RYA Certification     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Learn to sail in Sydney with Sydney's leading sailing school! The best instructors on the best yachts along the best coastline in the world!

EastSail is Australia's largest sailing school offering Royal Yachting Association (RYA) courses on the most comprehensive and versatile fleet of commercially surveyed yachts. EastSail was established in 1983, on the day that Australia won the America's cup, and has grown since then to become the leading sailing school in Australia.

EastSail fleet The EastSail fleet comprises Beneteau and Sydney yachts from 10-14m (33'-47'). Unlike many other sailing schools who operate under an ‘exemption from survey', the EastSail yachts are in full survey with NSW Maritime for commercial operation. They are inspected whilst they are under construction and then annually with both “in water” and “out of water” survey inspections by NSW Maritime naval architects and engineers. In addition the yachts carry extra safety equipment as required by the RYA.

EastSail instructors
Each EastSail instructor is very highly qualified and is hand picked by us for his or her ability to teach in a friendly, relaxed and professional manner! They all hold dual qualifications, having either a Coxswain or Master Class 5 qualification with NSW Maritime plus their RYA Yachtmaster certificate with an RYA instructor endorsement. In addition they all hold a current first aid certificate and Sea Safety and Survival Qualifications.

Why RYA
The RYA's training schemes are highly respected the world over, with more than 150,000 people completing RYA courses each year. Their courses and qualifications are the most recognised maritime qualifications in the world, with the RYA Yachtmaster being regarded as the pinnacle of this highly successful sail training scheme and being recognised as a fully commercial certificate of competence in many parts of the world. Recreational sailors will find that most charter companies will understand and recognise the standards that are represented by RYA courses.

RYA accredited schools have to maintain high standards as they are annually audited and courses have to follow the strict syllabus governed by the RYA. If standards are not maintained the school will have its RYA recognition revoked. Spot inspections are also carried out to maintain the quality of courses being delivered.

As an accredited RYA school, EastSail delivers internationally recognised practical and shore based RYA courses, ranging from the RYA Start Yachting Certificate for beginners through to the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate, which can be commercially endorsed by MCA on completion.

All RYA courses taught at EastSail include the relevant RYA course books – each one a highly researched, professional text designed to complement the practical and theory sessions, as well as being fantastic texts in their own right for the non-student. The books are updated annually to keep up with modern trends and advances in technology and from September 1st 2006 have been modified specifically to suit the market in the Southern Hemisphere.

Courses & Certificates

Course Completion Certificates
Course completion certificates are issued on the successful completion of the following RYA courses. On shorebased courses there are assessment papers that must be completed satisfactorily before the certificates can be issued. These are recognised worldwide by charter companies and sailing schools around the world.

Start Yachting Course Competent Crew Course Dayskipper Shorebased Dayskipper Practical Coastal & Offshore Yachtmaster Shorebased                                  Coastal Yachtmaster Practical Radar Diesel Engine Maintenance

Certificates of Competence

RYA Certificate of Competence are recognised by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency and maritime authorities worldwide as the premier qualifications in the yachting world and can be commercially endorsed - a must if you want to work in Australia and / or overseas as a professional Yacht Captain. In order to obtain one of these you need to sit an RYA practical exam which will be carried out by an independent examiner ie someone who has not taught you, is not associated with where you completed your sail training and does not know you. On successful completion of the exam these certificate can be issued at the following levels:

• RYA Coastal Yachtmaster
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore
• RYA Yachtmaster Ocean

Exactly where are RYA Certificates Recognised?
The RYA is working hard on your behalf through our negotiations with Australian and International Maritime Authorities to achieve a universal, worldwide standard for Yachting and Motor Cruising Qualifications. Information about where and how you may use RYA qualifications is changing constantly as we expand our training schemes internationally.

Careers in yachting
RYA Yachtmaster is your passport to a flexible career in the marine industry - testament to this are the 15,000+ RYA Yachtmasters who have found their qualification to be essential for a career at sea. Many have achieved well paid positions on Superyachts or work as charter skippers or instructors, in locations from the Whitsundays to the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Most crewing agencies recommend RYA qualifications as a prerequisite for aspiring crew and skippers.

Career paths
RYA Certificates of Competence and STCW qualifications are the essential prerequisite to progression within the Superyacht Industry overseas.

Certificates of Competence - details                                                                                                

Certificates	Previous experience & minimum sea time	Form of Exam	Certification Required before exam	Minimum Exam Duration
RYA Coastal Yachtmaster	30 days seatime 2 days as skipper 800 miles 12 night hours	Practical	Restricted (VHF only) Radio Operators Certificate First Aid Certificate	6 to 8 hours for one candidate
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore	50 days seatime 5 days as skipper 2500 miles 5 passages over 60m  2 passages overnight and 2 as skipper	Practical	Restricted (VHF only) Radio Operators Certificate First Aid Certificate	8 to 14 for two 8 to 12 hours for one candidate
RYA Yachtmaster Ocean	Ocean passage as skipper or mate or watch leader	Oral & assessment of sights taken at sea	RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate. Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Course Completion Certificate	10 to 18 for two Normally about 1.5 hours

What is a Yachtmaster?
A Yachtmaster needs a wealth of knowledge and skills-not only to cope with plain sailing or motor cruising but also to be able to cope when things go wrong. Most skippers will tell you that this experience is gained not by sailing thousands of miles on passage, but by skippering yachts close to land, by day and night and in poor visibility; dealing with complex situations such as boat handling at close quarters, navigation in confined waters in and out of harbour - and the negotiation of busy shipping channels.

Should I take pre-exam training?
Before attempting the exam, even if you have worked through the RYA courses, it is often worth receiving some tuition, if only to find out your strengths and weaknesses. At EastSail we offer this service. We would be happy to discuss your requirements.

Where can I take an exam?
Exams can be organised through us. We will arrange for an independant examiner to come and assess you and can provide a yacht for the exam if you do not have access to one. 

What happens during an exam? 
All exams are nerve-racking, even for highly experienced or professional skippers. Talking to the examiner prior to the assessment and making sure that you understand what is required will help you unwind. The examiner understands that the first hour or two is hard and will emphasise that the idea is to find out what you can achieve rather than pick holes. You will be asked to undertake a short passage, although you may have to plan a longer one. Discuss with the examiner what you are being asked to do. In general, you should skipper the yacht in your normal style.

Ability as skipper
The most important assessment on the day is whether you are fully in command of the yacht. Being in charge is not about shouting or giving a stream of commands. It is about leading the crew, communicating with them, making sure that they understand what is going on and listening to them when they have something to tell you. It is a quality sensed by the crew when they feel safe and confident that the correct decisions are being made.
Even the best skippers make mistakes, but the overall impression is one of quiet competence. The examiner is looking for this ability, which is based on experience and knowledge; hence the requirement for skippered passages before taking the exam.

Exam standards
The RYA distinguishes itself from its competitors by ensuring that a consistent exam standard is maintained across the world. This is achieved by:

• Rigorous training and careful selection of examiners - Examiners are hand picked yachtsmen or women who have usually had extensive instructional and commercial experience. Each examiner must undergo a selection and training course and their appointment as an examiner will be reviewed every five years by means of a practical re-assessment.
• Independence - RYA examiners are effectively “outside assessors”. An examiner may not examine a candidate that he has taught, examined previously, or is a personal friend. Examiners are appointed and paid by the RYA - not EastSail.
• Quality Assurance measures - An independent company is commissioned by the RYA to conduct QA, where candidates are telephoned and asked a series of questions about their training and examination. This information is sent to the MCA as part of the RYA’s commitment to the audit process.

Details on our courses, the syllabus and costs are on the following sailing school web pages. Please call us on 02 9327 1166  or email us on eastsail@eastsail.com.au if you would like more information.

You can check out the answers to questions that are regularly asked on our FAQ's page

Courses are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. Packages for 18 months from date of purchase. Prices are valid until 12/09. Refunds are not available. Please note that prices are subject to change without notice.

Learn to sail with EastSail, Australia's leading sailing school. Based in Rushcutters Bay adjacent to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and sailing on Sydney Harbour and the adjacent NSW coastline.