Theo Stocker is undergoing rigorous training during an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore preparation week ahead of taking the actual exam. Discover how he performed.
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certification has always been a goal for both leisure and professional yacht sailors. Beyond serving as a stepping stone into a career in yachting, this qualification signifies that one has acquired the essential skills and experience to competently skipper a sailing yacht.
For years, I’ve wanted to challenge myself and assess my abilities, and I finally built up the courage to put my skills to the test earlier this summer. I would be taking the exam alongside my friend Andrew, as we have been discussing our Yachtmaster ambitions for two decades.
Last month, I recounted my preparation experience for the Yachtmaster exam, aiming to refresh our faded skills and ensure there weren’t any significant gaps in our knowledge. With the RYA Yachtmaster program celebrating its 50th anniversary, we were also curious about how technology has transformed the experience.
Advancements like chartplotters and mobile internet have streamlined certain tasks, yet they introduce their own set of challenges. In the initial phase, we learned that navigating these modern tools and determining which information to rely on demands as much skill and judgement as traditional techniques.
Moreover, they can lead to more distractions from reality, heightening the risk of making serious navigational errors. The passing criteria for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam remain as rigorous as they have always been.
After reviewing safety briefings, marina maneuvers, navigation, and pilotage, we moved on to sailing maneuvers critical for safety and to refining the subtle skills vital to skippering a crew. The exam was approaching…
The Yachtmaster crew (L-R): Matt Sillars, Andrew Eastham, Row Staples, Theo Stocker
Skippering the Boat
Having our supercrew member, Row, onboard during the prep week was essential, as it’s valuable to sail alone, but a skipper must effectively lead and manage a crew while fostering a safe and enjoyable atmosphere that balances authority with collaboration and fun on the water.
Briefings
A significant part of this involves clear and proactive communication through briefings. This doesn’t mean condescendingly instructing capable crew members but rather informing them of the expected actions before they occur.
Briefings can be concise and spontaneous, provided they are clear and the crew understands the message. This requires foresight and competence on the skipper’s part—if you haven’t predicted a scenario, you can’t brief for it. Whether departing from a berth, setting sail, or managing a fire, ensuring everyone has a role and possesses the necessary skills promotes a collective sense of accomplishment.
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Many highly capable and experienced sailors operate without qualifications, content to maintain their skills on their own.
Andrew and I noticed how accustomed we were to independently operating our boats without ensuring our crew understood our intentions. Verbalizing our thoughts throughout the week proved beneficial. During marina maneuvers, we communicated our planned turns and reverses to the crew on the foredeck to maintain their balance. Our alongside movements became considerably smoother when everyone understood the sequence required for managing the lines.
Ensure there’s cake and coffee—especially during the exam
Soft Skills
Whether sailing with strangers or family members who know your weaknesses, managing on-board relationships is a crucial but difficult skill that contributes to a safe and happy crew. The more comfortable and in control you feel, the easier interpersonal relationships become, and forward-thinking can help in reducing stress levels.
Under the watchful eye of an instructor during the exam, we were on our best behavior. It was helpful that we all genuinely enjoyed our time together, but considering how your crew may feel will aid your interactions. Let go of your pride and take on tasks that others might avoid.
As long as the boat is in control and manageable, offer everyone a cup of tea and circulate snacks. Assign tasks, while also allowing breaks when needed. Ensure everyone is wearing sunscreen. Monitoring your crew’s well-being can be challenging, especially when you are feeling nervous or disoriented.
Briefings can be informal, as long as your crew is aware of the plan and their roles
Command and Safety
Meanwhile, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of the boat. There will be moments when it’s critical to clarify who is in charge and to communicate your expectations clearly. Andrew and I are accustomed to swiftly navigating our boats, but reminding each other to secure safety harnesses before accessing the bow for a man overboard drill or finding a safe method to adjust the mainsail was an important reminder to remain cautious. Show that you can anticipate risks and take preventive measures.
Boat Husbandry and Housekeeping
Neglecting small tasks raises the likelihood of serious issues aboard. We diligently ensured the boat remained in good condition during our prep week; tidy the galley and stow cookware before setting sail, and coil up halyards and lines after reefing. An untidy cockpit leads to entangled lines and tripping hazards. If you’re pleased with how the boat is performing, make sure you also maintain attention to detail.
