Any point in doing an RYA Coastal Skipper course?

[Kswitalski]

I am very much a beginner when it comes to sailing, but I am at the point where I meet the requirements for a Coastal Skipper. As far as I can tell this certificate is not necessary if I plan on eventually looking into an RYA Yachtmaster once I gain more experience.

Is there any point in getting a Coastal Skipper certificate or should I concentrate on getting my hours and nautical miles? Thank you in advance.

[tkeithlu]

Welcome to the forum, Kswitalski.

"Necessary" is a relative term. Are you going to need to justify your knowledge to others in the sailing community? Having the certification lets others judge your level of understanding. If it's not too much trouble, yes, get the Coastal Skipper.

[boatman61]

If nothing else at least get the CS Theory under your belt as it is so much more instructive than the Day Skipper ticket.
Personally I jumped straight to Coastal Skipper after sailing for a couple of years sans qualifications.
With Brexit now done so to speak if you have plans on sailing to France I would recommend the full ticket as the French are likely to revert back to their pre 90's ways and try to catch you on everything.

[Uricanejack]

It’s certainly not necessary.
Which doesn’t mean it will not be interesting or fun.

If you are interested. In the knowledge and possible the chance to sail in an interesting area.
Go for it.

[bensolomon]

I totally recommend more sailing education, in general. It is ALWAYS worthwhile. I did dayskipper to get my ICC, only because I wanted more education. I had taken myself as far as I could just sailing and having experience is on my boat in addition to multiple BVI charters in Mediterranean charters.

I used nauticed.com. I thought I knew my stuff. I was mistaken. Now I know more, and am a much better mariner because of it.

Ben

[949072]

Originally Posted by Kswitalski

I am very much a beginner when it comes to sailing, but I am at the point where I meet the requirements for a Coastal Skipper.

How did you meet the requirements for Coastal Skipper if you are very much a beginner when it comes to sailing?

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by 949072

How did you meet the requirements for Coastal Skipper if you are very much a beginner when it comes to sailing?

I'm guessing he's referring to the passage requirements, which are absolutely tiny.

[Pete7]

Nice ticket to have if you want to charter a yacht. Did mine in the 80s and had to dig it out recently to charter a yacht over Easter. Yes worth doing and good prep for YM in the future.

Pete

[muttnik]

I suspect there is some confusion between the "Coastal Skipper" *course* for which you receive a course completion certificate much like dayskipper, and the "YachtMaster Coastal" certificate which I believe used to be called "Coastal Skipper" before it was rebranded (10-ish years ago??) and I think in the 80s (Pete7 please confirm :-) it might have been called "Yachtmaster Inshore". The "Yachtmaster Coastal" certificate is a certificate of competence obtained through a yachtmaster exam but with lower pre-requisites and less rigorous pass criteria than Yachtmaster Offshore. You don't have to do the Coastal Skipper course to do the Yachtmaster Coastal exam and you don't get a Yachtmaster Coastal certificate just by doing the Coastal Skipper course.

https://www.rya.org.uk/courses-train...l-skipper.aspx

It's not completely clear who is talking about what on this thread.

Pre-requisites seem slightly different between the two and I think it confuses everyone (well, me for sure)...