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RYA Yachtmaster Ocean shorebased distance learning course
- About the course
- This is another Royal Yachting Association advanced level course in seamanship and navigation for anyone wishing to extend their knowledge of navigation to include ocean passages. Normally students will have completed the RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore shorebased and practical courses before enrolling for this course, i.e. that this course is not suitable for those new to seamanship and navigation.
- To get the most from this course, which is conducted by e-mail, students are advised to allow approximately 62 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises and assessments leading to the award of the RYA course certificate. A detailed, module by module, course outline is given in the section below.
- Working towards MCA Large Yacht Qualifications such as Officer of the Watch or Master 3000?
- If so, then the assessments at the end of this course must be taken under invigilated exam conditions at Centaur Sailing Limited or, by agreement and at your own additional cost, at another RYA Training Centre.
- If not, then the assessments may be taken at home and you can self-certify that you sat them under examination conditions.
- If you aren't sure which of the two above are applicable to you, please don't hesitate to telephone us for further advice based on your own situation.
- Please note that this is a substantial course. In the same way that John Goode's Southern Sailing doesn't subscribe to "fast-track" methods, students seeking just to acquire a certificate, with less regard to the acquisition of firmly founded skills and knowledge, are likely to find that a Centaur Sailing Limited course is unsuitable for their needs.
- The RYA continually revises this course to ensure it meets the current needs of leisure sailors and Centaur Sailing Limited ensures that it's materials are up-to-date with the latest RYA syllabus. As a result we ask that students complete their correspondence course & assessments within 12 months from the date of enrolment. Currently the course completion statistics show the quickest student having taken just 2 weeks with the average time being 24 weeks for a student to achieve their certificate.
- Follow this link to see the latest list of typographic errors identified in the course materials.
- Follow this link to see student comments about this course.
- Follow this link to see a free sample of Centaur Sailing Limited's Day Skipper course materials.
- Our slogan "High quality tuition at reasonable cost" really says it all, we strive to offer the best quality tuition that it's possible to get. At the same time we are well aware that our course fees are the most reasonable to be found, so we don't offer or negotiate discounts. However, if a couple were emabarking on a course together, one way to save money would be for one to enrol on a "Full-support" course and the other on a "No support" course. If the person with the "Full-support" course then acts as a mouthpiece for both, then not only does the second person get indirect support but if the two people compare and agree their answers then they can both benefit from the marking given to the "Full-support" student.
- Included in the course fee
(orders where the e-mail address is kept secret or only an initial instead of a first name is given will not be accepted) - Centaur Sailing Limited CD-ROM containing over 1,790 pages of course notes, worked examples and exercises suitable for Windows or Mac. There are two types of questions in the course notes, "student marked" with model answers intended for marking by the student and "instructor marked" without model answers which are intended for marking by your instructor.
- RYA Yachtmaster (Ocean) book of tables.
- If you are confident about your navigation and seamanship abilities and your ability to learn without the support of an instructor, you can save £100 on the cost of your course by opting for the "no-support" course. Students on a "no-support" course work alone without the benefit of instructor support until all the course modules have been completed and the next step is to take the mock assessments. Please note that answers to "instructor marked questions" are not given to students on a "no-support" course.
- Please also note that we will only accept orders to be sent to an address with a UK postcode.
- Admiralty Chart 5011. A reference book for the symbols and abbreviations used on Admiralty Charts. Centaur Sailing Limited recommends that every skipper and/or navigator keeps a personal copy of Chart 5011 with their own favourite plotter and compass (see below). This course cannot be completed without a copy of the Admiralty Chart 5011. Please note that this item is now in a third edition and supercedes previous editions or publications that don't show an edition number at all.
- Professional Navigation Course Plotter. We at Centaur Sailing Limited have tried quite a number of the different designs of marine course plotter. Each has disadvantages of some sort. Even the ubiquitous Breton type of plotter (a.k.a. “Portland Plotter”), causes frequent complaint from students that the rotating protractor “sticks” and then “jumps” too far when trying to select a bearing; making it hard, if not impossible, to achieve the precision desired when developing plotting skills. We have designed our own plotter, with no moving parts to cause problems, and now have it specially manufactured. The goal was to bring together the advantages seen in other designs, at the same time minimising their disadvantages, i.e. to provide a really “user-friendly” plotter which offers the best possible accuracy for marine navigation. Please note that this course cannot be completed without a course plotter.
- A personal (Windows or Mac) computer.
- E-mail facilities, preferably via a broadband internet connection to support e-mailing of documents that will contain graphics, i.e. large documents.
- A printer. Access to a scanner is also very useful.
- A compass with a wide enough span to draw both large and small arcs on an Admiralty chart. Please note that this course cannot be completed without the ability to draw erasable arcs, i.e. in pencil, on a chart.