Shout ‘man overboard’ and point to the casualty. Execute a crash tack to stop the boat.
Man Overboard
A man overboard incident is among the most critical situations that can occur on a cruising yacht. Swiftly recovering the person from the water is paramount. When I last participated in a sailing course almost twenty years ago, the drills were consistent with traditional practices—deciding whether to approach the MOB under sail or engine, executing your maneuver, and then retrieving the fender and bucket with a boathook.
I have assessed the sequence of actions for this maneuver for the magazine and found the challenge of lifting a lifeless casualty from the water onto the deck particularly daunting, especially if they are incapacitated.
Therefore, I was pleased to see that the RYA has modernized its approach to MOB training by breaking it down into three categories: preventing a man overboard, returning to the casualty, and retrieving them from the water.
It’s vital to emphasize minimizing exposure on deck, securing harnesses in rough weather or when alone, and only going forward on the windward side. As a skipper, fostering a culture of safety on board is essential.
Practice with a fender, but remember that getting back to the casualty is only part of the process.
Man overboard drills are no longer exclusively conducted under sail. Yes, we practiced returning to a fender in water, but this should only serve as backup to the quickest and most reliable method of reaching the casualty, which, on motorized vessels, is under engine power.
The order of our drill during training was as follows:
- Raise the alarm – Yell “man overboard” and point at the casualty.
- Stop the boat – Execute a crash tack to bring the boat to heave-to, ensuring the crew does not release the sheets. At this point, you are close to the MOB and in control.
- Mark the MOB – Toss in the horseshoe buoy and danbuoy, assigning someone the task of keeping the MOB in sight.
- Make a distress call – Assign someone to go below and activate the VHF DSC distress button and to fix the MOB’s position on the plotter, but refrain from making a verbal Mayday call at this stage – it’s too slow unless you have a large crew.
- Start the engine – Ensure the lines are clear, start the engine, furl the jib, and center the mainsail.
- Prepare for recovery – While motoring around, the crew can prepare the MOB recovery kit—a grab bag in the cockpit locker containing a 6:1 handy billy with an attached sling.
- Rig the handy billy – The handy billy should be hoisted on a spinnaker halyard and secured forwards to prevent swinging. We utilized the spinnaker pole downhaul, but a shroud clip could also work. The tail can be led to a primary winch if additional power is required. Crew should clip in before proceeding forward to prevent a second MOB; include tethers in the bag.
- Depower the main – Once downwind of the MOB, head for a close reach while easing the mainsail with deck crew positioned ahead of the shrouds. If you have a topping lift, scandalize the boom to keep it clear of heads, and if you utilize lazy jacks, it’s possible to drop the main, though be cautious not to let it fall onto the deck where the crew will be active.
- Approach and attach – When approaching the MOB, aim windward and drift down. A loop of rope may be thrown over the casualty, which is easier than attempting to hook them with a delicate boathook.
- Hoist them aboard – Encourage the casualty to put on the sling if possible, or use the rope loop attached to the handy billy to lift them. A floating loop of line pre-attached to the lifejacket, like a MOB Lifesaver, could expedite this process. If they haven’t been in the water long, and if it’s just a quick lift, focus on getting them out rather than keeping them in a horizontal position.
To stop the boat, crash tack to heave-to without easing the sheets. You should then be stopped, under control, and near the MOB.
Practice Alongside
Practicing this last part while alongside at the marina—with the “casualty” being a real person lying on the pontoon—offers invaluable insights. While lifeguards would generally be wet, heavier, and require lifting further in a real scenario, this provides a safe and controlled method to practice your procedure and adjust until everyone feels prepared.
Having engaged in this exercise, I am now eager to conduct comprehensive man overboard drills at the opening of each season and before every trip, ensuring everyone aboard understands their roles—this practice can be the defining factor in successfully recovering someone from a MOB situation.
Once you get used to lassoing, it’s often easier than using a boathook.
Performing Maneuvers Under Sail – Picking Up a Fender
Being able to sail back to a fender is a valuable skill in the event of engine failure during a MOB situation—such as if a line becomes wrapped around the propeller— or merely to retrieve a favorite hat or fender that has fallen overboard. It’s akin to sailing onto a mooring but generally easier as you don’t need to account for tidal effects.
