rya yachtmaster practical course

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Yachtmaster Offshore Prep & Exam

Preparation course overview.

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation course enables those who hold the required prerequisite experience to sit the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam to fine tune their existing skills prior to sitting the practical exam.

About the course

The preparation course is run over 5 days and designed to assess your level of competency against the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam syllabus found in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158/15) and is intended to fine tune your existing skills and polish any areas of weakness prior to the exam. The subsequent exam is then run over two days, following the preparation course.

Prior the prep course, we advise that you read the exam syllabus and give yourself an honest appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses. Try to address any shortfalls beforehand and then during the preparation course be open with your instructor about your abilities and what you need to work on in the run up to your exam.

During the prep course your instructor will frequently update you on your progress and ability and recommend which exam you should aim for – whether Coastal or Offshore.

The syllabus is taught in a ratio of (4:1) students to instructor.

Prerequisites

Rya yachtmaster coastal exam (sail).

Candidates must be aged 17 or over and require;

• A Radio Operators Qualification – A GMDSS Short Range Certificate (SRC) or higher grade of marine radio certificate
• A valid first aid certificate
• Seatime – 800 miles logged within 10 years prior to examination, 30 days living on board, two days as skipper and 12 night hours.

For holders of the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course completion certificate, the seatime requirement is reduced to 400 miles, 2 days living on board, 12 night hours, two days as skipper.

Half of the qualifying seatime must have been gained in tidal waters. For sizes of vessel please refer to page 73 in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158/15).

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam (Sail)

Candidates must be aged 18 or over and require;

• Seatime – 50 days, 2,500 miles, including at least five passages over 60 miles, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. Five days’ experience as skipper.

At least half of the qualifying seatime must have been accrued in tidal waters. For sizes of vessel please refer to page 73 in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158/15).

Full details and definitions on qualifying passages can be found here .

Exam overviews

The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS (collision regulations), meteorology and signals. You will be set tasks to demonstrate your ability and may also be asked questions on any part of the syllabus for all practical and shorebased courses up to Yachtmaster Coastal level.

The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals, with particular emphasis on command skills, boat handling under sail and power in confined spaces, plus navigation and pilotage techniques in daylight, at night and in reduced visibility. Adverse weather conditions and coping with emergencies are also covered.

The examiner will set tasks to enable you to demonstrate your ability as skipper and may also ask questions on any part of the syllabus for all practical and shorebased courses up to RYA Yachtmaster Offshore.

Exam Duration 

The exam will take around 8-12 hours per candidate candidate. No more than two candidates can be examined in 24 hours. Whilst one candidate is being examined the remaining candidates will act as crew.

Qualifications

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Certification of Competence.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence.

Dates and pricing

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RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail – All You Need To Know

The goal of the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course is to teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a cruising yacht safely on coastal and offshore passages by day and night. 

If you have not already done your RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory, then you should do that first. You can find more information about our online course here; RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory .

What Does the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail Allow You to Do?

You will gain practice in planning and skippering longer passages with a significant number of night hours where watch-keeping rotas become relevant. At the end of the course, a successful candidate would be awarded a course completion certificate.

An RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course gives you the confidence to skipper a yacht in unfamiliar waters, out of sight of land, both during the day and at night. It also gives credibility to the holder’s higher skill levels and will likely be looked at positively by insurance companies.

Occasionally, charter companies may ask for an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail certificate for their larger sizes of yachts or for chartering in more complex sailing grounds.

Nobody will be ready to jump straight into a commercial RYA Yachtmaster exam on completion of an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course, but the skillsets taught will enable the student to continue building their knowledge and experience as they progress in their sailing career.

Who Can Do an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail?

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course is open to anyone who meets the basic minimum criteria.

• 17 years of age or older
• 15 days spent at sea
• 300nm sailed
• 8 night hours experienced on the water
• 2 days as skipper

If you have sailing experience but not skippering experience, then you will want to take the RYA Day Skipper Practical Sail course. You can read more about that here. (linked to day skip sail blog)

Can You Go Straight to the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail Course?

You should aim to complete your RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory before attending your RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course.

While this is not a beginner’s course, so long as you have the relevant experience and skippering skills as described above then you can indeed, go straight into RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail.

It should be noted however, that on the RYA Day Skipper Practical Sail course certain building blocks in your learning will have taken place and so if you do not have at least a few days of experience as a skipper of a small vessel then it is recommended that you start at the RYA Day Skipper Practical Sail in order to consolidate your knowledge of boat handling and skippering techniques.

How Long Does an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail Take?

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail is a minimum of a 5-day live-aboard course, however, some schools may choose to extend this.

Is There a Set Syllabus?

There is indeed a syllabus. Each of the following topics represents a specific part of the learnings that will be covered on an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course in varying levels of detail.

Passage planning, preparation for sea, pilotage, passage making, ability as skipper, yacht handling under power, yacht handling under sail, adverse weather conditions and emergency situations detail the various aspects of the syllabus.

Read on to learn in a little more about how each of these is covered in a little more detail.

What Might I Learn on an RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail Course?

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course is one of the most rewarding courses within the RYA cruising scheme.

On this course, you will advance your sailing and navigational skills from those previously learned. The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail will take your RYA Day Skipper Practical Sail skills to a higher level. With this, you will gain more independence in your skippering.

The highlight of the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course will see you take on a longer passage that involves some kind of watchkeeping, something you may not have been part of before, especially while also responsible for skippering and navigation. This passage will ideally be out of sight of land and include numerous hours both during the day and at night.

Inevitably, the passage will also cover more than one tidal period or window while also overlaying various weather forecast times. Covering these in a practical scenario, under the guidance of an experienced instructor will allow you to truly see and feel how much these will affect your passage and why we need to take careful consideration of them at all times.

