RYA / MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Online

Difficulty

Challenging - theory knowledge to a yachtmaster offshore standard recommended

We recognise that being stuck at inside can be a pain, especially when all you want to do is to get out on the water. So, we've teamed up with Skippers Online to provide some sailing themed fun and learning from the comfort of your own home.

Why not take the time to get stuck into interesting and immersive classes and work your way towards your RYA / MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Online.

This is the perfect course for those aspiring to open ocean cruising and is ideal for holders of the Yachtmaster Offshore certificate who are preparing for their first ocean passage. Prior to the course, your navigation skills should be at the standard of the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore theory course.

This course will cover topics such as the earth and the celestial sphere, sun, star and other sights, Meridian altitudes, provide a practical guide for the use and care of a sextant at sea and prepare you for ocean passage planning.

Once you have successfully completed the course you will receive an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory certificate.

Realistic Scenarios and Step by Step Instruction

We use realistic 3D graphics and videos to illustrate scenarios exactly as they might appear from onboard your vessel. This is particularly valuable when teaching The Collision Regulations, Buoyage and Pilotage. Straightforward, narrated and animated, step-by-step instructions, incorporating regular quizzes and exercises, teach navigation, meteorology, the collision regulations, buoyage and safety at your own pace.

Unlimited Exam Resits

We prepare you carefully for the final exams, which are taken online after you've attempted mock papers. If you don't quite make the grade, we provide detailed personal feedback, suggest relevant additional study and allow unlimited resits.

The Platform

Skippers Online employs the same state-of-the-art technology chosen by major corporations such as IBM, Microsoft and Sony to deliver online training to their employees. Our lessons run on Windows PCs, Macs, iPads, iPhones and Android devices.

If you don't always have access to an Internet connection, you can view lessons offline on an iOS or Android device.

Plotter & divider sets are also available.

14 lessons
More than 30 quizzes and exercises that check your understanding of each topic
1000s of 3D images, animations, videos, downloadable resources and external references
Instructor Support 7 days a week
6 months access
Unlimited exam attempts
RYA Course Completion Certificate when you’ve passed your exams
2 RYA Training Charts
The RYA Training Almanac
Course Handbook
Free 1st Class UK Delivery (+£10 for Europe, £20 Worldwide)
Optional Plotter & Divider Kit (£28)

Optional Plotter & Divider Kit (£28)

Why should I consider online training?

Good contemporary online training is fun and engaging, gets results and saves you money. Not everyone learns at the same pace and with eLearning you can study any-time, anywhere with an Internet connection, going back and forth between lessons at will.

What’s different about this online training?

All our lessons are narrated, unlike older generation online learning for RYA theory courses which expect you to read everything from the screen, much like reading a book. Think of it as a cross between attending lectures, watching a movie, playing a game and undertaking exercises on paper.

Our online training incorporates stunning 3D graphics which allow you to view scenarios from the perspective of a yacht’s cockpit, rather than simple diagrams viewed solely from above.

Quizzes use a variety of question types, not just multiple-choice (see the quiz at the end of the sample lesson on buoyage). When you take a quiz you get immediate feedback and when you undertake a written exercise you get not only the answers but fully worked demonstrations of how to get there.

Our lessons are designed by a highly-experienced Yachtmaster Instructor who lived a previous life in the software products industry, so knows exactly how to deliver high-quality online training solutions. It is developed by a professional team of programmers, graphic designers and voice-over artists dedicated to ensuring the best possible customer experience.

Our online training is based on the very latest eLearning technology as used by major organisation such as: Rolls Royce, IBM, 20th Century Fox, Samsung, Sony, AT&T, Lego, SAP, VW, Pfizer, Harley Davidson, many universities, schools and colleges. This contrasts with other products which are based on home-grown software. Amongst many other benefits, this mean you can navigate at will within and between lessons, pause or leave a lesson and return later to exactly where you left off. It also means that our lessons run perfectly on PCs, Macs, Android and iOS devices including tablets and even phones. For those who know something about eLearning, our lessons are SCORM compliant which means they are developed according to the de facto industry standard for e-learning interoperability. Specifically, SCORM governs how online learning content and Learning Management Systems (LMSs) communicate with each other.

What are the pre-requisites for Day Skipper?

There aren’t pre-requisites for Day Skipper theory (although there are for the practical course) however it’s useful to have some experience sailing on a yacht or, at the very least, in a dinghy.

