Yachtmaster Offshore Motor
NOTICE: We plan to resume all RYA Motor Cruising Courses in early 2024. Please contact us for more information.
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is one of the most highly respected and prestigious sailing qualifications in the world and we pride ourselves on training many high calibre Yachtmaster Candidates.
Exam Preparation Courses are delivered by one of our fully qualified and extremely experienced RYA Yachtmaster Instructors. The week starts with an assessment day, when the instructor will gauge your strengths and weaknesses.
The rest of the time will be spent improving weak areas in order to prepare you for the exam. You will take command of the yacht on short passages, by day and night. You will be required to navigate in a seamanlike manner, with both efficiency and safety. Your instructor will give you guidance and coaching on boat handling techniques both at sea and in a confined space.
Examiners expect a high level of expertise, particularly in safety critical exercises such as man overboard, or sailing down wind. Your instructor will also ensure that the theory subjects, in particular meteorology, IRPCS, buoyage and passage planning are not new to you. At the end of the week, you will be given an honest debrief, leaving you confident in your own ability, taking the exam if you feel ready to do so.
At the end of the preparation course, the instructor will leave the process and an Independent RYA Examiner will come aboard to conduct the exam. Every student will be examined on how they skipper the yacht on short passages, and complete various other tasks.
The preparation is normally 3 days onboard but as the examiner will expect a high level of mechanical knowledge of a general and vessel specific nature then completing one of the Engineering courses is highly recommended.
During the exam you can expect to give the examiner a guided tour of your engine room. He/she will expect a detailed knowledge of your equipment and may ask searching questions about the operation of specific machinery. For instance, you may be expected to be familiar with the operation of a turbo charger and charge air cooler even if the exam vessel is not fitted with any. The same may be true of fuel switching systems between tanks and engines or the use of day tanks. Be aware of how much fuel you carry and your cruising range. Make sure you can explain the oil, air, fuel, salt and fresh water systems and show the examiner where all the lines and hoses go.
You will be expected to be able to handle the boat efficiently in a confined area and be able to berth in a variety of situations. This may well include berthing on one engine (in a twin engine vessel) and berthing without the use of the bow thruster if fitted. Under way you will be examined on your high-speed navigation. Make sure you know where you are and where you are going at all times. The power exam may well have more emphasis than the sail equivalent on GPS and radar navigation so make sure you are familiar with the equipment on the exam vessel.
$1800usd pp. Please click on the 'Training Dates & Booking' button on the right to check available dates.
Dinghy Sailing
DINGHY SAILING
Combine your course with Ondeck with some dinghy sailing at the National Sailing Academy just a couple of hundred yards away from our office.
The Sailing Academy is an accredited RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Training Centre offering courses for both dinghies and keelboats by RYA Instructors.
A 1-day informal course or a 2 day RYA Level 1 Dinghy sailing course can be arranged privately or in very small groups to fit in with your itinerary and is invaluable for all levels of sailor looking to improve skills on one of our larger boats. The principles of points of sail are the same and your wind awareness will improve hugely.
For bespoke/on demand courses the prices are:
1 day course with lunch US $150
2 day RYA Level 1 course with lunches US $250
All proceeds go to supporting the Academy which is a charity teaching sailing to Antiguan kids.
They are open all year round and offer both Youth and Adult Sailing Courses:
They also have a good restaurant (Island Fusion – see Facebook) and affordable accommodation
onsite – please see www.thelodgeantigua.com for details
See www.nationalsailingacademy.org for more detail
Contact [email protected] to book directly
RYA Competent Crew
RYA Competent Crew course for beginners and novices
The RYA Competent Crew is for beginners or novices looking to learn to sail and is suitable for those who have not been on the water before.
Ondeck run the RYA Competent Crew Course in Antigua most weeks of the year typically Monday to Friday. It includes 4 nights on board and food for Day 1. After that, students are encouraged to take part in the provisioning and planning for the week.
This course is aimed at beginners or occasional sailors without previous training. You will be taught elementary seamanship and become familiar with safety at sea, sail handling, rope work, steering on all points of sailing and much, much more besides.
The RYA Competent Crew Course is an excellent way for people of all ages to learn to sail. If you’re going to learn habits, why not make them good ones? It is also a good one for friends and families to sail together privately, either all doing Competent Crew or with Day Skipper candidates.
The online RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship course is an ideal partner for this course and can be completed before you arrive to ensure you get even more from the course. In addition it may be useful to build some wind awareness sailing on dinghies. Sessions and and lessons can be booked at the National Sailing Academy
Like all of our courses this is available to join with others or to book privately.
Next Steps – Once you have completed the RYA Competent Crew Course you may wish to try your hand at learning to skipper a yacht in which case the RYA Day Skipper Theory Course and RYA Day Skipper Practical Course would be an ideal next step.
Cost is $1050 pp and is run most weeks of the year. Please click on the 'Training Dates & Booking' button on the right to check available dates.
| Duration: | 5 Days normally 9 am Mon to 5 pm Fri with 4 nights on board | Max students | 5 |
| Previous Experience: | None | Minimum Age: | 16 + or any age if with parent or guardian . |
| Locations: | Antigua, Caribbean | Dates: | All Year |