Skip to main content

RYA Yachtmaster Logbook Requirements

Complete guide to qualifying miles. Understand exactly what counts toward 2,500 miles, 50 days living aboard, 60-mile passages, and overnight requirements for RYA Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore, and Ocean qualifications.

You've completed RYA Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper courses. You're sailing regularly, logging miles, and thinking about RYA Yachtmaster exam. But when you read the RYA qualifying criteria ("2,500 miles, 50 days, 5 passages over 60NM, 2 overnight passages") you wonder: Exactly what counts toward these requirements? Do my weekend club races qualify? What about that 45-mile coastal hop: does it count toward the 60NM passages?

RYA Yachtmaster logbook requirements are specific, and understanding them prevents wasted effort logging experience that doesn't qualify. This guide breaks down every RYA Yachtmaster requirement (Coastal, Offshore, and Ocean), explains what counts (and what doesn't), and helps you plan efficient progression toward exam eligibility.

⚓ Critical Clarification About "Days on Board"

The RYA defines a qualifying day as 24 consecutive hours living on board the vessel. This means day sailing and club racing (even full 8-10 hour days) do NOT count toward your "days" requirement unless you're also sleeping aboard as part of a multi-day cruise. Weekend cruising (Friday evening to Sunday, sleeping aboard) and week-long charters are the primary ways to accumulate qualifying days.

Calculate Your Progress

Use our free RYA Miles Calculator to see exactly where you stand toward Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper, and Yachtmaster Offshore requirements. Instant results, no registration required.

Try the Calculator

RYA Yachtmaster Qualification Levels

The RYA offers three Yachtmaster levels with different logbook requirements:

Yachtmaster Coastal

Operating limit: Coastal waters up to 20 miles from safe haven, by day or night

Typical uses:

  • UK coastal cruising
  • Club racing and coastal rallies
  • Skippered charter (UK waters)
  • Sailing school instructor (coastal courses)

Logbook requirements:

  • 800 miles minimum (400 miles if holding RYA Coastal Skipper certificate)
  • 30 days living aboard (minimum 2 days as skipper; reduced to 20 days if holding RYA Coastal Skipper certificate)
  • 12 night hours
  • Half the sea time in tidal waters

Pre-exam course: 5-day Yachtmaster Coastal preparation course (recommended but not mandatory)

Exam format: 1 day practical examination

Additional prerequisites:

  • Must be at least 17 years old at time of exam
  • VHF Radio Operator's Certificate (Restricted VHF or GMDSS Short Range Certificate or higher)
  • Valid First Aid certificate
  • All qualifying sea miles must be within 10 years prior to exam

Yachtmaster Offshore

Operating limit: Offshore passages worldwide, unlimited distance from safe haven

Typical uses:

  • Bareboat charter (Mediterranean, Caribbean, worldwide)
  • Commercial charter (flotilla skipper, charter company roles)
  • Ocean passages (crossing planning, waypoint navigation)
  • Professional yacht delivery

Logbook requirements:

  • 2,500 miles minimum
  • 50 days living aboard (minimum 5 days as skipper)
  • 5 passages over 60 miles (minimum 2 as skipper)
  • 2 overnight passages
  • Half the qualifying sea miles in tidal waters
  • Non-tidal waters experience (recommended but not mandatory)
  • All qualifying passages on vessels 7-24m in length

Pre-exam course: 5-day Yachtmaster Offshore preparation course (recommended but not mandatory)

Exam format: 2 days practical examination

Additional prerequisites:

  • Must be at least 18 years old at time of exam
  • VHF Radio Operator's Certificate (GMDSS Short Range Certificate or higher)
  • Valid First Aid certificate
  • All qualifying sea miles must be within 10 years prior to exam

Note: This is the most common Yachtmaster qualification for charter work and commercial sailing. The RYA accepts up to 50% (1,250 miles) of qualifying sea time on vessels over 24m (up to 3,000GT), but the other 50% must be on vessels between 7-24m in length.