- 2B pencil, pencil sharpener and soft eraser for work on paper charts.
Yachtmaster Ocean Course Outline
- Module OC00 "Briefing"
55 pages of briefing notes and glossary of terms.
- Enclosed with your course materials you will receive a letter welcoming you to your course, providing a checklist of contents and giving guidance on how to get started on your course, i.e. how to get into this briefing module.
- A list of all the documents on your CD-ROM including the course modules listed below and other resources included on the CD-ROM.
- A list of the items you'll need to get for the course with advice on which to purchase.
- Advice on how the "instructor-marked" questions should be approached.
- Advice about the "mock" and "real" end of course assessments.
- Advice regarding printing the substantial course notes.
- A briefing on the theory and practical courses in the RYA Cruising Scheme, how they relate to each other and how they connect with the examinations for an MCA/RYA "Certificate of Competence".
- A glossary of terms used during the course.
104 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 4 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Locate and explain simply the principal sections of information contained in the RYA Yachtmaster (Ocean) Course book.
- Identify the “common elements” of the Centaur Sailing Limited sight reduction proformae and describe the initial 3 “building blocks” of the course.
- Explain how the apparent angular movement of heavenly bodies around the Earth can be used to measure time and how the “Conversion of Arc to Time” table in the course book is used.
- Explain the relation of Time Zones to Longitude and accurately convert “Zone Time” to “Universal Time” (Greenwich Date).
- Explain how unnoticed errors in Greenwich Date calculations can cascade throughout a sight reduction.
- Explain how any point on the Earth’s surface can have it’s own “Local Mean Time” and accurately convert “Local Mean Time” to “Universal Time”.
- Explain the differences between, and the purposes of, the timepieces likely to be on board, i.e. the ship’s clock, the chronometer and the deck watch.
- Deal with crossing the international date line.
- Explain why the deck watch and the chronometer are set to “Universal Time” and are not changed on crossing the international date line.
89 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 3 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Explain the concepts of the “Terrestrial Sphere”, the “Celestial Sphere” and the components of the “PZX Triangle”.
- Explain the celestial co-ordinates “Greenwich Hour Angle” (GHA) and “Declination”.
- Determine the celestial position of the Sun from the Nautical Almanac for any second of the year.
- Calculate “Local Hour Angle” (LHA) of the Sun from an estimated position and the Sun’s GHA.
- Interpolate “Greenwich Hour Angle” (GHA) and “Declination” using a scientific calculator instead of the “Increments and Corrections” tables in the course book.
71 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 3 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Explain how a sextant works, the errors associated with the use of a sextant and how they are corrected.
- Correct Sextant Altitude for Index Error to obtain Observed Altitude.
- Correct Observed Altitude for DIP to obtain Apparent Altitude.
- Correct Apparent Altitude for Refraction, Parallax and Semi–Diameter to obtain True Altitude for later comparison with Tabulated Altitude.
84 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 3 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Explain how to look up the time for Meridian Passage and ensure that the Sun’s altitude is taken exactly as it crosses your meridian.
- Determine the Sun’s Declination and True Altitude at the exact moment the Sun is on your meridian.
- Calculate Zenith Distance using True Altitude.
- Calculate an Observed Latitude using Declination and Zenith Distance.
161 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 6 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Use the Sight Reduction Tables in order to calculate “Tabulated Altitude” and “Azimuth Angle”..
- Compare “Tabulated Altitude” with “True Altitude” to calculate an “Intercept”.
- Calculate “Azimuth” (from the Azimuth Angle) and “Direction” to be drawn from the Chosen Position.
- Calculate a “Chosen Position” to be the source of plotting for the “Intercept” & “Azimuth”.
- Use a scientific calculator to calculate an Intercept, Azimuth and Direction to be drawn from the Estimated Position and function as a cross–check to the method using the Sight Reduction Tables.
- Select the best sight to reduce from a series of Sun Sights.
61 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 3 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Construct a low-cost plotting sheet on ordinary A4 graph paper for use anywhere in the world.
- Explain why use of such a plotting sheet is preferable to use of charts.
- Plot the boat’s Estimated Position and a Chosen Position for each of the series of sights to be plotted.
- From the appropriate Chosen Position plot the Intercept and Azimuth of each from a series of simultaneous sights to produce position lines.
- Plot a Corrected EP with just a position line from a single sight.
- Plot an Observed Position similar to that of a visual 3-point fix with position lines from 2 or more simultaneous sights.
- Read off the Latitude and Longitude co–ordinates of an Observed Position for plotting on a small scale Mercator chart.
108 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 6 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Correct an Estimated Position using a position line from a single Meridian Altitude sight reduction or from a single Sun sight reduction.
- Make a “run” between sights and be able to record it and the new EP on a plotting sheet.
- Transfer a position line from the first sight for use with a position line from a later sight to derive an Observed Position.
