You will be asked to undertake a short passage, you may have to plan a longer one. In general, you should skipper the yacht in your normal style. If this means putting the kettle on every half hour, then do it!

You will be assessed on every aspect of the Yachtmaster syllabus. The Examiner will spend 8-12 (less for coastal candidates) hours with each candidate.

Maximum of 4 candidates can be examined at one time.

Minimum number of candidates required to run an exam: 2

Pre-course experience

Yachtmaster Coastal: 30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night hours (if you hold the Coastal Skipper course completion certificate this is reduced to 20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, 12 night hours). Half the qualifying sea time must have been in tidal waters.

Yachtmaster Offshore: 50 days, 2,500 miles including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must have been in tidal waters. All qualifying sea time must be within 10 years prior to the exam.

Candidates must have navigation knowledge to the level of the Yachtmaster Shorebased course.

Candidates must also hold a recognised VHF radio certificate and a recognised First Aid qualification.