Yachtmaster Ocean

Operating limit: Worldwide ocean passages, celestial navigation, blue-water cruising

Typical uses:

  • Trans-ocean passages (Atlantic, Pacific crossings)
  • Blue-water cruising (circumnavigation, long-distance voyaging)
  • Commercial ocean delivery
  • Sailing school offshore instruction

Logbook requirements:

  • Hold RYA Yachtmaster Offshore (prerequisite)
  • Complete RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Theory course
  • 600 miles offshore passage (minimum 96 hours at sea continuously)
  • Yacht must be more than 50 miles from land while sailing 200 miles of the passage
  • Ocean passage must include celestial navigation (minimum: sun run meridian altitude sight and celestial compass check)
  • Submit ocean passage logbook with celestial navigation workings

Pre-exam course: RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Theory (classroom/online celestial navigation course)

Exam format: Submitted logbook and celestial navigation workings (no practical exam)

Note: Yachtmaster Ocean is prestige qualification but not required for most charter/commercial positions. Yachtmaster Offshore suffices for 95% of professional roles.

Yachtmaster Offshore Logbook Requirements (Detailed Breakdown)

Most sailors target Yachtmaster Offshore (insurance-acceptable, charter-ready). Here's what each requirement means:

Requirement 1: 2,500 Miles Minimum

What counts:

  • Logged nautical miles from departure port to arrival port
  • Coastal passages (3+ hours minimum duration)
  • Offshore passages (out of sight of land)
  • Night sailing and day sailing
  • Miles as skipper OR crew (both count toward 2,500 total)

What doesn't count:

  • Harbour manoeuvring (motoring in/out of marina)
  • Race course circles (buoy racing without passage component)
  • Stationary time (anchored, moored, drifting without sailing)
  • Motor-only passages (RYA expects sailing qualifications to include sailing miles, though engine use in calms is acceptable)

How miles are measured:

1. GPS/Chartplotter log: Most accurate. Record total distance from instrument at end of passage.

2. Chartwork calculation: Measure straight-line distance between departure and arrival ports on nautical chart. Add 10-15% for tacking, routing around hazards, and navigation deviations.

Example:

  • Chartwork distance: Lymington to Cherbourg = 52 NM (straight line)
  • GPS log actual sailed distance: 58 NM (accounting for tidal set, tacking, harbour approaches)
  • Log 58 NM in logbook (use actual sailed distance, not theoretical)

RYA examiner stance: Be conservative. Examiners have sailed these routes and know realistic distances. Inflated logbooks raise red flags.

Common mistakes:

  • Inflating miles by including harbour motoring
  • Logging race course circles (20-mile race sailed 5 times ≠ 100 miles of qualifying experience)
  • Rounding up generously ("about 40 miles" becomes "50 miles logged")

Requirement 2: 50 Days Living Aboard (Minimum 5 Days as Skipper)

What counts as "one day":

  • 24 consecutive hours living on board the vessel
  • Overnight passages crossing midnight naturally count as multiple days (24+ hours continuous = 1+ days)
  • Brief shore excursions during a cruise don't invalidate the day
  • Day sails and racing (even 8-10 hours) don't count unless part of a 24+ hour period living aboard

Skipper vs crew distinction:

  • Skipper: You held navigational responsibility, made passage decisions, managed crew
  • Crew: You assisted but someone else was in charge
  • Watch captain: On offshore passages with watch rotation, hours as watch captain count as skipper time

Why "living aboard" matters:

RYA wants evidence of sustained sailing experience, not just day trips. Living aboard means overnight passages, multi-day cruises, or charter weeks. Demonstrates watchkeeping, crew management, and prolonged responsibility.

