Course content

Pilotage, boat handling, seamanship and navigation. Use of the equipment on board the yacht, rules of the road and meteorology.

Pre-course experience

The requirements for minimum experience for Yachtmaster Offshore can only be defined in quantitative terms. Quality of experience in different geographical areas and weather conditions is also important:  50 days, 2500 miles, and five qualifying passages over 60nm (two of which you have to be skipper).

Assumed knowledge

Has the knowledge to skipper a yacht on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150nm from harbour.

Good knowledge of theory to Yachtmaster Theory level is needed.

Ability after course

Skipper a yacht on passages by day and night within 150 nm of a safe haven.

SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR YACHTMASTER PREP

The itinerary below is for a normal course and gives an idea of the options available.  However, depending on your Examiner it may be beneficial to spend more of the time around the various harbours of Tenerife and San Sebastian de la Gomera, where the Yachtmaster Exam is likely to take place!

On the Friday evening you join your Instructor for a welcome drink, before spending the rest of the week visiting ports such as San Sebastian de la Gomera - giving you a chance to see the unspoiled areas of the Canary Islands.

On Saturday morning the course proper starts at about 10:00 with a comprehensive safety briefing and familiarisation with the boat and its equipment.  After lunch you will prepare the boat for sea and set sail for a gentle introduction to the boat including man over board techniques, points of sail etc.  You will often return to the base marina on the Saturday night.  If you are on a more advanced course, or crewing on one, then you will often sail for another harbour.

On the Sunday morning  we cross from Tenerife, on a beam reach through the wind acceleration zone, to San Sebastian de La Gomera for a night in a marina.  This is the town that Christopher Columbus departed from on three of his four trips across to America.  In this picturesque Canarian town you can find a steak restaurant to rival the best, and a fish restaurant (known to those who have sailed with us before as Thomas’) where, if you are lucky, the locals join together for a sing song after the food has finished cooking.

After a morning maybe exploring the town, you travel around the south of the island to Valle Gran Rey – maybe stopping en-route in one of the little bays for some swimming.

You moor in the old fishing harbour - either anchor stern to in the harbour (Mediterranean style), or tie onto the harbour wall.  Puerto de Vueltas, the other name for Valle Gran Rey (the valley of the King), is a delightful town surrounded by red cliffs, with narrow back streets.  This wonderful setting is one of the best in the Canary Islands - a world apart from the resorts of Las Americas!  Once you have watched the sun go down over the ocean from a little bar you can enjoy a delightful Lebanese restaurant or if you fancy Spanish food you will not be disappointed.  The only problem with the town is it is so hard to leave its peaceful environment.

From Valle Gran Rey we may go to the picturesque fishing harbour of Playa Santiago, where one of the best restaurants is in a cave – or for the more adventurous and experienced sail to Santa Cruz de La Palma.  The locals call La Palma “Isla Bonita” (beautiful island) - it is the greenest of the Canary Islands – as well as being the home to the world’s largest volcanic crater!

On the Wednesday afternoon we may wend our way back to Los Gigantes and spend the night in the Marina, and Thursday is spent sailing locally, perhaps anchoring in a secluded bay for lunch and a little swimming.

On the evening of Thursday we have our end of course drinks in the Marina.

We ask our clients to arrive on a Friday between 10:00 and 18:30, if you arrive later, no problem, your Instructor will be there to greet you.

Notes: All our boats are commercially registered in Spain and are therefore fully insured according to Spanish law.  They also meet both Spanish, and the RYA’s safety standards.

As usual with Club Sail the following is included:

Must bring your own:

Sun protection – Sun glasses, sun hat and non oily sun cream (without carotene) are a definite must!

Music / DVD – there is a CD on the boat, so please bring with you a CD  or 2.

Mobile phone charging – There is a 12v “cigarette” style socket on board the yacht which is live even when sailing, and a 240v socket (Spanish type) for when connected to shore power.

Medication – If you are taking any medication please advise your Instructor on commencement of the course.

Health care – Health care in the Canary Islands is good, but it is a good idea to collect the EHIC form from your local post office or online at www.ehic.org.uk.

Seasickness - It is advisable to bring with you a seasickness remedy if you have suffered in the past.  There is a local chemist nearby – ask your Instructor where it is on arrival.

Notes: All bedding, bed linen (sheet, duvet cover and pillow) and a towel are provided.  Please make sure that you let us know if you suffer from allergies as we provide feather pillows as standard.

Recommended clothes

The climate in the Canaries is temperate.  You are recommended to bring with you shorts and t-shirts, a jumper/cardigan, long jeans/trousers and jumper for the odd cooler evening in the winter months, shoes with non-marking bottoms for use on the boat, swimwear and something for dinners ashore.  As the boat has limited storage space a sailing bag / holdall is the most suitable luggage.