The fundamental principle is to approach on a close reach with sufficient space to decelerate and arrive under control, allowing for the mainsail to be depowered. There are two slight variations: you can initially bear away on a broad reach as you sail away from the fender, or you can reach away and then dip downwind after the tack. If pursuing the latter, the down dip must be significant.
As you’ll be sending crew to the shrouds, you’ll still need to furl the jib and scandalise the mainsail during your final approach. I mistakenly attempted to place the fender on the windward bow as if mooring a couple of times, which isn’t a viable strategy.
Successfully picking up a mooring under sail is a satisfying skill to develop. Position the buoy on your windward bow to avoid being dragged into a gybe.
Mooring Under Sail
A few maneuvers are essential for all sailors to master. Although you may rarely find yourself sailing onto a mooring buoy, knowing how to do it is beneficial in case of engine failure or simply to demonstrate your skills. Moreover, it exemplifies a sailor’s ability to feel the boat and respond to environmental conditions.
When approaching against wind and tide, our 2008 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 37 exhibited a relatively shallow forefoot. As soon as our speed decreased, the bow tended to pay off swiftly.
Avoid having a flogging genoa over the crew on the foredeck; thus, furling the genoa is advisable. This will slow your progress and increase lateral movement, requiring a more cautious upwind assessment than initially expected.
When wind and tide oppose each other, if approaching under genoa alone is standard, but if wind and tide are at right angles, you’ll need to determine the suited approach. We were caught out a few times on this, particularly in lighter winds.
The first consideration is how the tide becomes proportionally more influential as the boat slows, and secondly, as this happens, the apparent wind decreases and shifts aft, filling the mainsail further. The lesson here was to prepare thoroughly for a wind-against-tide approach than we might typically do.
You may encounter the need to sail into harbor if experiencing engine issues.
Sailing onto a Pontoon
It’s rare that you would attempt to sail directly into a marina finger berth, and I wouldn’t recommend it. However, you may need to sail back into harbor if your engine fails. While a Pan Pan call is commonly accepted nowadays, a qualified Yachtmaster should adeptly handle engine troubles at sea and be capable of returning to harbor under sail rather than depending on assistance.
Most harbors feature a pontoon or berth with a relatively open access point, making it reasonable to anticipate sailing onto it. The decision on which approach to take resembles that for picking up moorings under sail, but with adjacent boats and solid pontoon infrastructure, the risk and repercussions of errors escalates. Navigating in confined waters requires meticulous speed control and proactive planning for potential escape routes, should circumstances not unfold as intended.
For us, sailing onto the mid-river pontoon opposite Warsash at the foot of the Hamble River provided a favorable open approach, sufficient wind to skillfully navigate a wind-and-tide course, although a genoa-only approach could have been safer.
A properly guyed pole is a more reliable setup than simply attaching the pole to the sheet.
Sailing Downwind
The dangers associated with a crash gybe are widely recognized, particularly due to the mainsheet and boom swinging across the boat, posing high risks to both crew and vessel. Earlier in the week, I had sailed close to a gybe while the jib collapsed, and during intentional gybes, I hadn’t fully centered the mainsail.
Fortunately, there was no damage, but the boom made a loud clatter. Matt cautioned us about how unfavorable an examiner might view this behavior—potentially an immediate fail—and we concurred that reviewing downwind rigging procedures would be beneficial, focusing on preventer lines and poling out the genoa.
Rigging a Preventer
Setting up a preventer is relatively simple. We selected the longest, strongest line available—a spinnaker sheet. This was run from the boom’s end, secured with a round turn and two half hitches—both being strong yet easily released under pressure—then routed forward outside everything to the bow fairlead, and lastly aft to a cockpit winch.
It requires some rigging effort, but if the result is a considerably safer and more maneuverable setup, it’s worthwhile even on short legs.
When rigging the pole for headsails in the past, I would always use the pole uphaul and downhaul, then attach the sheet to the end before unfurling the headsail. This method works well in stable conditions for short distances far from shipping lanes. However, if you need to gybe, change direction, or quickly furl the headsail, it leaves you with a precarious situation of having an unsecured, heavy pole swinging freely on the foredeck, which also restricts sheeting in the sail for an upwind journey without unclipping it from the pole.