Meeting the 50 days - Typical progression:

  • RYA Day Skipper course: 5 days (5-day course living aboard)
  • RYA Coastal Skipper course: 5 days (5-day course living aboard, gain some skipper experience)
  • Weekend cruises: 20 weekends = 40 days (Friday evening to Sunday, living aboard 2+ nights = 2 days per weekend)
  • Mediterranean charter: 1 week = 7 days (living aboard, can build skipper days if you're designated skipper)
  • Offshore passages: Long passages contribute both miles and days (3-day passage = 3 days living aboard)

Total: 57 days total living aboard

Critical understanding: The RYA's "24 consecutive hours living on board" definition means you must be sleeping aboard and living on the boat. Day sailing and club racing, even full 8-10 hour days, do not count unless you're also sleeping aboard as part of a multi-day cruise. This makes weekend cruising (Friday night to Sunday) and week-long charters the primary ways to accumulate qualifying days.

Requirement 3: 5 Passages Over 60 Nautical Miles (Minimum 2 as Skipper)

What qualifies as "over 60 NM":

  • Single continuous passage of 60+ nautical miles (GPS log or chartwork)
  • Can include overnight portion
  • Can be coastal or offshore
  • Primarily sailed (motoring through calms acceptable, but passage must be under sail)

What doesn't qualify:

  • Multiple short passages totalling 60 NM (e.g., 4 passages of 15 NM each, doesn't count)
  • Multi-day cruise with overnight anchoring (each day is separate passage, not one 60NM+ passage)

Why 60 NM matters:

Demonstrates sustained navigation, passage planning, and crew management. Typical 60 NM passage takes 10-12 hours at 5-6 knots. Requires watchkeeping, tidal planning, weather assessment.

Example qualifying passages:

  • Solent to Cherbourg: 52 NM (doesn't qualify: under 60 NM)
  • Lymington to Alderney: 65 NM (qualifies: over 60 NM)
  • Plymouth to Brest: 95 NM (qualifies)
  • Wales to Ireland (Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire): 68 NM (qualifies)
  • Round Isle of Wight race: Typically 50-55 NM (doesn't qualify: under 60 NM)
  • Cowes to Guernsey: 78 NM (qualifies)
  • Channel crossing (Brighton to Fécamp): 72 NM (qualifies)

Result: 5 passages over 60 NM (meets requirement). If you were skipper for 2+ of these, meets "minimum 2 as skipper" requirement.

Skipper requirement nuance: Of the 5 passages, you only need to have skippered 2. The other 3 can be as crew. This allows building qualifying passages by crewing on long passages with experienced skippers.

Common mistake: Assuming "60 miles" means 60 miles total sailing experience. It means 60 miles in a single continuous passage. Five 12-mile passages don't count.

Requirement 4: 2 Overnight Passages

What qualifies as "overnight passage":

  • Passage that crosses midnight (departs one day, arrives next day)
  • Continuous sailing (not anchoring overnight then continuing next morning; that's two day passages)
  • Participation in watchkeeping (doesn't require being skipper, but skipper hours are valuable)

What doesn't qualify:

  • Anchoring overnight (passage ends when you anchor)
  • Rafted/moored overnight (must be underway continuously)

Why overnight passages matter:

Night sailing requires different skills (lights recognition, reduced visibility, crew fatigue management). Demonstrates 24-hour passage competence. Essential for offshore sailing and charter work.

Meeting the requirement:

Option 1: Overnight coastal passages

  • Example: Depart Lymington 1800h, arrive Cherbourg 0600h next morning (12 hours, crosses midnight) ✅

Option 2: Longer offshore passages

  • Example: Depart Falmouth 0600h Day 1, arrive Brest 1200h Day 2 (30 hours, includes one full night) ✅

Option 3: Multi-day cruise with continuous sailing

  • Example: Depart Portland 1400h Day 1, arrive Alderney 0900h Day 2 (19 hours, crosses midnight) ✅

Common mistake: Claiming overnight passage when you actually anchored. Examiners may ask "Where did you anchor?" or "What were your arrival/departure times?" to verify.

Pro tip: Combine overnight passages with 60 NM+ requirement. Many overnight passages exceed 60 miles (Solent to Brittany, Wales to Ireland), fulfilling both requirements simultaneously.

Requirement 5: Tidal Waters Experience

What is tidal waters:

Waters where tide and tidal streams significantly affect navigation. Typical: UK coastal waters, English Channel, Irish Sea, North Sea.

