day skipper exmination

[danielelongo]

Hi, all
me and my wife have a dream of sailing so that we are seriously looking for a boat.
meanwhile we are trying to get some experience and we want to get a day skipper RYA certificate.
I find the prices really extreme specially if need to be doubled,
so that I need to know if any one of you have never heard of a place or institution where is possible to go self-taught and give only the final examination.

Any news would be extremely help full
thank you all

[little boy blue]

welcome to the forum.

in answer to your query - no, there is nowhere you can self teach and just sit the final exam for rya sailing courses. the reason for this is that there is no " final " exam. the certificate awarded is a " course completion certificate " so you must do the whole course satisfactoriy to get the certificate.
if you sign up for the courses in the low season ( ie usually october to march ) the price will be cheaper. if you are buying 2 courses it might be worth haggling for some discount.

[Silkie]

Another possibility is that if you enquire about courses at various schools they will almost certainly put you on their mailing lists and in the event of them having a cancellation you might get a tempting offer. Worked for me anyway and I was able to negotiate from a position of strength by offering to fill both empty places. I took my son along and paid less than half price but had to promise not to tell the rest of the participants!

This should be in tip of the week.

[danielelongo]

thanks for your answers great tips, other suggestion are very welcome!!!!

[danielelongo]

Another possibility is that if you enquire about courses at various schools they will almost certainly put you on their mailing lists and in the event of them having a cancellation you might get a tempting offer. Worked for me anyway and I was able to negotiate from a position of strength by offering to fill both empty places. I took my son along and paid less than half price but had to promise not to tell the rest of the participants!

This should be in tip of the week.

[Silkie]

You might get some more specific advice if you gave some idea of your location.

[mr angry]

I am in the same position as the original poster, although I have some experience having owned my own boats.

My boat is presently laid up for a refit and I though of chartering given the good sailing weath we are having on the Clyde just now, but they all ask for proof of experience//certification, so my partner and I are looking to take an RYA day skipper course (theory and practical) which to be honest are costly to say the least.

[Nick]

.

How long have you been sailing? Some companies will accept a sailing CV with sufficient experience.

Otherwise, if you have enough experience you can sit the Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster examinations without any formal tuition - but you do need to provide a boat and crew.

[Windfinder]

I though of chartering given the good sailing weath we are having on the Clyde just now, but they all ask for proof of experience//certification,

I've got no quals and I've never had the slightest problem chartering in Scotland on the South Coast or abroad. On the Clyde http://www.fy-charter.co.uk/ will be able to hire you a boat without any paper quals.

[Alan_D]

I find the prices really extreme

If you think that Day Skipper courses are expensive, wait till you get your own boat ....