Creating a Solution
Matt tasked us with rigging the pole in such a way that it would remain locked in position whether the sail was set or not. Additionally, it needed to allow the headsail to be trimmed in for upwind sailing without needing to go forward to disengage the pole.
After some contemplation, we devised a solution.
The pole could be secured by the uphaul, the downhaul to pull it forward and down, and an additional aft guy line extending from the pole end to an aft mooring cleat. We attached a third sheet—a spinnaker sheet—to the jib’s clew, routed through the pole, then further aft to a spinnaker block at the stern before connecting it to a primary winch.
This approach minimized chafe, allowing the pole to be locked regardless of sail status, and if a gybe or upwind sailing became necessary, the usual jib sheets maintained an appropriate lead, albeit requiring the pole to stay aft and keeping the headsail a few reefs above the pole.
With examiner Andy Wright present, the exam was finally underway.
The Exam Day
The examination process actually begins a day or two before the examiner arrives; they may want to review a passage plan that you’ve prepared in advance. If so, the examiner will have communicated this information through the training school.
It’s advisable to complete this planning two or three days in advance to avoid last-minute stress, but don’t leave it so long that you forget your calculations and rationale. I was given the task of crafting a passage plan from Bembridge to St Vaast on the Cherbourg peninsula, involving a potentially tricky drying harbor at each end, although the given forecast was an ideal Westerly Force 4-5. With my passage plan set and a final review of lights, shapes, and sounds completed, Andrew and I turned in early.
After the windless drizzle which preceded us, Friday arrived bright and breezy, promising a good Force 5 from the southwest and plenty of sunshine—encouraging yet demanding. Matt had reassured us that mistakes during the exam wouldn’t be disastrous, as long as we exhibited the ability to recover appropriately.
Andrew delivers an on-deck safety briefing to the crew, which includes the MOB recovery kit.
Minor mistakes are anticipated, and how you handle your own errors is of paramount importance. The only mistakes likely to lead to outright failure, aside from flunking lights and shapes, are safety-critical concerns such as collisions, grounding, navigational incompetence, or uncontrolled gybes.
At 0900, we were joined by our examiner Andy Wright, a seasoned RYA Yachtmaster instructor-trainer, examiner, and center inspector. An MCA Master 200, Andy also works as an RNLI area lifesaving manager and volunteers with the Rona sailing project. We weren’t going to get away with anything here.
We commenced the day with coffee and discussion, during which Andy asked about our motivations for taking the exam before outlining his evaluation criteria. ‘I won’t be trying to catch you out, but what I want to see is that you can effectively skipper, navigate, and handle the boat under both sail and power.’
Andrew explains his pre-prepared passage plan to examiner Andy.
The Safety Briefings
We started as we had during our prep week with safety briefings, Andy and I splitting duties above and below decks.
With the engine hatch open, Andy took time to examine our engine troubleshooting knowledge, asking us to identify various engine components and explaining the significance of blue, black, or white smoke from the exhaust (indicating incomplete combustion, burning oil, and overheating, respectively). We discussed how to change filters, impellers, belts, and how to bleed fuel lines.
On deck, we were asked to describe when and why to use each type of flare. The examination didn’t feel overly intense but provided a thorough assessment of our knowledge.
Throughout the day, these discussions continued as Andy drew our insights on areas not being practically demonstrated—15-20 minutes dedicated to lights, shapes, sounds, and collision prevention strategies, including responses in traffic separation schemes.
Andrew indicates where the MOB handy billy and sling are during his safety briefing.
We articulated our passage plans, and Andy pushed further, inquiring if we were aware if the boat was legally permitted to undertake this journey and what administrative and immigration protocols would apply on either side of the Channel—a particularly intricate issue considering today’s small boat crossing turmoil.
Being Tested Underway
Between discussions, we got under way, starting with marina maneuvers to navigate increasingly challenging berths, positioning the boat where we may have preferred alternatives, including a berth two spaces into a narrow gully bordered by yachts on either side and a boat opposite. Ferry gliding in bow-first was manageable, but departing amidst wind and tide proved trickier. I decided to utilize prop walk to help extricate the stern against a bow line—a slightly unconventional method, requiring considerable effort to maintain clearance, but I succeeded without collision.
We were then given about half an hour each to prepare a brief passage plan and pilotage from each end, this time navigating from Hamble to Portsmouth and back. Since these waters weren’t Andrew’s home turf, he was relieved that I was going first.
