Becoming an RYA Instructor

The RYA Yachtmaster qualification is recognised internationally as one of the premier sailing qualifications that you can achieve.

As a result, the RYA does have some challenging requirements to ensure that their standards are high.

•      - completed your RYA coastal skipper theory course within the past 5 years. You do NOT need to have your exam invigilated.


•      - the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or RYA Yachtmaster Ocean certificate of proficiency.


•      - a Sea Survival Safety Certificate that is recognised and accepted by your home country.


•      - a Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency that covers both VHF and HF/MF


•      - passed a required Medical


•      - completed and passed the RYA yachtmaster instructors course.


•      - complete all requirements to be commercially endorsed. this includes


•                     -- The professional Practices and Responsibilities Certificate
•                     -- Approval under the commercial endorsement application form

There is no requirement to have your RYA coastal skipper exam invigilated to become an instructor. This is because you will have covered the requirements when you obtain both the Yachtmaster certificate of competency, and through completion of the instructor training program. The instructor training program requires a solid fundamental understanding of the content, and it is highly unlikely that you could cheat your way through this as your examiners are your peers in the industry.

The RYA scheme does support instructors from other training programs, however you will still have to complete the RYA scheme first to qualify in order to ensure mastery over the content of the RYA syllabus. requirements and ensures a minimum uniform standard.