Further passage planning and preparation to a coastal level will be covered, while pilotage will now be covered by night as well as day. 

Handling the vessel under power and under sail will not be forgotten about as you will be put through more advanced learnings such as downwind sailing techniques and close-quarter manoeuvres. 

Finally, of course, during the week you will cover various emergency situations, including the recovery of a casualty and understanding how to handle adverse weather.

What Is the Cost of a Course?

As ever, many schools differ in price. We would recommend that you take a look around at the various options and find what suits your needs the best. Cheapest is not often better.

This can range from knowing if you will have to share a cabin while onboard, to whether food and berthing charges are included, to how many other students you will be sharing your week and instructors time with.

Where Should I Do My RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail Course?

There are many thoughts on where is best, but to be truthful, it is what works for you best. 

One thought is to do it in an area that you wouldn’t normally sail in, that way, you can gain learnings and experiences that are uncommon to you.

It is also important to know where you might be sailing to. Ideally, you want to be sailing out of sight of land at some point on an extended passage that covers a number of night hours. You do not want to be returning to the same home port every night.

Check here for RYA practical schools.

What Is the Pass Mark for the Course?

There is no specific pass mark as such. The instructor’s aim is to introduce you to the skills, techniques and experiences of cruising out of sight of land, on a watch system and making landfall.

These may all be introductions to you in this area and as such, each student will find they are at a different level.

The instructor for your course will guide and personalise any learnings so as to improve your knowledge and skills as best as possible.

As long as you are willing to put the effort into learning these skills and have come with the relevant knowledge and experience then you should be confident in achieving the desired standard to be awarded the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail course completion certification.

What Comes After RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Sail

This is the highest practical course within the RYA cruising scheme. Ideally, you want to go on and consolidate all your learnings and gain experience in a range of conditions, boats and passages.

As you venture out on your travels, be sure to study any special characteristics you will come across in new unfamiliar waters such as med moorings, unusual winds or IALA B.

Once you have consolidated your knowledge, you can start to think about aiming for your RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Exams.

Releated Posts

RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Motor – All You Need To Know

RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Theory – All The Information You Need

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Welcome to TheOceanAcademy

Superior RYA Yacht Crew Training in South Florida

The Ocean Academy is a fully accredited and recognized Training Center for the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).  We offer superior Theory and Practical Yacht Crew Training 

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore/Coastal (Power)

• We are the ONLY school in Fort Lauderdale to independently offer accredited Theory and Practical training for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and Coastal.  This course includes one week of theory training in chart-work, navigation rules, meteorology, tidal height calculations, aids to navigation, voyage planning and more.  Week two includes practical training on our 40' (12m) training vessel, followed by the RYA Practical Examination. The Duration for this course is 6 days, with a total of 40+ hours of direct contact.  Included in your tuition is the RYA Student Pack which includes course notes, Training Almanac and Training Charts.  Plotting tools are not included, but our Yachtmaster FAQ will help you understand the tools that are needed.  We keep our student/instructor ratio to 4:1 maximum for the best training experience.  Please contact Steve from the contact information below for a consult and information on booking your course.

RYA Power Boat Level 2

• The Ocean Academy is fully accredited to offer the RYA Power Boat Level 2 Course (PBL2).  We offer this course in a two-day theory and Practical course, or a three day evening class for those crew members who are working on-board during the day.  The course is offered on our modern and well equipped 23' (7m) center-console training vessel, with electronic chart plotter, DSC equipped VHF radio and all the latest safety equipment.  Included in the tuition is an online voucher for the Start Boating course notes booklet.  We keep our student/instructor ratio to 3:1 for the best training experience.  Please contact Steve from the contact details below for a consult and infomation on booking your course.

TheOceanAcademy is your best resource for RYA Training In Fort Lauderdale, including custom yacht crew training, PBL2 and RYA Yachtmaster Offshore(Power) instruction

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RYA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track

Price: from £10,500 (£1,000 deposit to secure your space)

Location: Starts from our base at Premier Gosport Marina, and visits different ports around the Solent and adjacent waters

Duration: 18 Weeks

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track course takes you from limited or zero sailing experience all the way up to a fully qualified RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ , with all the required practical, theory courses, mile-building and sailing experience you’ll need to help get you qualified*.

Developed by some of the best RYA Yachtmaster Instructors and world-leading Marine industry experts, our Yachtmaster Fast Track scheme is far more comprehensive and better value than the competition – Compare what we offer against others!

Why go elsewhere? Book your place on our next RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track course!

Booking details

No dates currently available. Please contact us for more info.

Course Information

Joining Instructions: Please click here for course joining instructions

The RYA Yachtmaster Exam application fee isn’t included in the above cost. Please click here to print-off the RYA Yachtmaster exam application form :

Recommended Reading: RYA Day Skipper Handbook Sail (G71), RYA Yacht Sailing Techniques (G94), RYA Yachtmaster™ scheme and syllabus (G158), Commodore Yachting programme syllabus

Course Prerequisites: None required, although some sailing experience is preferred.

Minimum Age: 18+

Holiday & Skippers Insurance: We would advise ALL our customers to ensure they have suitable holiday & Skippers 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 course is an investment in yourself. We will take you from a raw student to RYA Yachtmaster™ within an 18 week programme syllabu s.

With the skills learnt on the programme you will have a great, foundation ready to start your professional career.

Read more about what we offer on our RYA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track programme that other centres don’t, here .

Who is the course for:

The RYA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track programme is designed for anyone who wants to make the sea their choice of career, and is dedicated and determined enough to invest heavily in themselves over a defined timeframe.

This course will to take your sailing to the next level with a highly respected and well-recognised professional qualification at the end.

It’s well advised that you have undertaken some sailing recently and have completed at least 100 sea miles.

This course is demanding and requires a lot of input, effort and dedication from you.  We will give you all the support and guidance you need in order to help you achieve the ultimate end-goal that is the award of an RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ qualification.

What we cover on the course:

This 18 week RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track programme will take you from a raw student to RYA Yachtmaster™, and will cover a variety of courses and sailing exercises during your time with us.

By the end of the programme you will have hopefully achieved the end-goal in that you will be an RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ with a great professional sailing career ahead of you.

The courses and events you’ll undertake on the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track programme are:

• RYA Competent Crew (Twice!)
• RYA Day Skipper Theory
• RYA Day Skipper Practical (Twice!)
• RYA SRC/VHF
• RYA First Aid at Sea
• RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal Theory (Twice!)
• RYA Yachtmaster™ Preparation (Twice!)
• RYA Yachtmaster Exam (Exam fees at students own cost)
• Self-sailing weeks & mile-building time (Yacht charter – No instructor on board)
• RYA Powerboat Level 2
• Diesel engine maintenance
• Yacht maintenance
• Plus various internal courses and teaching sessions

Check out what we offer against other providers – We provide the most comprehensive package in the industry, giving you better value for money.

We put you through selected training courses twice, reinforcing your learning experience without putting you under pressure to get it right first time around.

Accommodation is also included for the full 18 weeks, even during shore-time courses*

We even provide you with a full set of new wet-weather kit to take away with you upon completion of the course.

Why go anywhere else?

*Subject to boat availability

Course formats & details:

Courses run in a single format:

• 18 weeks duration

The final programme and series of courses, training time and self-experience sessions will be scheduled and agreed upon commencement. Take a look at our RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track programme syllabus .

Taken over a continuous 18 week period with allotted breaks for self-learning, self-sailing and revision time, this course demands dedication and hard work. The course syllabus is intensive yet achievable, and is structured to give you the best chance of success.*

If you want further information for our RYA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track programme , take a look at our detailed syllabus .

*Qualification subject to the student demonstrating a satisfactory level of performance on the RYA Yachtmaster exam to the examiners satisfaction. Passing this course is not guaranteed.

Our Principal says this about the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fastrack Course:

Ok so this is the big one, this is your gateway entry into a professional career in sailing, and all the places it’ll take you.

This programme will fully immerse you in the world of sailing, and will push you to your limits, demanding maximum effort from you at all times. It’s not an undertaking for anyone who thinks it’ll be easy, so prepare yourself for what will  be a very demanding yet ultimately extremely satisfying investment in yourself!

Working closely with our team, you will be taught a number of different techniques and skills. You’ll build an incredible depth of knowledge and confidence that will take you forwards into your new career.

You will be sharing accommodation with your fellow students so will have to work together as a team and be adults about accommodation and sleeping arrangements.

We’ll start you off with the basics, and will encourage, guide and drive you until you’ve mastered them all. You’ll have ample self-learning slots which will include time aboard one of our fleet yachts for some quality self-sailing. This will help build confidence in skippering and crew management, amongst other skills.

From budgeting for food, to thinking about how to cook on the boat, the whole show will be a success or failure based on your decisions, truly providing an ongoing learning experience you can move forwards with.

You will be completely hands-on with the maintance and upkeep of the Yachts you are on, if somethings breaks you will be fixing it with the maintance team, or maybe at sea with your crew. Either way, you’ll need to grasp and fully understand those skills and theories in order to succeed.

All the above may sound daunting, but remember you’ve got the Premier sea school backing you all the way. Our dedicated and experienced team will guide, inform, coach and help you all the way.*

To read more about what we offer that other sea schools don’t, and how we give you the best experience and training available, why not take a look at our RYA Yachtmaster™ Fastrack syllabus .

*Qualification is subject to the student demonstrating the required level of competence to the examiner in the RYA Yachtmaster exam. Passing this course is not guaranteed.

Customer reviews

Excellent RYA First Aid course. The instructor, Tom, certainly knew his stuff. The course was a positive learning experience made interesting by detailed explanation and hands on practice sessions. If you want to learn an extremely useful skill I thoroughly recommend this course.

We've chartered on several occasions and the yachts have always been great. We recently did a days boat handling refresher. Commodore maintained social distancing and protocols without making the day awkward or any less value. Just wish the weather had been better for July!

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RYA Yachtmaster Practical Course

* Your own cabin * Full Board * Top quality fresh food * State of the art wet weather gear * No hidden extra charges * Award winning Instructors

• What to expect
• Course Content
• What to bring

There are two types of Yachtmaster qualification: Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore.

To obtain a Yachtmaster Coastal qualification you need the knowledge required to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but not necessarily the experience needed to undertake longer passages required for Yachtmaster Offshore.  The theory is the same for both, however this course is suited to those with fewer hours of sea time.

To obtain a Yachtmaster Offshore qualification you will need to be ‘a yachtsman or woman competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage that can be completed without the use of astronavigation’.  A Yachtmaster Offshore should be able to enter any well-charted harbour for the first time, with sufficient depth, by day or night.

With only 3 students on our 8-berth boat you will have a cabin all to yourself, ensuring a comfortable environment for all crew members aboard for the duration of the course.

As with any exam, the more practice you have beforehand, the more confident you will feel. Before your exam, be more adventurous than the usual weekend trip to your favourite anchorage.  Enter some new harbours to refine your pilotage.  Attempt the occasional night entry and be aware of the problems.  This course will ensure that you receive specific tuition and preparation for your Yachtmaster exam.

Here are some of the things you could be tested on:

• MOB under sail
• MOB under engine
• pick up buoy under engine
• pick up buoy under sail wins and tide plus wind against tide
• choose a buoy and pick it up
• anchor under sail
• sail off a buoy
• find unlit markberth forwards
• berth backwards
• tight turn using wind
• tight turn using prop wash
• lights…safe water mark… long flash 10s, iso 10s, etc.
• Follow a contour line
• Spring on and off berth
• tidal heights
• synoptic chart
• Pilotage plans and passage plan

We endeavor to supply as much of what you need as possible. We supply pillows – but not pillow cases. We supply wet weather gear – but not footwear.

So here is a guide as to what you might bring:

• A sleeping bag
• A pillowcase
• A personal torch
• Any essential medication
• Please ensure you have plenty of warm clothing bearing in mind that it is colder out on the water, and you may get wet
• A pair of non-marking deck shoes or trainers
• Non-slip/non-marking waterproof sailing boots. These can be bought in most chandlers for about £45 [optional] (available here )
• Sailing gloves [optional] (available here )
• Waterproof clothing (unless you have asked us to provide it)
• Notebook, pen and pencil
• Sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses / warm hat, gloves
• RYA Logbook (highly recommended). We can provide one for you at cost.
• Passport if doing a Coastal Skipper Course or a Channel Hop
• Travel/cancellation Insurance - essential if doing a Coastal Skipper course or a Channel Hop. Click for Haven Knox Johnson Insurance
• PASSPORT PHOTO for Day Skipper / Coastal Skipper candidates with name and date of birth on reverse

Pack your gear in a soft bag or holdall, i.e. not a hard suitcase, as stowage on board is limited.  We provide all safety equipment such as lifejackets and harnesses etc.

RYA Yachtmaster Practical Course Gallery

What people are saying

Same as Ever- Best of the best Christian was superb - I learnt so much Thank you Angus

A big thank you from us Colin. We really appreciate your flexibility when we had to re schedule due to my illness, that was a massive relief. The yachts were clean, well maintained and nice to sail. Will was great as our instructor. We really enjoyed the course as a family.

Thanks for posting the Padstow harbour photo on the blog, it makes me feel proud the fly the banner!It was a brilliant week last week, from calm waters near Lundy to rough seas around Land’s end.

Just an important bit of feedback for you... our skipper, Adam Waugh was fantastic, and is a good ambassador for your company. From the welcoming text on Sunday morning asking of our arrival time, the personal welcome at the jetty. He made it perfectly clear that safety was his main concern, obviously an important point, but glad to be told it.

The week continued with his professionalism and experience, and the character mix on Galliver was perfect. This is always a worrying point for everyone. On leaving the boat, we all cleaned up, but Adam personally went the extra mile. It was immaculate, and smelt good too!

Good people are always hard to find, I would recommend his guy as a skipper!

Thanks again for a good week.

Best Wishes,

Dear Colin,

Please find my course feedback form attached.

Thank you very much for the course, also particular thanks to Gary who was outstanding!

Many thanks Vlad

Colin and Jon were very patient as I took some time to "get it" with chartwork. I found it very hard work and far more time consuming than I thought it would be.  The online videos were very helpful when doing homework.

Great fun. Don't know how Colin remained so calm with a student parking his boat.  A brilliant experience including the food.

A great course. Bev is a great instructor and gave me great support and encouragement even when things didn't quite go according to plan.  Now I am truly a Yachtmaster!!

Paul was a great skipper, calm and efficient....and he can cook!  This trip has given me the confidence to take my wee boat further afield.

An excellent outfit, well equipped with good boats and brilliant instructors, that is small enough to give a warm personal service but big enough to cope with the full gamut of yachting experiences.

Hi Colin Thanks for sharing this picture 🙂 Let me say once again what a pleasure was meeting you. I felt you were genuinely interested in our success and learning and treated us as friends rather than customers. Thank you All the best with sailing and life, I’m sure our path will cross again soon Stefano - Yachtmaster Offshore Candidate

Dear Colin and Jan, Thank you for forwarding the photos. I also wanted to thank you for a fantastically well organised sailing week in a beautiful location. The peace and calm is such a contrast to sailing on the south coast. The sighting of over forty seals on a sand bank was a real highlight. The instruction was clear, informed and very supportive. I particularly appreciated, as a competent crew trainee, the trust placed in me to try all the tactics expected of the yacht masters. We had a good humoured team on board, many laughs and everyone pulled their weight. Your commitment to deliver an excellent experience was underlined by the provision of very good fresh food with our instructor magically transforming into chef in between imparting sailing skills. I wish you and your family all the best and hope to see you again once I have mastered some theory and quite a few knots.

Hi Colin Just a quick email to say what a great weekend I had, Dave was great. And the food was Fantastic. Thank you

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Yachtmaster – Preparation for Exam

• RYA Courses

Practical Courses

4 day live aboard course Starts at 9.00am on day one and finishes 4.30pm on the final day

RYA Yachtmaster is the only professional qualification that is accredited by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and is emulated throughout the world. This internationally recognised certificate is required by commercial yacht skippers on sailing and motor vessels under 24 metres and as entry to Mega yacht qualifications. Also, many recreational sailors take RYA Yachtmaster exams as a measure of their competence.

A Yachtmaster is “a yachtsman or woman competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage that can be completed without the use of astro navigation.” This means coastal and offshore passages within 150 miles of a safe harbour. These passages which are close to land or across shipping lanes are the most difficult, particularly if the weather is rough or the visibility poor.

This course is a preparation course for your final RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Examination. The examination is conducted by an independent examiner conducted non-stop over a day/night period.

Previous experience necessary: To take the RYA Yachtmaster exam you need a Marine Radio Operator’s Certificate , a current Senior First Aid Certificate and a minimum sea time of 50 days, 5 days as skipper, 2500 miles, 5 passages over 60 miles, including 2 over night and 2 as skipper. Remember that the examination is essentially a test of ability to take charge of a yacht, so your experience as skipper is most important.

This course assumes that you are completed the  Yachtmaster Theory  course or have equivalent knowledge.

It is an intensive course designed for experienced crew with sufficient on the water experience. This program is not for beginners.

What do I bring? Wear clothes suitable for the day and rubber soled shoes, preferably with a white or light coloured sole. A cap, sunglasses, bottle of water and sun screen are also a good idea. You will also need a change of clothes, toilet kit, sleeping bag and any special medicine you may require packed in a flexible soft bag. We provide you with wet weather gear (with the exception of boots) if required.

How long is the course? 4 days live aboard.

What about meals? Most meals are provided (except 2 meals ashore – dinner at pub or restaurant). If you have special dietary needs, please be sure to indicate this in advance when you register for the course.

For those looking for super yacht accreditation, the requirements are RYA Yachtmaster and STCW10 certificates. We do not teach the STCW10 courses. For information on STCW10 courses, please contact Gerry Fitzgerald at Offshore Maritime Training Centre in Brisbane, Queensland on 0428 749 166. Or call the Australian Maritime College in Launceston, Tasmania on 03 6335 4711.

• Course Diagram
• Introductory Course
• Intermediate Course
• Passage Course
• RYA Competent Crew
• RYA Day Skipper Practical
• RYA Coastal Skipper Practical
• Yachtmaster – Preparation for exam
• Private tuition on your boat
• Prepare to Charter

Register today and get £50 off

Enter voucher code HOME STUDY in the booking form

Coastal / Offshore

RYA Yachtmaster

Online Theory Course

A challenging course which stretches you but backed up with excellent coaching and instructor support.

Advanced training for more experienced skippers to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages

The RYA Yachtmaster  online theory course takes your theory knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams.

This course advances your skills as a skipper of a yacht or motor boat, with an emphasis on navigation and passage planning for more complex coastal or offshore passages by day and night

Includes some time for the revision of Day Skipper subjects then moves on to cover a greater depth of knowledge and more advanced skills in navigation, pilotage & meteorology.

Successfully gaining your RYA Yachtmaster theory certificate will enable you to confidently work towards your Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore practical qualification.

• Assumed knowledge To Day Skipper theory level.
• Minimum duration A minimum of 40 hours of course study time is specified by the RYA, plus time for exercises and exams.
• Ability after course Theory knowledge to skipper a vessel on coastal and offshore passages by day and night.  

Simply click below to try a free lesson.

Pilotage for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore

• Charts & Other Publications
• Definition of Position, Time, Speed & Distance
• The Compass (including allowance for deviation and swinging the compass)
• Tidal Theory
• Tidal Heights (including secondary ports)
• Tidal Streams (including interpolation of drift)
• Estimated Position
• Course to Steer
• Visual Aids to Navigation
• Electronic Aids to Navigation
• Passage Planning
• Meteorology (including interpreting surface pressure charts)
• The Collision Regulations
• Safety & Protection of The Environment

Unlimited support from our dedicated RYA Instructors - 365 days a year via email, phone or Skype/Zoom.

14-day unconditional money-back guarantee.

17 fully-narrated online lessons including animations, videos and realistic 3D graphics.

Embedded quizzes with instant feedback in each lesson.

14 self-assessment exercises with fully worked answers.

Over 50 downloadable or linked resources.

Videos covering: updating paper charts, engine checks, dismasting, jury rig, flood control, firefighting, gas explosions, capsize, lifejacket checks, how to put on a lifejacket and what happens when it inflates, man-overboard recovery, launching and boarding a liferaft.

Free Radar course.

RYA Student Pack (including 2 training charts, training almanac & course handbook).

Mock exams to prepare you for the real thing and give you the confidence to pass. 

3 final online exams with detailed instructor feedback and free repeat attempts if requried.

RYA Yachtmaster Shorebased Theory Course Completion Certificate.

12 months access to study with instructor support and exams - you can extend this if you want.

Lifetime access to training materials once you’ve completed the course.

Optional Extras

Plotter and divider You’ll need a course plotter and chart-dividers to complete the chartwork exercises - if you don’t already have these you can purchase a top quality set from us for £28 when you place your order.

Delivery UK delivery is free.  European delivery is £20, outside Europe delivery is £40.

You can start studying immediately as many of the lessons don’t rely on the printed support materials.

This course is accessed online with no additional software required.

Lessons are accompanied by optional professional narration, and notes. 

They are intuitive and easy to follow, whilst more complex subjects are accompanied by interactive animations and graphics to help you gain a full knowledge of each subject in the course syllabus.

Detailed step-by-step workings for navigational or tidal calculations make it easy for you to follow along as we show you how to plot positions, make tidal height and stream calculations, etc

You can go over these again and again, and test your knowledge with regular quizzes throughout each lesson. 

At the end of each lesson there is an excercise containg similar questions to the exam, with detailed and illustrated answers sent to you immediately to confirm your progress and fully prepare you for your mock and final exams.

You can repeat entire lessons and excercises as often as you wish until you are confident that you fully understand each subject.

When you have completed the course you can request mock and then final exams.

These are assessed by our RYA Instructors and detailed feedback is provided in any areas that may require further study within the course.

If you pass the final exams you will be awarded the RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course Certificate , which will be posted to you.

Additional free resits, with suitable Instructor guidance, are available if required.

Call us for advice on 0238 218 2604

Course reviews.

