 3: Better Skippering
- Day Navigation and Pilotage Week, Mooring and Manoeuvres: Monday 16th – Thursday 19th November
3 day break, Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd November to rest prior to Coastal Skipper Course
- RYA Coastal Skipper Course: Monday 23rd – Friday 27th November
- Advanced Night Navigation and Pilotage Week: Monday 30th November – Friday 4th December
- Distance Sail with instructor 1 - East Coast: Monday 7th – Friday 11th December
There is a 21 day break scheduled from Saturday 12th December to Saturday 2nd January 2021. During this break, there is an optional sail repair, engine maintenance and boat maintenance workshop as the vessel used on the programme receives an inspection from our maintenance team. Programme participants are welcome to join from Tuesday 15th December – Thursday 17th December while this work is carried out, get involved and take some extra skills away.
Module 4: Advanced Powerboat Operations
- Powerboat Tender Operators Certificate: 2nd & 3rd January 2021
Module 5: Further Sailing – Building Experience and Miles
- Distance Sail with instructor 2 - 6 days: Monday 4th - Friday 9th January 2021
- Passage Planning with Instructor: Monday 11th January 2021
- Distance Self Sail 1 - 4 days: Tuesday 12th - Friday 15th January 2021
- Distance Self Sail 2 - 6 days: Monday 18th – Saturday 23rd January 2021
Module 6: Yachtmaster Preparation and Assessment
- YM Prep Week: Monday 25th – Friday 29th January 2021
- YM Assessment: Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st January 2021
Additional Commercial Endorsement Requirements:
- Professional Practises and Responsibilities – Short Online Course we’ll organise for you.
- Medical Examination – Organised by yourself
- Eye Test – Organised by yourself
What’s Included:
- Accommodation onboard the yacht during practical courses
- All meals during practical courses
- Use of foul weather gear
- All course materials and books
- All examination and license fees, including VHF SRC License fee and RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Assessment Fees
What’s not included:
Food and accommodation are not provided on days where practical on yacht courses are not taking place, nor during shorebased programmes (Day Skipper Theory, First Aid, Sea Survival and VHF Courses).
We do provide foul weather gear (waterproof overalls) but not footwear, however, we’d strongly recommend purchasing your own set of gear and would be happy to provide advice on what to get.
Previous Experience…
Our programme is designed with novice sailors in mind. Those with previous experience should get in touch as there may be aspects of the programme that you would not need to complete. Get in touch and we’d be delighted to chat about individual circumstances.
How do the modules work...
Once you complete each certificate course, we'll issue you the certificate straight away. This means if you decide to stop during the programme, you'll have all the qualifications obtained at that point.
We'll use a variety of instructors on the programme, ensuring you'll benefit from a spread of teaching styles and previous experience.
Interested, get in touch…
Please get in touch with us on +353 (0)1 2844195 or by email to sailing@inss.ie. Our chief instructor Kenneth Rumball is happy to have an in-depth telephone discussion about this programme or ideally, meet you down in Dun Laoghaire, show you the yachts and run you through the programme in detail.
Our cancellation policy for this course can be viewed here.