78 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow at least 4 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Identify the local time as shown on the ship’s clock when both the horizon and the stars are suitable for taking star sights and the time by which the taking of sights needs to have been completed.
- Determine the LHA for the start time of the Observation Period and the LHA for the end time of the Observation Period.
- Identify which stars available at both the starting LHA and ending LHA are the most suitable for simultaneous sights to provide an Observed Position.
- Select which stars to select to provide the best “cocked hat”.
- Explain the order in which selected stars should be “shot” to make best use of the limited time that they are available.
- Explain how to identify the navigational stars in the circumpolar constellations visible all year round in UK latitudes.
168 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 6 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Explain the “First Point of Aries” and “Sidereal Hour Angle”.
- Correct Apparent Altitude to obtain True Altitude for a star.
- Reduce a star sight using the “full” method with volumes 2/3 of the Sight Reduction Tables.
- Reduce a star sight using the “shorter” method with volume 1 of the Sight Reduction Tables.
- Use a scientific calculator to calculate an Intercept, Azimuth and Direction to be drawn to the Estimated Position and function as a cross–check to the method using the Sight Reduction Tables.
- Explain how to identify the navigational stars in Ursa Major, Bootes, Corona Borealis, Virgo & Leo visible during the spring & early summer in UK latitudes.
54 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow at least 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Correct Apparent Altitude to obtain True Altitude for the star Polaris.
- Explain how True Altitude can be virtually equivalent to Latitude.
- Calculate an Observed Latitude from a Polaris sight by applying 3 corrections to True Altitude.
- Explain how to identify the navigational stars in the “Summer Triangle” and “Southern Summer Triangle” visible during the summer in UK latitudes.
105 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow at least 3 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Explain why 2 extra corrections are needed for planet sight reductions.
- Reduce a planet sight to produce a position line that can be plotted from an appropriately chosen position.
- Use a scientific calculator to calculate an Intercept, Azimuth and Direction to be drawn to the Estimated Position and function as a cross–check to the method using the Sight Reduction Tables.
- Explain how to identify the navigational stars in Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Gemini, Auriga & Taurus visible during the winter in UK latitudes.
113 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow at least 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Explain why a special altitude correction table is needed for moon sight reductions.
- Reduce a moon sight to produce a position line that can be plotted from an appropriately chosen position.
- Use a scientific calculator to calculate an Intercept, Azimuth and Direction to be drawn to the Estimated Position and function as a cross–check to the method using the Sight Reduction Tables.
117 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow at least 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Calculate the Sun’s true bearing using the Sight Reduction Tables method, the scientific calculator method and/or and Amplitude Table method.
- Calculate “Total Compass Error” and then using the value given for Variation, calculate Deviation for that heading.
123 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow at least 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Explain the main elements involved in the Global Positioning System.
- Describe how GPS provides a “fix” and comment on the accuracy of the fix related to Horizontal Dilution of Precision.
- Explain the possible limitations associated with use of the Global Positioning System.
- Describe practical methods of using GPS information and overcoming it’s limitations.
- Prove that a passage from Plymouth to Cherbourg would be quicker by following a course to steer rather than the track indicated by GPS and trying to minimise Cross Track Error.
179 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow at least 4 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Explain how Sea & Local Breezes may assist, or hinder, a yacht’s passage.
- Describe the life cycle of an atlantic depression.
- Describe the expected weather conditions at any point around the frontal systems of an atlantic depression.
- Explain simply the weather associated with a particular type of cloud according to it’s shape and height.
- Explain simply how & when fog is formed and the conditions which disperse it.
- Explain the sources for weather information and the terms used in them.
- Calculate the wind strength & direction at any point on a synoptic chart and decide in light of the calculation and latest weather information whether to put to sea.
- Describe the elements of a Tropical Revolving Storm’s “engine”.
- Describe the likely “track” and “recurvature” of a Tropical Revolving Storm.
- Describe the warning signs of a Tropical Revolving Storm and explain the recommended “escape” and “survival” strategies.
122 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow at least 4 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
- Construct a rough timetable of passages to complete an ocean “Circuit”, e.g. a circumnavigation of the North Atlantic, explaining how/why decisions have been made, detailing information sources used and why they were selected.
- Describe how you would prepare a boat & crew for an ocean passage with comments on how you would select and organise your crew.
- Prepare a plan for a passage from Canada to Scotland comparing great circle and composite route distances.
- Prove the sight reduction table method of calculating great circle distance by use of a scientific calculator.
Students are advised to allow 2½ hours for the completion of this mock assessment paper which may be taken at home.
Students are advised to allow 2½ hours for the completion of this assessment paper which may be taken at home.
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Centaur Sailing Limited is registered in England and Wales with Registered Number 6442192.
Registered Office 78 Devonshire Gardens, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG31 6FP.