The programme begins with the RYA Yachmaster Ocean Shorebased theory course, where you learn the art of fixing your position using a Sextant. You will also learn about Ocean weather patterns, long-distance passage planning, and safety, as well as twenty-first-century methods of navigation from one of our Ocean Instructors

The course will provide all the skills, knowledge and confidence to sit your Yachtmaster Ocean Oral exam.

You then set sail onboard Arctos for a 600 mile plus passage across the Tasman Sea. Arctos is a 55′ Ocean going yacht, built to go around the world a great platform to learn from. During the passage you will put into the theory and using the Sextant learn how to fix your position using the sun, moon, and stars. On top of celestial navigation you will cover watch keeping and the crew management skills needed to undertake an extended ocean voyage.

Each of our Ocean courses will follow a slightly different route, depending on the time of year.

Our December start date begins with your Yachtmaster Ocean theory, followed by a three-week break over Christmas before flying to Hobart, Tasmania where you start your Ocean passage. You will sail from Hobart to the Lord Howe Island, then back to Sydney

Choose the April start date and your Ocean theory is followed by the two week Ocean passage. You will leave Sydney, sail down the coast to Eden, then over to Lord Howe Island before returning to Sydney

Both course options are subject to weather and may have to be adapted to suit.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Qualifying Passage and Theory with Flying Fish in Australia

• Meals on yachts, all safety equipment, publications, tuition.
• Internal flight from Sydney to Hobart to start your ocean passage (December course date only)
• 1,500 sea miles logged.
• All safety equipment, life jacket, personal EPIRB

Please note The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean oral exam fee is not included, please budget approximately £130 in the UK or $350 in Australia.

You will need to bring your own wet weather jacket, trousers and boots for your Ocean passage

If using ELCAS funding flights and food can not be claimed for.

You must be a confident sailor who holds the prerequisites for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate of competence.

All students are required to secure travel insurance for the duration of their course.

Week 1 – RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory

The syllabus includes celestial navigation, ocean currents, meteorology, and ocean passage planning. We make sure that you can use a sextant and know how to reduce sun sights and star sights to find your position.

Week 2 – Ocean passage planning/ begin ocean passage

Next is the Long Range (HF) Radio Operators course for long-distance communications. The crew then gets together to plan the ocean passage and prepare the boat ready for departure

Weeks 3/4 – Ocean Qualifying passage

Depending on the course date you may start your Ocean passage from Hobart or from Sydney. Both Ocean passages aim to stop at Lord Howe Island before returning to Sydney, subject to weather. During the passage you will practice what you learnt in the classroom, plotting your latitude and longitude using the sun-run-sun method and completed a compass check using the sextant

600 nautical miles

Crew members rotate the role of Acting Skipper or Watch Leader, ensuring everyone logs the required 600 nautical mile qualifying passage in a position of responsibility.

Oral exam

The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean assessment is a separate oral exam conducted by arrangement with an RYA Ocean examiner. Unlike your Yachtmaster Offshore exam, the Ocean exam is conducted with each candidate individually.

The RYA examiner will require you to have completed a narrative of the passage along with the Sight reduction calculations you did, while on the passage, to fix your position using the Sextant.