Navigating the boat, piloting into Portsmouth, and recovering a MOB kept Theo engaged.
I know Portsmouth well, though it had been a while since my last visit. After preparing my plan, Andy requested an explanation of my chosen route. While I had the course set on the chartplotter, I selected waypoints near easily identifiable buoys, allowing me to assess my positioning from the cockpit, and intentionally avoided cutting corners over shallows towards Hill Head to stay clear of a lee shore.
I would also have to utilize the Outer Swashway for the return, given that low water would leave us 0.3m short of the draft necessary for the Inner Swashway.
Emergency on Passage
As we commenced our journey, with Row at the helm, I faced decisions regarding how many reefs to apply. Torn between predictable sailing and erring on the side of caution, I began with one reef; as the breeze increased, it felt far more comfortable to sail with two reefs. I had to restrain my instinct to over-tighten leech lines by opting for a quick heave-to to organize them. We kept the coffee flowing throughout the passage, and before I knew it, lunchtime had arrived.
We needed to devise a rock-solid passage plan.
As the pasties heated in the oven, time was available to adjust the chart, or so I thought until the fender fell overboard. After proceeding through our drill, I was relieved to retrieve the MOB on my first attempt. Andrew and Row awaited my direction on whether we would conduct “the entire drill,” and as Andy remained unfazed, we set up the handy billy, secured the fender to the sling, and hoisted until it was aboard safely. It’s a intricate procedure that demands practice, but it had gone smoothly.
A Sense of Relief
Once safely back in Portsmouth Harbour, I was tasked with finding and retrieving a mooring buoy under sail. After securing the boat and passing the skippering responsibility to Andrew for his examination, a wave of relief washed over me as it seemed my passage, pilotage, and handling had gone well. Yet it was still early afternoon, and we wouldn’t conclude our test until we navigated at night.
A fresh breeze from the southwest made for a favorable passage to Portsmouth.
Andrew’s passage also proceeded successfully, despite the building wind presenting a headwind return. Meanwhile, I was busy below trying to manage a swinging tray of meatballs and sauce in the oven. Regrettably, while Andrew flawlessly approached the MOB, I bungled the lasso attempt and missed the fender. My sincere apologies, friend.
Night Navigation
By the time we returned to our mooring inside Calshot Spit, it was time for dinner and a brief break before delving into our night navigation exercises.
Similarly to earlier in the week, we were asked to navigate to unmarked locations, and Andy allowed us a moment to prepare. While this was happening, he also assessed our understanding of radar systems for both collision avoidance and navigation, and how to extract pertinent information from the chartplotter and AIS.
My night navigation started well, utilizing multiple position sources as requested while managing to make sense of my hastily scribbled sketch and notes, recognizing specific light characteristics (understanding the difference between VQ and Q is critical) and utilizing radar to track our journey.
Andrew plots a visual fix as dusk approaches.
With it being peak tide, however, every vessel in Southampton appeared to be departing harbor, including the inaugural voyage of the Queen Mary cruise liner escorted by tugs, police launches, and festooned party boats. Crouched along the channel’s edge, my navigational plan went awry, and I lost track of the radar while being overwhelmed by flashing disco lights and the glow from the oil terminal. Fortunately, Navionics is not prohibited, and a quick range and bearing on my device helped me regain direction to my chosen point.
Nonetheless, Andrew needed to pilot us upriver, where the sector lights of Hamble Point can easily be lost amid shore illumination. I was tasked with bringing the boat alongside, stern-first, at the end of a lengthy gully, providing another opportunity to falter right up until the very end.
Back at Calshot, darkness sets in ahead of the night navigation exercises.
Debriefs
With our boat securely moored and prepared for the night, Andy conducted quick chats with each of us on the pontoon. Thankfully, he confirmed that we had both passed—what a relief!
We could finally celebrate with some beers and revel in our achievement. Both Andrew and I found the week to be intense, immersive, and challenging—perhaps not surprisingly. Consequently, we believed we had elevated our sailing and skippering abilities, effectively updating our skill set over the last decade or two.
We emerged from the experience as much more rounded skippers than we were before. Many lessons and new skills were gained to apply on our own boats, not to mention a week filled with enjoyable moments.
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