Why it matters:

Tidal planning is essential UK sailing skill. RYA examiners expect competence in tidal passage planning, tidal heights, and tidal stream calculation.

Meeting the requirement:

  • No specific mile count required
  • Evidence of passages in tidal waters with tidal planning
  • Logbook entries should reference tidal considerations: "Departed Yarmouth at HW-2 to catch west-going stream in Needles Channel"

For UK-based sailors: This requirement is automatic. Most UK sailing is tidal.

For non-tidal sailors (Mediterranean, Caribbean): Plan UK coastal passage or Channel crossing to gain tidal experience before Yachtmaster exam.

Requirement 6: Non-Tidal Waters Experience (Recommended)

What is non-tidal waters:

Waters with negligible tide (less than 1m range). Typical: Mediterranean, Baltic, some Scottish lochs, Great Lakes, Caribbean.

Why it matters:

Demonstrates understanding of non-tidal navigation (different pilotage approaches, no tidal stream calculations). Charter companies operating Med/Caribbean prefer skippers with non-tidal experience.

Meeting the requirement:

  • Not mandatory but recommended
  • Evidence of passages in non-tidal waters
  • Mediterranean charter week, Baltic cruise, or Caribbean sailing fulfills this

For UK-based sailors: Consider Mediterranean charter or Baltic trip. Many sailors use this as motivation for 1-week Mediterranean flotilla or charter to gain non-tidal experience while enjoying sailing holiday.

Requirement 7: Recent Active Sailing

What it means:

RYA expects "recent and relevant" experience. If your logbook shows 2,500 miles but all logged 10 years ago, examiners may question currency.

Rule of thumb:

  • Majority of miles logged in last 5 years
  • Ideally 300-500 miles in last 2 years showing active sailing

Why it matters: Sailing skills deteriorate without practice. Examiners want evidence you're currently competent, not rusty from years ashore.

Meeting the requirement: Stay actively sailing. If you had a gap (family, career, health), rebuild recent miles before booking exam.

Planning Your Path to Yachtmaster Offshore

How long does it take to meet Yachtmaster Offshore requirements? Depends on sailing frequency:

Scenario 1: Active Club Sailor (Weekend Cruising Year-Round)

Sailing frequency: 25 weekend cruises/year (living aboard Friday-Sunday)

Mile accumulation:

  • Weekend coastal cruise: 40 miles average × 25 weekends = 1,000 miles/year
  • Add 1-2 week-long charters/year: 300 miles/week × 2 weeks = 600 miles
  • Total: 1,600 miles/year

Timeline to 2,500 miles: 18-24 months

Meeting other requirements:

  • 50 days: 25 weekends × 2 days living aboard (Fri-Sun) = 50 days/year (meets requirement in Year 1)
  • 5 passages over 60 NM: Plan 2-3 longer coastal passages per year (Channel crossings, Wales-Ireland, Scotland cruises)
  • 2 overnight passages: Overnight Channel crossings or longer coastal passages
  • Tidal/non-tidal: UK sailing covers tidal, Mediterranean charter for non-tidal

Critical note: Weekend cruising where you live aboard Friday evening to Sunday counts days. Day sailing and club racing (returning to marina each evening) does NOT count toward the 50 days requirement, even if sailing many hours.

Total timeline: 18-24 months from Coastal Skipper to Yachtmaster Offshore ready

Scenario 2: Occasional Sailor (Annual Charters + Some Weekend Cruising)

Sailing frequency: 1-2 week-long charters/year + 6 weekend cruises/year

Mile accumulation:

  • 2 week-long charters: 300 miles/week × 2 = 600 miles/year
  • 6 weekend cruises: 40 miles × 6 = 240 miles/year
  • Total: 840 miles/year

Timeline to 2,500 miles: 3 years

Meeting other requirements:

  • 50 days: 2 charters × 7 days = 14 days + 6 weekends × 2 days = 12 days = 26 days/year (needs 2 years to reach 50 days)
  • 5 passages over 60 NM: Requires deliberate longer passages during charters (plan routes over 60NM)
  • 2 overnight passages: Include in charter weeks or plan specific overnight coastal passages

Total timeline: 3-4 years from Coastal Skipper to Yachtmaster Offshore ready

Critical challenge: If sailing only day trips (returning to marina each evening), you will NOT accumulate qualifying "days living aboard." Must prioritize weekend cruises (sleeping aboard) and charter weeks to meet the 50-day requirement.

