The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is a practical exam held afloat. It is for skippers aged 18 or over who want the Royal Yachting Association certificate of competence for offshore passages. This page collects our free practice sets by topic, from IRPCS and meteorology to emergency procedures. It also has worked answers, the current fees and timings, and a study plan to follow before your examiner comes aboard.
The RYA Yachtmaster takes about 12 hours and costs £266[1][2] (Royal Yachting Association, verified Oct 26, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Time limit | 8–12 hours for one candidate; 10–18 hours for two[1] | Royal Yachting Association · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Exam fee | £266 examination fee (2026)[2] | Royal Yachting Association · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Retake fee | £132 partial re-examination fee (2026)[2] | Royal Yachting Association · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Validity | Commercial endorsement: maximum five years[3] | Royal Yachting Association · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Delivery | Practical examination afloat[1] | Royal Yachting Association · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Minimum age 18[1] | Royal Yachting Association · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | UK direct examiner requests: allow at least 10 working days[4] | Royal Yachting Association · Oct 27, 2026 |
According to Royal Yachting Association, “8-12 hours for 1 candidate, 10-18 hours for 2 candidates.”[1]
The Yachtmaster Offshore certificate of competence is issued by the Royal Yachting Association. It shows that you can skipper a yacht on offshore passages. The exam is practical and takes place afloat. An examiner on board watches how you handle the boat, run the crew and make decisions. The RYA gives the length as 8–12 hours for 1 candidate and 10–18 hours for 2 candidates.
You must be 18 at the time of the exam. The RYA also sets prerequisites for sea time and supporting certificates. Check the current list on the official RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam page before you book, because we do not reproduce it here.
The examination fee for 2026 is £266. If you have to retake part of the exam, the partial re-examination fee for 2026 is £132. If you are a UK candidate requesting an examiner directly, the RYA asks you to allow a minimum of 10 working days for an examiner to be allocated. If you plan to work commercially, a commercial endorsement is valid from the date of processing for a maximum of 5 years.
Our verified facts do not include a scoring scale. The examiner assesses you on the water against the RYA syllabus. Results and partial re-examinations are decided under RYA rules, so treat the official RYA pages as the final word.
The content areas below are copied from the official RYA Yachtmaster content outline published by Royal Yachting Association. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| boat handling[1] | RYA Yachtmaster Pilotage & Harbour Entry Practise how you would enter a harbour, berth and leave under power, and how wind and tide change each manoeuvre. |
| general seamanship[1] | RYA Yachtmaster Seamanship Review anchoring, mooring, rope work, towing and preparing the boat and crew for sea. |
| IRPCS[1] | RYA Yachtmaster IRPCS Drill the steering and sailing rules, lights, shapes and sound signals until you can identify a vessel and its duties straight away. |
| meteorology[1] | RYA Yachtmaster Meteorology Read forecasts, synoptic charts and pressure systems, and explain how the weather would change your passage plan. |
| navigation[1] | RYA Yachtmaster Advanced Navigation Work through position fixing, course to steer and tidal calculations, and check your answers against a real chart and almanac. |
| safety awareness[1] | RYA Yachtmaster Safety and Emergency Know your safety equipment, crew briefings and what you would do in a fire, flooding, man overboard or abandon-ship situation. |
| signals[1] | RYA Yachtmaster GMDSS & Yachtmaster Oral Exam Practise distress, urgency and safety radio procedures, GMDSS equipment and visual distress signals. |
| skippering skills[1] | RYA Yachtmaster Passage Planning Offshore Plan a full offshore passage, including bolt holes, watch systems and the decisions you would explain to crew and examiner. |
Prepare for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the internationally agreed signal for a helicopter rescue crew to stop hoisting a casualty?
Answer: A. Arms raised horizontally (like a 'T' shape) — the international signal to stop/hold hoist
Explanation:
Arms held out horizontally in a T shape is the standard hand signal to stop or hold the hoist, so the winch operator halts at once. Waving both arms upward rapidly is not the stop signal, and it could be misread in the noise and downdraft. A thumbs up usually means all is well or ready, which is the opposite of what you want to say. Shouting 'stop' into the radio is unreliable. The hoist area is loud, the crew may be listening on a different channel, and you may not have a hand free.
Rule to remember: under a helicopter, communicate with clear hand signals agreed in advance. Brief your crew on them before an offshore passage, and follow the winchman's instructions.
Question: When returning to a MOB under sail, which manoeuvre gives the best control for the final approach?
Answer: A. Figure-of-eight or reaching return — approaching on a close reach allows speed control and the option to luff/spill wind on final approach
Explanation:
A figure-of-eight or reaching return brings you back on a close reach. On that point of sail, easing the sheets spills wind and slows the boat, and sheeting in gives you drive again. That control lets you stop next to the casualty, or bear away and go round again if the approach is wrong. Running downwind at full speed gives you no easy way to lose speed, and the mainsail stays powered. Beating hard upwind keeps the sails loaded, which makes the final stop and positioning harder. Anchoring and sending a dinghy wastes time and puts more people at risk in the water.
Rule to remember: keep sight of the casualty, set up a close-reach approach, and use the sheets as your throttle.
Question: What is the correct procedure for dealing with a fire in the engine compartment?
Answer: B. Shut down the engine, close the fuel supply, close all openings to starve the fire of oxygen, and discharge a fixed fire extinguisher into the compartment without opening it
Explanation:
A fire needs fuel, heat and oxygen, and the correct option takes away the fuel and the oxygen. Stopping the engine and closing the fuel supply cuts off the fuel. Closing hatches, vents and other openings starves the fire of oxygen. Discharging the fixed extinguisher into the closed compartment attacks the fire without letting air in. Opening the compartment to look gives the fire a rush of oxygen and can make it flare up towards you. Pouring water on an engine fire can spread burning fuel or oil, and it is dangerous around electrics. Starting the engine pumps more fuel and pulls more air through the space.
Rule to remember: stop, shut off, seal, discharge. Then keep the compartment closed and get ready to call for help.
Start with the free RYA Yachtmaster practice test to see which areas are weak. Then work through the topic sets in the order your gaps show up, rather than front to back.
For every question you miss, read the explanation, then check the point against the RYA syllabus and your pilot books. Practice questions cannot replace time afloat. In the days before the exam, take a boat out and practise berthing, man overboard recovery and pilotage.
The RYA gives 8–12 hours for 1 candidate and 10–18 hours for 2 candidates. The exam is practical and takes place afloat. That time covers boat handling, pilotage, passage decisions and the examiner's questions on board. Plan your rest and food around it, and confirm the arrangements with your examiner.
The RYA examination fee for Yachtmaster Offshore is £266 (2026), and a partial re-examination costs £132 (2026). These are the RYA's own fees. A training centre or boat hire may charge extra, so ask for a full breakdown of costs before you book.
You must be 18 at the time of the exam. Age is not the only entry condition. The RYA also sets prerequisites for sea time and certificates, listed on its official Yachtmaster Offshore exam page. Check them before you apply so your booking is not delayed.
If you are in the UK and requesting an examiner directly through the RYA, allow at least 10 working days for an examiner to be allocated. Leave extra time if you need a particular date or area. Make sure your prerequisites and boat are ready before you apply.
The RYA lists the exam format as practical, so an examiner assesses you afloat rather than in an exam hall. You can still expect theory questions on board, on topics such as IRPCS, meteorology and safety. That is why our topic sets use short questions you can practise answering aloud.
A commercial endorsement is valid from the date of processing for a maximum of 5 years. It is a separate step from passing the exam and has its own requirements. The RYA's commercial endorsements page explains what you need and how to apply.
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