Liquid Edge Sailing School offers an intensive hands on sailing and learning adventure via our practical IYT Yacht Master sessions. The course is made up of 2 sections, theory and practical. Details on theory are here.

Practical course:

We set sail either North or South (depending on weather) and complete at least two nights at sea with highly experienced instructor.

This course is focussed on improved sailing and navigation skills, watch keeping and helming.

The group will plan the trip from the ground up, taking into account tides, weather, potential bar crossings and the like. We will be using both traditional paper based charts and electronic charting.

We will aim to leave Sydney mid afternoon and sail overnight to our chosen destination. As an indication we generally head for Port Stephens to our North or Jervis bay to our South. Depending on the weather we may choose other options.

• Navigational Charts
• Navigation, Passage Planning and Weather planning
• Dead reckoning and estimated position
• Position fixing
• Tides, tide range and currents including Set and Drift
• Pilotage
• Lights and Night Navigation
• Safety at sea, Emergency Procedures
• Meteorology, Clouds, Fog, Fronts, Heavy Weather Sailing
• Practical Seamanship Skills
• Ropework
• Anchoring
• Setting an appropriate sail plan, downwind sailing using a pole
• Advanced Sail Trim

Your participation in both the practical and theory courses will be logged in your official International Yacht Training Log Book, including the course completion certificate.

Minimum level of experience to commence course

• Practical and theory skills to a level of competency of International Bareboat Skipper.
  If you do not have these skills you can take a “catch up” course prior to the IYT Coastal Certificate course.
• 30 days onboard a yacht at sea as an active crew member
• 800 logged miles
• 2 days as watch leader or skipper and 12 hours underway on watch at night.
• VHF/HF radio operator’s licence or marine radio certificate from a recognized teaching authority

The course must be completed before applying for the exam. Minimum sea time requirements must also have been met before examination.

The Exam

The examination takes the form of an oral and practical test onboard a yacht. Candidates must demonstrate that they have sufficient ability to handle, dock, and anchor the boat with a required level of confidence. Candidates can expect to be examined on any subject contained within the syllabus and to be questioned on any of their yachting experience to date.

In the event that the examiner considers an examinee not to have achieved the required standards, an IYT Yachtmaster certificate will not be issued. In this case, a confidential report will be sent to the candidate outlining the reason or reasons for failure and suggesting remedial action that could lead to the successful completion of the course. Completion of the IYT Yachtmaster Coastal course is not a guarantee of passing the examination and receiving your certificate.