Scenario 3: Intensive Mile-Building (Offshore Delivery Crew)

Sailing frequency: Crewing on yacht deliveries, offshore passages

Mile accumulation:

  • 3-week Bay of Biscay passage: 800 miles
  • 2-week Atlantic crossing: 2,500 miles (meets requirement in single passage!)

Timeline to 2,500 miles: 6-12 months (depending on delivery opportunities)

Meeting other requirements:

  • 50 days: Long passages contribute days quickly (3-week passage = 21 days)
  • 5 passages over 60 NM: Long passages automatically meet this (600-mile passage is one passage, not five)
  • 2 overnight passages: Every multi-day passage includes overnight sailing

Total timeline: 6-12 months (fastest route but requires offshore delivery opportunities)

Limitation: Delivery crew often aren't skipper (boat owner or delivery captain is). May meet miles/days but lack skipper days. Balance delivery crewing with shorter passages where you're skipper.

Tracking Your Yachtmaster Logbook Progress

Manual tracking challenges:

  • Calculating 2,500 miles across hundreds of passages
  • Counting passages over 60 NM (must review entire logbook)
  • Distinguishing skipper vs crew days
  • Identifying gaps (e.g., "I have 2,400 miles but only 1 overnight passage; need 1 more")

Solution: Use digital logbook with automatic Yachtmaster criteria tracking

Crew the Boat's digital logbook (coming Q1 2026) automatically:

  • Tracks progress toward 2,500 miles
  • Counts passages over 60 NM
  • Separates skipper vs crew miles/days
  • Warns if passage doesn't meet criteria ("This day sail won't count as qualifying day: must be living aboard 24+ hours")
  • Displays progress dashboard: "You need 8 more days living aboard and 1 more 60NM passage"
  • Validates 24-hour "living aboard" requirement to prevent incorrectly logging day sails

Join the digital logbook waitlist

Join Waitlist

Preparing Your Logbook for Yachtmaster Exam

When you book RYA Yachtmaster exam (Coastal or Offshore), the examiner will request logbook review beforehand. Prepare it professionally:

Required logbook elements:

  • Complete passage list (minimum miles for qualification level)
  • Running totals (miles, skipper days, passages over 60NM)
  • Skipper signatures or references (for passages where you were crew)
  • Boat details (name, type, size)
  • Summary page showing: total miles, skipper miles, qualifying passages, overnight passages, tidal/non-tidal experience

Format:

  • PDF export (if digital logbook)
  • Chronological order (oldest to newest)
  • Clear indication of your role (skipper/crew)

Examiner will verify:

  • Miles are realistic (not inflated)
  • Passages meet criteria (60NM passages are actually 60+ NM, overnight passages crossed midnight)
  • Recent active sailing (not all miles from 10 years ago)
  • Skipper days are genuine (may contact boat owners/skippers to confirm)

Start Logging Your Yachtmaster Miles Today

Whether you're 500 miles into your journey or approaching 2,500 miles, understanding exactly what counts toward RYA Yachtmaster requirements ensures every passage contributes to your qualification.

Track your progress: Join Crew the Boat and log your passages with automatic Yachtmaster criteria tracking

Plan efficient mile-building: Use our RYA Qualifying Miles spreadsheet to identify gaps

Book your exam: When you meet requirements, find RYA Yachtmaster examiners

Related Guides

Ready to Start Your Yachtmaster Journey?

Create your free profile on Crew the Boat and start logging passages toward RYA Yachtmaster. Track miles, count qualifying days, build your verified sailing CV. Join the professional sailing community.

Create Your Free Profile See Pro Features