This course
Own cabin: £990 per person total, subject to availability. Email admin@bhmarine.co.uk or call 01305 564204 to confirm an own cabin before booking or paying. Standard online booking is at the shared-cabin price.
Group size: maximum 3 learners.
Course hours: 09:00–17:00 each day.
UPCOMING PRACTICAL COURSE DATES
• 23–27 November 2026
• 4–8 January 2027
• 22–26 February 2027
• 29 March 2027 – 2 April 2027
• 26–30 April 2027
• 24–28 May 2027
Choose a date in our online booking calendar. Availability and remaining places are shown there.
COURSE OVERVIEW
The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Preparation Course (Sail) is an intensive four to five-day liveaboard programme designed to prepare experienced sailors for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence examination. The course focuses on refining advanced sailing, skippering and navigational skills to examination standard, ensuring candidates are fully prepared for the practical assessment.
Delivered by experienced RYA Yachtmaster Instructors and professional yacht captains, the course combines realistic passage-making, intensive practical coaching and mock examination exercises. With a maximum of three learners per instructor, every candidate receives individual tuition and detailed feedback throughout the course.
Course topics include:
Advanced skippering techniques
Yacht handling under sail
Close-quarters manoeuvring under power
Marina handling and berthing
Advanced sail trim and sail management
Pilotage by day and night
Coastal navigation
Tidal planning and secondary port calculations
Passage planning and execution
Blind navigation and restricted visibility
International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS)
Man overboard recovery under sail
Anchoring and mooring
Heavy weather seamanship
Emergency procedures
Yacht management and command
Crew leadership and decision making
Mock examination exercises
Ready to take the next step? Book your place online or contact BH Marine Academy on 01305 564204 for dates, availability and advice on the right course for you.
Required experience
15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours
Minimum duration
Four to five days (Monday to Thursday or Friday).
Minimum age
18 Years
Content
Passage planning Preparation for sea Pilotage Passage making and ability as skipper Yacht handling under power Yacht handling under sail Adverse weather conditions Emergency situations
Certificate issuing criteria
This is a preparation course and does not itself award a qualification. Candidates who successfully pass the independent RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence examination will receive this internationally recognised qualification.
At BH Marine Academy, our instructors are experienced professional mariners, commercial yacht captains and RYA Yachtmaster Instructors with thousands of miles of offshore sailing experience. Our preparation courses are practical, intensive and designed to develop the confidence, judgement and seamanship expected of a Yachtmaster. We focus on real-world scenarios, ensuring every candidate is fully prepared for examination and future skippering responsibilities.
Contact BH Marine Academy by telephone or WhatsApp to discuss your current experience, review your logbook and reserve your place on the next available Yachtmaster Coastal Preparation Course.
Format
Practical liveaboard training aboard a sailing yacht, including intensive coaching, realistic passage-making exercises and revision of the theoretical knowledge expected during the Yachtmaster Coastal examination.
Price:
Shared cabin: £895 per person. Own cabin: £990 per person total, subject to availability; please enquire before booking.
Course dates and availability: scheduled practical dates are listed in the course details above and on the course category page. Use the online booking calendar to select a date. For alternative dates, private tuition or courses without a published schedule, please contact BH Marine or complete the enquiry form below.
Make a booking enquiry
Please read our training terms before booking. This form requests dates and availability; your booking is confirmed separately.
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