How do I know I’m ready for Yachtmaster Theory?

f you’ve already passed Day Skipper and you’ve got some miles under your sea boots then you’re ready. If you haven’t taken a Day Skipper course you need to be confident in your knowledge of the basics of navigation, meteorology and the rule of the road. Students who have a reasonable amount of sea time in the role of skipper or mate should be OK. Actually we do re-visit almost everything taught a Day Skipper level but you need to be realistic about the amount of time we can spend on the basics. If you discover that you really can’t keep up and need to go back to Day Skipper, talk to us and we can either swap your course of provide you with access to both levels for an additional fee.

Can I share my log-in with someone else?

There’s nothing to prevent you from doing this however we will only issue one set of exams and, of course, only one certificate. We can also see how many times you access individual lessons and if we believe someone is abusing the system we will contact you to suggest that you might pay an additional fee of £150 to cover the other person’s use.

What exactly do I get for my money?

For the basic course fee of you get:

Access to the online training materials comprising lessons, self-assessment exercises with model answers, and multiple quizzes.

Email support from a highly experienced Yachtmaster Instructor and, if you really get stuck phone support by way of a pre-arranged Skype call.

The RYA Course Pack comprising: 2 RYA Training Charts, a RYA Training Almanac, an online copy of US Chart 1 (symbols and abbreviations) which is a free Admiralty Chart 5011 substitute, and the RYA training chart-plotter for Windows PCs and Mac

If you are in the UK this will be shipped to you First Class. If you are overseas, it will be sent Air Mail (+£10 for Europe, +£20 elsewhere) or can shipped by courier for an additional £35. However you can start studying immediately as many of the lessons don’t rely of the printed support materials.

What else do I need?

A device to run the eLearning. This might be a Windows PC or a Mac with a sound card, an iPad or Android tablet or even an iPhone or Android phone. Our eLearning runs on reasonably up-to-date versions of all the major browsers (Internet Explorer , Firefox, Chrome & Safari) however to be fair we have discovered that Chrome can be a little flaky of late, not just with our eLearning but with all sorts of applications that make extensive use of sound and HTML5.

A broadband, 4G or fast 3G Internet connection. It actually runs fine on slower connections but you might experience long waits in the same manner as if watching movies online.

A chart-protractor and chart-dividers (we can provide these for £28 if ordered for delivery with your course pack); 2B pencils; a rubber; an A4 pad for notes and workings; ideally a ring-binder to keep your notes and workings in. That’s about it

Do you offer any sort of guarantee?

Yes. Absolutely. All customers are entitled to a 14-day money-back guarantee. Obviously we also guarantee that our training is fit for purpose. In other words, assuming that you have the necessary equipment (device and Internet connection) it will enable you to follow your chosen course of study. And, whilst we take considerable effort to ensure that it’s free of errors, like any software there’s always the possibility of occasional small problems. If you encounter one let us know and we’ll work hard to rectify it in a timely manner.

What about supporting books?

You shouldn’t really need anything else however, if you do want a text-book to support your learning we recommend: Reeds Skipper’s Handbook by Malcolm Pearson and The Complete (Yachtmaster/Day Skipper) by Tom Cunliffe. You might also wish to purchase a print copy of Admiralty Chart 5011 (Symbols & Abbreviations) rather than use the free US Chart 5011 provided with your course. All are available from Amazon.

How much time will I need to spend studying?

Most students need 40-50 hours in total and the RYA mandates a minimum of 40 hours. Remember with eLearning you can study any-time, anywhere for a few minute at a time if you wish or, at the other end of the spectrum, take a week off and take the entire course.

What if I need more time to complete the course?

You can purchase a 6-month extension for £50 or12-months for £80.

I don’t always have access to an Internet connection. Is there an office version?

In order to run lessons offline you’ll need an iPad or Android tablet with the iSpring Viewer app installed.

Most lessons run perfectly offline however bear in mind that we do use some Internet resources in our teaching, such as YouTube videos, and these won’t be available offline. These are mainly in the lessons on safety.

How are quizzes and the course exercises assessed and marked?

Quizzes present questions from within lessons . You get immediate feedback on your answer and the chance to re-try the question or re-take the quiz as many times as you wish. We’re not looking over your shoulder

The self-assessment exercises are taken online but might including plotting on your RYA training charts, detailed workings and narrative. You mark them yourself, in exactly the same manner as you would if you attended conventional classroom training. Once you’ve competed an exercise you have online access to not only the answers but also all the detailed workings and explanations as to how to get them. If you really can’t follow our explanation you can ask for help, sending us a scan or photograph of your work.

How do exams work?

Please see here.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory modules include:

Try before you buy!

Have a go at some of the sample lessons:

Yachtmaster Ocean Astronavigation

Day Skipper Buoyage

Coastal Skipper Pilotage

We know that choosing whether to study in a conventional classroom environment or online is a big decision and want all our students to be 100% satisfied with their choice, so we offer a 14-day money back guarantee.

Various dates available