Our Fast Track Yachtmaster program, also known as Yachtmaster Xpress, is a complete series of courses and that will give novices the knowledge, experience, and mileage to be able to complete the RYA Yachtmaster Sail Offshore Exam.

We limit our student intake For the Yachtmaster “Xpress” programme to maximum of 4 in the cohort, although occasionally we may add an additional student during some of the courses – which helps balance out skill sets and expectations.    Our combination of RYA courses and sailing/racing/mileage is truly comprehensive, training you no matter whatever your sailing background.

The courses included in the program are:

• RYA Competent Crew

• RYA Day Skipper Theory

• RYA Day Skipper Practical

• RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory

• RYA Coastal Skipper Practical

• RYA SRC VHF Radio

• RYA First Aid 

• RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance

• RYA Radar

• RYA Powerboat Level 2 (optional)

• Yachtmaster Prep Week and Exam

RYA Professional Practices & Responsibilities (PPR)

Mileage and passages: Once you have the required skills and theory knowledge, we will sail south through some of the beautiful islands of the Caribbean to enable you to skipper passages of 60+ miles as well as the required 2500nm of which 50% will be in tidal waters. These weeks of sailing will be a combination of longer passages and coastal technical navigation in and out of islands such as Guadeloupe, Isles des Saintes, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Tobago Cays, Carriacou, Union Island and Grenada. We will also sail up north to St. Barths and St. Maarten during the course for you to experience that area as well, increasing your exposure to different weather conditions, navigation challenges, and improving and rounding your skills.

For that same reason we try to change the boats you sail on and offer you a variety of instructors to give you access to the greatest set of resources possible. We try to add in a few races to your program, so depending on the start date you might participate in local racing for the St. Valentines’ Regatta, the offshore challenge presented by the RORC 600 Caribbean, or even Antigua Sailing week. All great opportunities to hone your abilities and begin networking as well. You will have days off almost every week, and we encourage you to sail with other people (whom you may have met during a regatta for example) or to charter a yacht during one of the breaks built into the program. This will allow you the opportunity to take full charge and cement your skills dramatically.

The program is held over a total of 18 weeks, and is an intensive period of learning, combined with Caribbean cruising and racing experience.  We build in two weeks of rest/ self skippering /time with friends and family for you to better absorb the knowledge you are building during the program.

SAMPLE PROGRAM

MODULE 1 INCLUDES (5 weeks):

• Dinghy sailing
• Competent Crew Practical
• Day Skipper Theory
• Day Skipper Practical
• One Skills Week
• VHF Radio
• + possibility to add Power Boat Level 2

MODULE 2 INCLUDES (5 weeks):

• 1 week of Skills and Skippering
• Coastal Skipper Theory
• Coastal Skipper Practical
• Diesel Engine
• First Aid
• 2 weeks of Mileage
• + possibility to add Power Boat Level 2

MODULE 3 INCLUDES (7 weeks)

this module normally includes at least one week of racing

• 5 weeks of Mileage
• 1 week of Regattas
• Yachtmaster Prep Week
• PPR
• 2 days Yachtmaster Exam
• + possibility to add Power Boat Level 2

Prerequisites for this course:

• 17 years old at time of Yachtmaster Exam
• A strong desire to sail!
• You can order paper or e-books on RYA SHOP – it is not mandatory, but there are several books that might be very usefull before and during your preparation.

Next Steps:

Well, now the world is your oyster….  but maybe after you sail for a while you might want to take the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course and then try your hand at an Ocean passage so that you can sit for the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam…