Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Online

East Anglian Sea School's Yachtmaster Ocean distance learning course allows you to study anywhere in the world and at your own pace within the time frame of 1 year from the date of enrolment.

This is a course in astro-navigation and worldwide meteorology which also reveals the mysteries of the sextant. It assumes a knowledge of all subjects covered in the other shorebased courses: Day Skipper & Coastal Skipper Yachtmaster Offshore.

The course is suited to those who wish to go ocean cruising, it will equip you with the skills needed to carry out an ocean passage either as a skipper or mate.

This course is essential preparation for a qualifying passage for the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Examination.

What’s included?

• Study material on our online platform
• Course guide
• RYA Student pack – exercises & tables booklet
• Astro Navigation Handbook by Tim Bartlett
• 2B pencil for chartwork
• Marking and Support
• Exams
• Postage to UK addresses

Popular extras:

• Navigational instruments - plotter and high quality dividers
• Books - RYA books and other publications that are not essential for completion of the course however are nice to have on the book shelf and can help when moving onto higher level courses.
• Extra training chart
• Astro Plotting Sheets
• Planisphere

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Certificate

The earth and the celestial sphere

Definition of the observer's zenith and position of a heavenly body in terms of latitude, longitude, GHA and declination

Right angle relationships, latitude and co-lat, declination and polar distance

Relationship between GHA, longitude and LHA

Tabulation of declination in nautical almanac

Rate of increase of hour angle with time

The PZX triangle

The tabulated components of the triangle, LHA, co-lat and polar distance

The calculable components, zenith distance and azimuth

Relationship between zenith distance and altitude

Introduction to the tabular method of solution in the Air Navigation Tables and the basic sight form

The use of calculators for the solution of the PZX triangle

The sextant

Practical guide to the use and care of a sextant at sea

Conversion of sextant altitude to true altitude

Application of dip, index error and refraction

Correction of side error, perpendicularity, index error and collimation error.

Measurement of time

Definition of, and relationship between, UT, LMT standard time and zone time

Rating of chronometers and watches

Meridian altitudes

Forecasting time of meridian altitude

Reduction of meridian altitude sights

Sun, star and other sights

Reduction and plotting of sun sights using Air Navigation Tables

Awareness of use of calculator for sight reduction

The plotting of a sun-run-sun meridian altitude

Awareness of the reduction and plotting of sights obtained from stars, moon and planets

Compass checking

Use of amplitude and azimuth tables systems and/or calculator

Satellite Navigation Systems

Principles and limitations of use of all systems

Great circle sailing

Comparison of rhumb lines and great circles

Vertices and composite tracks

The computation of a series of rhumb lines approximating to a great circle by use of gnomic and Mercator projections

Meteorology

General pressure distribution and prevailing winds over the oceans of the world

Tropical revolving storms, seasonal occurrence and forecasting by observation

Passage planning

Publications available to assist with planning of long passages (routeing charts, ocean passages of the world and other publications)

Preparation for ocean passage including survival equipment, victualling, water and fuel management, chafe protection, spares and maintenance

Passage making

Navigational routine

Watchkeeping

Crew management

Communications

Satellite and terrestrial systems

Weather information