RYA Yachtmaster “Skills Weekend”
Booking details
Please select your preferred start date below.
Please select your preferred start date below.
Joining Instructions: Please click here for training course joining instructions
What is included in the training course cost:
We can accommodate most dietary requirements, such as vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian or gluten free. Just let us know when you fill out the booking form.
Recommended Reading: RYA Day Skipper Handbook Sail (G71), RYA Yacht Sailing Techniques (G94), RYA Yachtmaster scheme and syllabus (G158)
Training Course Prerequisites: RYA Day Skipper practical
Minimum Age: 16+
Holiday Insurance: We would advise ALL our customers to ensure they have suitable holiday insurance in-place. Yachtsman’s insurance is available from a variety of souces like Topsail Insurance and can cover things like cancellations and personal effects cover.
This training course will help students who as a minimum have completed their RYA Day Skipper practical training course, and want to brush up on their skills before taking the RYA Coastal Skipper training course, or sitting their RYA/MCA Yachtmaster exam. It’s not a full Yachtmaster preparation week, but a “refresh, hone and polish” of some skills which you may feel you aren’t strong with or have forgotten.
It’s also a great way for RYA/MCA Yachtmaster qualified students to refresh their skills prior to undertaking the RYA Cruising Instructor development training course.
This is a truly beneficial weekend, spent with one of our skilled, patient and attentive instructors which will help build confidence and blow away those cobwebs.
The training course covers preparation for sea and the safety briefing, deck work, navigation (both traditional and electronic), pilotage into and out of ports and harbours, meteorology, rules of the road, maintenance and repair work, engines, victualing, emergency situations and actions, yacht handling under power and under sail, passage making, night sailing back to a port of safe refuge, and of course being the skipper of a vessel.
Training courses run in a choice of three formats:
During your RYA Yachtmaster Practical “Skills Weekend” training course you will cover practical navigation, pilotage, boat handling, seamanship, skippering techniques, customs and sailing etiquette and the all-important berthing in marinas. You will also potentially cover rafting alongside another vessel, which is common during high season.
The training course includes free accommodation aboard our immaculate, well-maintained yachts with breakfast, lunch and snacks and three evening meals onboard with one evening meal taken ashore at the students cost. We also include all fuel and safety kit such as lifejackets and waterproofs. All Students are able to live and stay on board the yacht for the duration of the training course.
Fancy going VIP and having your own exclusive private training course for you and your friends or family? You can book the whole yacht just for your own exclusive course from only £349 per person. Enjoy the training course in style, with up to five persons on the boat being taught by one of our friendly, experienced Yachtmaster Instructors! What a way to start your sailing adventure!
This training course is great for anyone who hasn’t quite gotten to the required level in order to achieve their RYA Coastal Skipper Practical qualification, or is looking to refresh skills prior to undertaking the RYA Cruising Instructor development training course. It’s also a great way for any qualified sailor to brush up on existing skills or refresh what they’ve already got.
Please select your preferred start date below.
RYA Coastal Skipper Practical: Master Solent Navigation in 5 Days
The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical training course is designed for sailors looking to enhance their coastal navigation and passage planning skills at Premier Gosport Marina. As the next progressive step from the RYA Day Skipper qualification, this training course delivers advanced sailing techniques and navigational expertise for executing longer passages. With over 30 years of Solent-based experience, Commodore Yachting equips you with the confidence to tackle essential Channel crossings. View our live course calendar for RYA Coastal Skipper Practical dates at Gosport Marina.
You may notice that the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical isn’t often scheduled during June, July, or August. This is quite intentional. One of the key elements of this advanced course is meaningful night sailing experience. The long daylight hours of summer simply don’t allow us to provide enough genuine night time navigation for every student. To ensure you gain real-world skills—like plotting courses in darkness and handling a yacht after sunset—we schedule these courses more at times of year when darkness reliably falls early enough for proper night passages.
Every aspect of the course is designed for focused, in-depth learning. We limit numbers to just four students per yacht, all learning at the same advanced level. This lets our RYA instructors tailor tuition to the needs of budding Coastal Skippers. Please note: students must be at least 17 years old, and anyone under 18 will need a parent or guardian on board. But don’t worry we do run them but we have smaller numbers in the summer so we can get those night hours in!
Ready to navigate with confidence, day or night? Here’s what’s included in your training:
Learn more
The RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore qualification is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day/Coastal skipper, and is one of the most useful, credible, and accepted professional qualifications in Yachting.
Our Yachtmaster training & preparation week is 5 full days of preparation followed by up to 2 days for the exam.
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore Training & Preparation week!
Booking your spot on the RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore Preparation Week is straightforward. Simply select your preferred start date from the options below and follow the link to secure your place. Once you’ve made your choice, you’ll be guided through an easy booking process—no need to pick up the phone unless you’d like a chat! If you have any questions along the way or would like to discuss the course in more detail, our team is always happy to help.
Learn more
The RYA SRC/VHF Radio Course is minimum qualification required by law to operate the VHF or VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) equipment on any British flagged vessel carrying a radio. This is also for anyone who wants to operate a marine radio at sea, weather it is on a Kayak or paddle board, to operating a RIB, Jet ski or a Yacht. This course is one of them you need to stay safe on the water.
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA SRC/VHF Radio course!
Learn more
Fun couple of days with the Commodore team doing Day Skipper drills ahead of a YM exam. Very useful and great instruction from Ali.
ChrisCI have used Commodore Yachting for the following courses and would never go anywhere else for training or experience building: Sail - Competent Crew Sail - Day Skipper Sail - Mariner Handling Power - PB2 Power - Own boat tuition Motor Yacht Power - Own boat tuition RIB All the instructors have been great and I have come away with bags of confidence. The Chief Instructor Tom is extremely knowledgable and will guide you as to what steps to take in achieving your goals.
Robert Till