UKSA’s Professional Yachtmaster Offshore qualification is a bespoke, ALL-INCLUSIVE, comprehensive training package that will provide you with the skills you need to start your career in the maritime industry.
About the Professional Yachtmaster course
This unique, premium qualification has been developed by Richard Baggett, one of the world’s top yachting instructors, and his highly experienced team at UKSA. The course is constantly monitored and adapted to ensure it remains relevant and always covers the current requirements for you to start working in the industry straight away. UKSA’s highly regarded Yachtmaster opens up the most opportunities for employment within the maritime sector. These opportunities include, but are not limited to, working on superyachts, flotilla, tug boats, and employment in the Merchant Navy.
16 weeks training
70 days afloat
2,500 tidal miles covered
Navigation training
Radar training
Basic engineering and safety training
Careers guidance from our professional team
Networking within the industry
Train at UKSA and experience our unbeatable value, world-class tuition and invaluable industry support and insight.
Please note: On occasion your sea phases may involve travelling outside of the UK. Therefore, to avoid restricting sailings we highly recommend that all Professional Yachtmaster Offshore students/Cadets are vaccinated against Covid-19 with the current maximum number of doses.
Please note this is not mandatory in order to complete the course but a recommendation.
Qualifications gained
RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore (Sail) or RYA Yachtmaster Coastal (Sail)
RYA Day Skipper Shorebased
RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Shorebased
MCA STCW Basic Safety Training
Personal Survival Techniques
Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting
Elementary First Aid
Personal Safety and Social Responsibility
MCA Proficiency in Designated Security Duties
RYA Short Range Radio
RYA Radar
RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance
RYA Powerboat Level 2
RYA Professional Practices and Responsibilities
Commercial Endorsement
To work professionally within the maritime industry, you must be commercially endorsed. To commercially endorse your RYA Yachtmaster Certification at the end of your training, you will need to complete the RYA application for Commercial Endorsement Form, but you will gain all qualifications needed to commercially endorse your ticket during training.
Entry requirements
You must have an ENG1 seafarer medical fitness certificate to work at sea (click herefor more details) and to enable you to apply for your RYA Commercial Endorsement (click here for more details). We recommend all students secure this before attending a course.
There are no other pre-requisites necessary to start the course. All that we ask is that you have enough sailing experience to know that you want a life at sea. If you don’t have any previous experience, we recommend you talk to our course advisors on +44 (0)1983 203028 or [email protected]
Funding available
We are here to support you
UKSA is committed to making training and qualifications accessible to those who have the desire to succeed in a yachting or watersports career. Funding could be available for this Yachtmaster course. To see a full list of all of our funding options visit our funding opportunities page or call us to talk about your options with our experienced course advisers on +44 (0)1983 203038.
Frequently asked questions
How to get a commercial skipper’s license
The recommended route to obtaining a commercial skippers license is to do two training courses which consist of the Day Skipper Shorebased course and the Day Skipper Practical course. These are both included in the Professional Yachtmaster offshore course. The first covers the theory and knowledge-based training, such as meteorology, navigation, pilotage techniques and collision regulations; the second is putting this theory into practice in addition to developing the practical skippering skills of crew management, boat handling, practical pilotage and passage making.
What is a Yachtmaster?
A Yachtmaster is a person with a wealth of maritime knowledge who can cope with plain sailing and motor cruising and is also able to cope in demanding situations. Our Yachtmaster offshore qualification is recognised and respected all around the world and is the ultimate aim of many skippers, both professional and recreational.
Who are the RYA?
The RYA (Royal Yachting Association) are the national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising, all forms of sail racing, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising.
Sjoerd – UKSA Professional Yachtmaster Offshore graduate
“The course is very professional, the instructors are experienced and highly motivated, and everyone is friendly and keen to help you succeed. The key reason I joined UKSA is to get my yachting ticket from an organisation that is well respected in the yachting industry. I also wanted to benefit from the careers support to be able to break into a career in professional yachting.”
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I jumped at the chance to compete in the Golden Globe Race. This was everything that I had worked for and I had a chance to live it. For the past few years, I have been working flat out with a team of people to realise my ultimate goal of doing this race. It will be a challenge like nothing I have done before and I am throwing myself completely into it.
Gregor McGuckin – Golden Globe Race/Professional Yachtmaster