Laura Anderson

Very enjoyable and informative

Impressively prompt and thorough feedback on all queries, tests, mock and real exams. Very high standards and you feel you have earned the Yachtmaster certificate.

Ciaran McIntyre

Comprehensive and well delivered

Excellent course materials and high quality delivery. Very responsive and excellent instructor feedback

Andrew Harvey

Excellent Yachtmaster theory course - I’d definitely recommend it.

Does what it says on the tin and more. I was impressed how well the course managed to tackle teaching relatively complex skills in a logical and easy to understand way.

Oliver Fleming

Well put together course.

I found the Yachtmaster theory course to be really well structured and covered all of the syllabus in great detail. I was impressed by how well the course managed to tackle teaching relatively complex skills in a logical and easy to understand way.

Combined - RYA Day Skipper & Yachtmaster to fast track your theory learning

• Certificates of Competence

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam

Full details of the exam syllabus and requirements are shown in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158), which is available from the RYA webshop.

The exam consists of an oral and written test.

The candidate must provide the examiner with the following information 48 hours prior to the exam:

• A narrative account of the planning and execution of the qualifying passage providing all relevant details.
• Navigational records, completed on board a yacht on passage, out of sight of land showing that the candidate has navigated the yacht without the use of electronic navigational aids. The records must include as a minimum, planning, reduction and plotting of a sun run meridian altitude sight and a compass check carried out using the bearing of the sun, moon, a star or planet.

During the oral test the candidate will be required to answer questions on all aspects of ocean passage making in a yacht, including passage planning, navigation, worldwide meteorology, crew management and yacht preparation, maintenance and repairs.

The written exam will include questions on sights and sight reduction and worldwide meteorology.

Candidates who hold the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Course Completion Certificate (final exam must have been invigilated at an RYA RTC), or a MCA issued full STCW Certificate of Competence as a Deck Officer (Unlimited) will be exempt from the written examination.

Before you book your exam please check that you:

• have completed the required mileage and experience as skipper
• have read the syllabus in RYA Logbook (G158)
• have read and comply with the pre-requisites above.

If you need your Certificate of Competence in order to work on board a commercial craft subject the MCA's codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed - see 'Related articles'.

Please note: Only those who hold the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence are eligible to receive the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence on passing the oral exam. Those holding OOW (Yacht 3000gt) will receive a pass confirmation certificate.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean exam pre-requisites

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore

Find out About the Yachtmaster Offshore Theory & Practical Training, (both Online & Shorebased)

Use the global Yachtmaster Offshore Directory to Find a Course Near me (Select any Location)

Page Navigation

• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore 200GT
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Requirements
• Course Breakdown
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Limited Theory
• RYA Yachtmaster of Yachts Practical Course
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical Examination
•  RYA Yachmaster Offshore Certificate
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Commercial Endorsement

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore (Yachtmaster 200GT & 150NM Limited)

An RYA Offshore certifies an individual as competent to captain a vessel up to 24m in length and no more than 200 Gross Tonnes. The offshore certification is applicable passages during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour.

The Yacht master offshore consists of two components:

• Yachtmaster Offshore Theory 
• Yachtmaster Offshore Practical 

Both components can be done on an individual basis but in order to achieve a commercial endorsement for the yachtmaster offshore certificate of competency, both the theory and practical examinations must be passed.

Yachtmaster Offshore Requirements:

In order to be eligible to take the Yachtmaster Offshore practical exam, candidates must meet the minimum sea time requirements.

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore minimum sea time prerequisites are as follows:

• 50 days at sea on yachts up to 500GT
• 5 days as skipper on vessels less than 24m LOA
• 2500 miles on yachts up to 500GT
• 5 passages over 60 miles long, which must include 2 overnight passages and 2 as skipper

If a candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence for a different vessel type (Ie. power or sail) then the above prerequisites are adjusted as indicated on the RYA's Yacht Master Offshore Exam page.

Yachtmaster Offshore Course Breakdown

The Yachtmaster Offshore course consists of a 40-hour (minimum) theory course (excluding exam time), 5 days of practical training and preparation followed by a 2-day practical examination.

Yachtmaster Offshore Theory:

The following topics are covered during the Yachtmaster Offshore theory course:

• Position fixing,
• Course shaping and plotting,
• Tidal knowledge,
• Use of almanacs and admiralty publications,
• Electronic position finding equipment,
• Taking and interpreting forecasts,
• Plotting weather systems,
• Weather predictions using a barometer.
• Certificate issuing criteria

Yachtmaster Offshore Theory Online

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Theory can be studied in an online or virtual distance learning format. The online version of the course allows students to work through the training content at their own pace, which may benefit those who are working with little time off.

Yachtmaster Offshore Practical

Although there is no formal training course leading up to the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical exam, it is common for yacht crew to complete a practical training course, leading up to the exam. This may vary slightly between schools but should be done at an RYA accredited center.

The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical Exam:

A valid GMDSS-approved SRC Radio Operators Certificate and a First Aid Certificate are requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Practical examination. The Elementary First Aid Certificate as acquired during STCW Basic Training is an accepted version. For recreational sailors, an RYA First Aid certificate is sufficient.

In addition to this, candidates need to ensure that they have met the minimum sea time prerequisites as highlighted above.

Practical Exam Assessment:

The exam will include an assessment of:

• The candidate's skills as a captain,
• Boat handling ability
• General seamanship,
• Navigation planning and execution
• Safety awareness and procedures
• Knowledge of the IRPCS,
• Meteorology,
• Lights, shapes, sounds, and other signals.

