The RYA Yachtmaster Courses are popular amongst South African sailors. If you want to charter a course beyond certain limits, the Yachtmaster qualifications are crucial. In this article, we will discuss the Yachtmaster course prices in South Africa, and how they may set you back financially.
What is the RYA Yachtmaster in South Africa?
RYA Yachtmaster is a qualification bestowed by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) in the UK and worldwide. it is an internationally recognised and well-respected qualification that allows you to sail yachts internationally but of certain measurements and within certain restrictions. These qualifications are not to be confused with Small Vessel (SV) Qualifications, previously known as Y-tickets. For more information, read the MIN 642.
There are three levels of qualifications under RYA Yachtmaster in order:
- The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal,
- The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore, and
- The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean.
We have explained these qualifications in our RYA Yachtmaster Qualifications in South Africa article. In this article, we will mainly be discussing prices and their limitations.
Lastly, these RYA Yachtmaster qualifications are only for personal and recreational practices. If you intend to sail a yacht commercially, you will require commercial endorsements.
The RYA Yachtmaster Course Prices in South Africa
There are no official courses provided by RYA for Yachtmasters. They only have the exam fees officially listed on their website. Seeking training courses for these exams is optional. If you have the right qualifications and are confident in your abilities, contact any RYA-accredited training institution in South Africa that deals with Yachtmaster exams.
Take a look at all the RYA-accredited Institutes in South Africa on RYA’s Official Website.
While taking a course is optional, certain RYA-accredited institutes in South Africa have formulated a training syllabus to guide aspiring seafarers to obtain Yachtmaster Qualifications in South Africa. However, due to the varied nature of these courses, you may not find uniformity in Yachtmaster course prices across South Africa. The contents of these courses along with any supplementary courses in their packages heavily influence the price. Make sure you contact the training institute for clarity before undertaking the course.
Only the RYA-accredited institutes are eligible to provide RYA Yachtmaster and other relevant courses. While Sail and Power SA is an RYA-accredited institute based in Cape Town, our focus is on RYA Powerboating, Jet Ski, SAMSA Skipper, and Superyacht training courses.
Let’s see the average price range of RYA Yachtmaster Courses in South Africa.
The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal
According to the official RYA website, “the RYA Yachtmaster® Coastal has the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages.”
This qualification is somewhat equivalent to the SAMSA Category B Skipper’s License, which allows you to drive a boat up to 40Nm further from the shore at sea. The only difference is that the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal allows 60Nm instead of 40.
The official exam fee for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal is £208.
In South Africa, the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal course would cost R6,000, according to Professional Yachtmaster Training. Another RYA-accredited institute, Ocean Star Sailing Academy, has an Advanced Deckhand Course of 45 days. It includes the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore theory. The total course costs you R80,765. Besides that, they also conduct the Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exams in South Africa.
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore
According to the official RYA website, “the RYA Yachtmaster® Offshore is competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour.”
The official exam fee for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is £241.
For the course, the Professional Yachtmaster Training Institute quotes a price of R6,000. Also, as mentioned previously, the Ocean Star Sailing Academy has included the Yachtmaster Offshore in their Advanced Deckhand Course of 45 days. We advise you to contact the RYA-accredited institutes for more information.
The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean
As the RYA Official Website says, “the RYA Yachtmaster® Ocean is experienced and competent to skipper a yacht on passages of any length in all parts of the world.”
The official exam fee for the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean is £180.
Once again, the Professional Yachtmaster Training Institute is quoting a price of R6,000. Furthermore, the Yachtmaster Ocean Sailing School offers training for Yachtmaster Ocean in South Africa. They also provide courses for Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore. Kindly contact the training institute for more information.
Conclusion and Disclaimer
The purpose of the article is to point aspiring seafarers in a general direction to understanding RYA Yachtmaster Course pricing in South Africa. Sail and Power SA does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of information in this article. The course prices may be outdated. We strongly advise you to communicate directly with the mentioned training institutions for more information.
On the other hand, Sail and Power can help you with RYA Powerboat and Jet Ski courses and exams. Kindly check out our website or connect with us today for more information.