RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory
Discussion
Did it a long while back now, needed it for the job at the time.
Basically its lots of maths and reading tables. Not to difficult once you get your head around it but time consuming to learn. The focus is very much on astro nav with small bits on compass, provisioning, passage planning, weather etc.
The practical as such of getting your sight on a decent passage seems to get cheated often as I've had lots of people qualified Ocean on boats with me who can't take a sight on a moving yacht let alone plot the thing.
Then you once you've got the passage under your belt its a verbal run through of everything which can be a little tense depending who you get as examiner.
In reality today understanding how to fix a yacht at sea would be a more sensible aspect for ocean, sailing without a rudder long distance, jury rigs, fixing engines, generators and watermakers, sorting electronics as I see far too many rescue situations when a yacht should make it in safely if a little slowly.
As for not requiring a ships captains medical on a yacht and med kit for commercial crossings such as the ARC, don't get me started!
Overall a good course for weather and navigation the old way, but don't think it teaches you properly how to cross oceans.
Basically its lots of maths and reading tables. Not to difficult once you get your head around it but time consuming to learn. The focus is very much on astro nav with small bits on compass, provisioning, passage planning, weather etc.
The practical as such of getting your sight on a decent passage seems to get cheated often as I've had lots of people qualified Ocean on boats with me who can't take a sight on a moving yacht let alone plot the thing.
Then you once you've got the passage under your belt its a verbal run through of everything which can be a little tense depending who you get as examiner.
In reality today understanding how to fix a yacht at sea would be a more sensible aspect for ocean, sailing without a rudder long distance, jury rigs, fixing engines, generators and watermakers, sorting electronics as I see far too many rescue situations when a yacht should make it in safely if a little slowly.
As for not requiring a ships captains medical on a yacht and med kit for commercial crossings such as the ARC, don't get me started!
Overall a good course for weather and navigation the old way, but don't think it teaches you properly how to cross oceans.
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