Yachtmaster/Master of Yachts Pro Traineeship - Australia

Product Details

If a life on the ocean is for you, then a gap year based around our Yachtmaster Professional is the course to set. The aim of the training is to become a qualified Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster. As a Yachtmaster, you are not only a highly skilled skipper, but are eligible for a wide range of work in and around boats, which means almost anywhere in the World.

The growth of the activity and yacht charter markets ensures there is always a demand for qualified skippers. Many of our graduates choose to work their way around the world, which is now possible thanks to the huge number of independent charter companies and the scale of worldwide companies. The scope of the larger companies also means that you can return to the same employer - in different locations - every year during university holidays. This way your gap year will become an integral plan for training and employment than runs alongside your degree.

This traineeship is our most popular skipper-training programme. It offers a reliable route to the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate or Yachting Australia's equivalent qualification. These certificates are benchmark qualifications for professional yacht skippers. The course is suitable for experienced sailors and newcomers alike. Candidates with previous experience will find they are fully stretched, while the flexible schedule in the later stages allows beginners to progress at their own rate.

The programme is split into four parts. Part 1 is a six week foundation course, suitable for beginners and offering more experienced sailors the chance to recap basic skills and improve techniques. Part 2 provides five weeks of intensive yacht handling, seamanship training, racing and offshore navigation - not to mention a great sailing adventure and a lot of fun too.

Next you enter four weeks of Professional Skipper Development, to start gaining the experience that makes you more than just a good sailor. There is an essential short course in yacht maintenance and an extended offshore trip where you build miles and log passages. Most people now take a break. This is an opportunity to travel before returning to Flying Fish for your Part 3 (Yachtmaster Sail) exam.

Part 1 is based at Cowes on England's Isle of Wight. Waterside accommodation is at our historic Point Cottages. You deal with simulated emergencies at sea, radio operation, fire fighting and first aid. In addition we teach you basic navigation theory and you spend three weeks living aboard, learning the skills of Competent Crew and Day Skipper.

After a five day break you fly to Sydney, Australia, for Part 2. Shorebased accommodation is at Manly, one of Sydney's best suburbs, a stone's throw from the stunning surf beach and a short walk to the cafes, bars and restaurants. Here you begin with a week of skills and drills in yachts and asymmetric dinghies in beautiful Sydney Harbour. The theory programme covers advanced navigation, meteorology, collision regulations and passage planning. Then you start your offshore passages, with coaching in boat handling, sail trimming and safety drills. You take time out to learn to dive or take an advanced course before a further period offshore to complete your Coastal Skipper course.

Next you learn spinnaker handling and race tactics on board our matched Beneteau 40.7 race yachts. This popular week includes training in drops and hoists, gybes and trim as well as broach recovery. Sail past the Opera House and under the Harbour Bridge! Flying Fish is based in a spectacular setting at Middle Harbour Yacht Club, the friendliest yacht club in Sydney. Course members are given free membership, which means you can put your name down for twilight races with local crews.

Part 2 finishes with a long offshore passage: fabulous sailing in challenging subtropical conditions. Explore the New South Wales coast, heading south following the route of the Sydney Hobart race or north towards Broughton Island, Seal Rocks and Coffs Harbour. Weather conditions vary from warm nor'-easterly breezes to strong, cool southerly busters. This is offshore sailing at its best.

By the end of Part 2 you can expect to have achieved a YA Coastal Skipper qualification and be confident in charge of a yacht and its crew on coastal passages. Now comes Professional Skipper Development (PSD).

PSD starts in Sydney. You cover electrical systems, winch servicing, ropework, sail and fibreglass repairs. The course includes a Blue Mountains teambuild where you go abseiling and canyoning. You complete this section of the programme with a flight to New Zealand or Airlie Beach for an extended offshore passage from the Bay of Islands or the Whitsundays. A professional training skipper watches your progress, but during your PSD skippered passages you are effectively in charge.

You fly back to Sydney for course debrief and to choose the date and location of your Part 3 Yachtmaster assessment. For most people, Part 3 takes place over two weeks in the challenging tidal waters of the Solent in southern England, including a one-day practical exam for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate. If you prefer a warmer climate, dates are also available in Sydney, where you can choose between the RYA qualification and its Yachting Australia equivalent.

Many gappers wish to combine their training in Australia with independent travel, so this is a great time to start exploring. If you're keen to work for a while in the sailing industry in Australia, we can take you through a Yachting Australia Inshore Instructor course which will qualify you for a wide range of interesting work all around the southern hemisphere.

As a graduate of Flying Fish, you can take advantage of our free careers advice and job placement service to find numerous yachtie positions all over the world.

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Our Users Say...

"The passage from Airlie Beach to Sydney was such an adventure; we experienced a variety of weather from huge storms to idyllic peaceful days with gentle breezes. It was wonderful to see whales and dolphins swim past the boat! At Lady Musgrove Island we navigated our way through a perfect coral reef that encircled the deserted island. With no land for miles the untouched white sandy island surrounded by turquoise waters was spectacular.

Our skipper was great, a walking encyclopedia of sailing, in addition he made you feel very safe at all times. He ensured that the boat was always happy and kept us entertained on long nights with his fascinating knowledge of movies!

We arrived in Sydney and it was amazing. I had only really looked at Sydney on the map before I booked the course and was completely unprepared for the beauty of the place. Our first stop after sailing past the Sydney Opera House and under the Harbour Bridge was the fish market where we indulged ourselves and feasted on 2kilos of fresh prawns!

My accommodation in Sydney was superb, luxury beach front apartment it’s so great to hear the waves at night. I really enjoyed the sailing in Sydney Harbour, with so much going on it’s a great time to re-enforce technical skills learnt offshore.

I would summarise my whole Flying Fish experience so far as BIG! Australian’s really are great friendly welcoming peop
le and the beach life is fantastic”. - Baris Kansu