Practical Exam Duration:

• 8-12 hours for 1 candidate,
• 10-18 hours for 2 candidates.
• No more than two candidates can be examined in 24 hours and no more than four candidates can be examined in one 2-day session.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate

Students who pass their Yachtmaster Offshore practical and theory examinations will be awarded an RYA Yachtmaster offshore certificate of competency. It is important to understand that CoC is a recreational license until it is commercially endorsed by the MCA.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Commerical Endorsement

In order to commercially endorse your Yachtmaster offshore certificate, you will need to submit the following:

• Original Yachtmaster Offshore certificate
• RYA Professional Practices and Responsibilities certificate
• an RYA commercial endorsement application form
• Your original, completed ML5, ENG1 , or an ENG1 equivalent medical form.
• A copy of your RYA Basic Sea Survival certificate or STCW Personal Survival Techniques
• A copy of your RYA Marine Radio SRC Certificate or other acceptable GMDSS Marine Radio Operator's Certificate .
• A passport-sized photo with your name on the back
• The application fee

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore License

A license card/ book will be provided to those who pass the relevant Yachtmaster offshore examinations. The license will include a photo, and details about the license holder, and will also include information about the endorsements associated with the license.

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Training School Locations

Brazil Sao Paulo

Croatia Split

Greece Corfu

South Africa Cape Town Langebaan

Spain Barcelona

Turkey Marmaris

United Kingdom England Ireland Scotland

West Indies Antigua

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• Call Us: 0203 006 3717 (9:30am-4:30pm)

Everything You Need To Know About RYA Yachtmaster Theory

In last weeks blog we broke down RYA Day Skipper Practical and how it fits in to your learning progression. RYA Yachtmaster Theory is the next step in that journey and on its completion you opens up RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Course as well as several other interesting optional courses you could take. This blog will tell you Everything You Need To Know About RYA Yachtmaster Theory.

What is RYA Yachtmaster Theory? 

Being a theory course its shore based in a classroom or online via zoom. It assumes you have completed RYA Day Skipper theory or possess a comparable level of knowledge as it teaches you more advanced navigation techniques. You will learn about navigating safely on coastal and offshore passages. If you plan to progress to Coastal Skipper practical, Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore then you should be taking this course.

What RYA Yachtmaster Theory teaches you?

The course in essence will teach you advanced theory of navigation and meteorology.  For those with extensive sailing experience with previous navigational experience, the course builds upon those basic skills. You will be developing a comprehensive depth of knowledge and understanding of navigation theories, techniques and practices.

www.firstclasssailing.com/rya-courses/yachtmaster-theory-course

What can I expect to do?

RYA Yachtmaster Theory is an in-depth course with a wide subject field. But in short it will include position fixing, magnetic compass, tides, tidal streams, buoyage, lights, pilotage, and introduction to GPS and plotters, meteorology, collision prevention regulations, safety, navigation and passage planning among a lot more to numerous to go in-depth about in a short blog.

Where & When Can I take RYA Yachtmaster Theory?

There are three different ways you can take Yachtmaster Theory. We offer classroom based courses in our Southampton (Shamrock Quays) location and across London.  The classroom based course runs for 8 weeks ( 1 evening per week) and a weekend, or over 2 and a half weekends. If you have a suitable space we can also come to your office and run the program for your colleagues. Due to the impact of COVID we adapted our shore based courses for online zoom learning. This became very popular over the pandemic and the flexibility it offers means it has maintained it popularity. Like the in person course is typically run over 8 weeks however is sometimes compressed with multiple lessons a week. Finally we have a purely online version that allows you to dip in and out as and when it suits you. Support from an instructor is only a phone call or email away

What Equipment Will I Need?

No matter if you doing RYA Yachtmaster theory in a classroom, via zoom or online, each format comes with a extensive set of materials to make use of.  All students will receive a RYA work pack of charts, tide tables, port information and mock questions. A website with course slides will also be accessible after each lesson to help you refresh you memory. Those taking the Classroom or Zoom versions will also receive s Cockpit Companion.

To complete the course you will need a set of plotter and dividers. We can provide them to you for £20 to be collected at your first lesson. If your doing the Zoom or Online versions we will courier them to you. You can also opt to buy your own however they will likely be more expensive. If you have already completed RYA Day skipper theory or have the comparable experience you should already have everything you need.

Lastly If you haven’t already got a logbook you should make sure you get one. They are £7.49. The Logbook is a place to record your miles and keep your certificates. It outlines the whole RYA Cruising Scheme giving the course content for each course again if you completed prior course you should already have one of these.

What skills will I have after the course?

On competition of RYA Yachtmaster Theory you should now have the Background knowledge you need to skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night. You can now develop your skills further by moving up a level and taking the RYA Yachtmaster Practical , which in itself opens up several more course options. You can find more information about course options by following the link below.

www.firstclasssailing.com/first-class-sailing-rya-course-progression-plan

Want to get started?

Hopefully this blog has answered Everything You Need To Know about RYA Yachtmaster Theory. If you have any further questions or  you are interested in taking RYA Yachtmaster Theory click here to see availability and dates. You can also E-mail [email protected]  or call 0203 006 3717

Find out more about this course by following the link below. 

www.firstclasssailing.com/rya-courses/day-skipper-theory-course

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RYA YachtMaster

At SailCork we have been shorebased navigation courses successfully for over 30 years with over 2000 graduates to prove it! Every opportunity is used to refer to practical day to day real life situations. If your area of interest is motor boating, RIB driving, sea angling, sea kayaking, dayboat sailing, cruiser sailing or commercial boat driving – we have the background and experience to give you the course you want.

SailCork is the longest established navigation school in Ireland and has been delivering Yachtmaster Shorebased Theory, Day Skipper Shorebased Theory and Basic Navigation Course for over 30 years. SailCork has been at the leading edge in providing Electronic Navigation Courses and was the first in Ireland and the UK to develop a special navigation course for the iPad . Learn from us and also from your colleagues on the course. Enjoy relaxed surroundings, modern teaching methods, experienced tutors and enjoy a chat before or after class as well as at the coffee break. Come aboard and have top class tuition, enjoy friendly camaraderie and relish the progressive learning experience. 

For complete beginners we run our Basic Navigation Course , for beginners and improvers we run our Day Skipper Shorebased Navigation Course and for experienced navigators we run the Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course. We place huge emphasis on linking the theory with live situations afloat and our instructors use their experience and yours to link to the course material.

All our Navigation Courses include Electronic Navigation and we provide a tutorial disk for every participant. (Please note that not all navigation courses in Ireland include E-Nav)

  Yachtmaster Shorebased Navigation Course  

Advanced training for more experienced skippers building on the day skipper course. this course equips you to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages. it allows some time for revision of the basics and then moves on to advanced navigation techniques. this course will take your theory knowledge to the standard required for the coastal skipper and yachtmaster offshore practical exams, concentrating on advanced navigation and meteorology skills. as with the day skipper shorebased course, the rya’s specially designed chart plotter software will be used during the course to give you a realistic taste of modern electronic navigation.(a must in this day and age).

This course includes:  Position fixing, Course shaping and plotting, Tidal knowledge, Use of almanacs and admiralty publications, Electronic position finding equipment, Taking and interpreting forecasts, Plotting weather systems, Weather predictions using a barometer and by observation, Collision regulations, Customs and excise regulations for cruising abroad –  for a full detailed syllabus click here .

The Yachtmaster Shorebased   is an  advanced Navigation Course . Participants should preferably have attended a Day Skipper Course and should have experience in practical navigation. This is the top end navigation course. 

Evening courses are run over 15 evenings (42 hours) and begin Thur October 24th. Each evening begins at 19.30 and we finish off  at 2215 . The pre Christmas part of the course (11 classes) will finish in mid December. We resume 3 weeks later in early January for 6 classes until we finish in early February.

Venue: Royal Cork Yacht Club Crosshaven Co. Cork. Enjoy warm, comfortable surroundings with up to the minute teaching equipment.  NB: We will be providing a  free  tutorial a few weeks into the course to help you if you feel you are falling behind.

Run over six days (45 hrs) in Cobh.   Hours: Sat 0930- 1830 Fee €499.  

2014:   Late March

NB  If you have a group of 4 or more we can run a special course for you over 6 days or 3  weekends. We will also travel to venues outside Cork. 

Your Yachtmaster Navigation Course:

What to Bring : A4 Notepad, pen, 2b pencils, sharpener & eraser.

You will also need  a Plotter or Parallel Rulers, Nautical Dividers and a Training Almanac. You are advised to have some extra books on navigation, meteorology etc – these all available from SailCork who have a very comprehensive stock or nautical publications and charts. 

Yachtmaster  Revision: 

For those who have completed their Yachtmaster - this course is to keep you on your toes and in touch! If you wish to revise and progress and make practical plans for the season afloat this is the course for you. The full Yachtmaster Course at HALF PRICE!   Join the Yachtmaster Course at RCYC for only €259

Contact Jo English at SailCork  now on 021  4811237

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• Certificates of Competence
• RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam

Full details of the exam syllabus and requirements are shown in the RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158) available from the webshop (see right).

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams can be taken under sail or power and your certificate will be endorsed accordingly. The candidate or a training centre provides the boat and the RYA provides an examiner. Note: All qualifying sea time and passages must be gained on vessels appropriate to the type of exam i.e. gained in sailing vessels for a sail exam and power vessels for a power exam.

There is no formal training course leading up to the exam, but those who have not previously taken RYA courses often find it useful to book themselves in for some informal training at an RYA centre prior to their exam. This training can be tailor-made to your specific needs and helps to fill any gaps in your knowledge that may become apparent.

The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals.

Boats used for exams

You may use your own boat or a boat that you have chartered or borrowed. You will be responsible for ensuring the boat is seaworthy and suitable for the area in which the exam takes place and equipped as shown below.

The boat used must be between 7m and 18m (LOA) and be in sound, seaworthy condition, equipped to the standard set out in the RYA Boat Safety Handbook 2nd Edition (code G103). The boat must be equipped with a full up to date set of charts and navigational publications along with working instruments and either plotter or GPS. In addition to the candidate there should be two crew on board as the examiner will not take part in the management of the boat during the exam.

There may be vessels that will meet the guidelines outlined above but by virtue of their layout, construction, handling characteristics or other factors may be unsuitable for use for an RYA Yachtmaster Practical examination. The RYA reserves the right to refuse an exam on a vessel that, in the view of the RYA Chief Examiner, will not allow the examiner to conduct an examination to the standard required by the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Qualification Panel.

Before you book your exam please check that you:

• can provide a boat
• have completed the required mileage and experience as skipper
• hold an SRC (Short Range Certificate) or higher level GMDSS radio operators qualification
• hold a valid first aid certificate
• have read the syllabus in RYA Logbook (G158)
• have read and comply with the pre-requisites above.

Additionally if not on the boat, you will need to bring to the exam:

• laminated or waterproof charts
• GPS set (may be hand held)
• tide tables
• pilotage information for the local area, eg pilot books, port information etc
• plotting instruments.
• Photographic ID card or document, such as a passport or driving licence

If you need your Certificate of Competence in order to work on board a commercial craft subject the MCA's codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed .

Useful links

Arranging your exam, commercial endorsements, exam payments service, mca manning requirements, professional qualifications.

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.

Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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