Documented minimum sea time completed on a seagoing sailing or motor yacht (as appropriate) in the last 10 years:
which may be reduced to 25 days if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence ; ; , which may be reduced to 1250 miles if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence
At least half the qualifying sea time should be gained in tidal waters and on vessels less than 24m LOA, and all seatime must be on vessels of the same discipline as the exam to be taken, i.e. sail or power.
Contact if your sea time is on a yacht greater than 24m and 500gt.
For example, an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail wishing to be examined for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Power
You may use your own boat or a boat that you have chartered or borrowed. You will be responsible for ensuring the boat is seaworthy and suitable for the area in which the exam takes place and equipped as shown below.
The boat used must be between 7m and 18m (LOA) and be in sound, seaworthy condition, equipped to the standard set out in the RYA Boat Safety Handbook 2nd Edition (code G103). The boat must be equipped with a full up to date set of charts and navigational publications along with working instruments and either plotter or GPS. In addition to the candidate there should be two crew on board as the examiner will not take part in the management of the boat during the exam.
There may be vessels that will meet the guidelines outlined above but by virtue of their layout, construction, handling characteristics or other factors may be unsuitable for use for an RYA Yachtmaster Practical examination. The RYA reserves the right to refuse an exam on a vessel that, in the view of the RYA Chief Examiner, will not allow the examiner to conduct an examination to the standard required by the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Qualification Panel.
Before you book your exam please check that you:
If you need your Certificate of Competence in order to work on board a commercial craft subject the MCA's codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed .
Arranging your exam, commercial endorsements, exam payments service, mca manning requirements, professional qualifications.
Rya motor cruising scheme.
Classroom skill building, experiences.
Mendez Marine prides itself on its excellent instructors providing training on equipment that is well maintained, serviced and legal.
We make no attempt to be the cheapest In the area but stick by the old adage that ‘You get what you pay for’.
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RYA Yachtmaster (Theory) Refresher | 2 Days | £250 | £550 | £725 | |
RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory | 6 days | £485 | £2000 | £2100 | £- Please ask |
RYA Coastal Skipper Yachtmaster Theory | 6 days | £400 | £1800 | ||
RYA Day Skipper Theory | 5 days (40 hours) | £355 | £1650 | £1725 | £-Please ask |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Theory Online | Home Study | £295 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Theory Online | Home Study | £290 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
RYA Day Skipper Theory Online | Home Study | £290 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship | Home Study | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A | |
RYA Cevni Test Online | Home Study | £30 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
RYA Professional Practices & Responsibilities | Home Study | £52 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
RYA VHF Radio Online Course | Online | £69 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RYA VHF Radio Exam | £70 | ||||
RYA Radar | 1 day | £130 | £330 | £400 - Max. 4 people | £299 |
RYA Diesel Engine | 1 day | £130 | £Please Ask | £Please Ask | £N/A |
RYA First Aid | 1 day | £130 | £Please Ask | £Please Ask | £N/A |
RYA Radar + | £250 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A | |
RYA Sea Survival | 1 day | £150 | £- please ask | £ - Please ask | £ N/A |
RYA VHF Radio Classroom + Exam | 1 day | £110 | £please ask | £please ask | £N/A |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RYA Day Skipper Practical PLUS Theory | 6 days | £1375 | £4500 | £please ask | £Please ask |
RYA Yachtmaster™ Sail – Power Exam Prep | 5 - 6 days | £1500 | £5000 | £5000 | £1280 |
RYA Yachtmaster™ Power – Exam Prep Course | 5 days | £1500 | £5000 | £5000 | £1495 |
RYA Coastal Skipper Practical | 5 days | £2500 | £5000 | £please ask | £1600 |
RYA Day Skipper Practical | 4 days | £1025 | £3700 | £4000 | £1280 |
RYA Helmsman | 2 days | £550 | £1900 | £2000 | £640 |
RYA Start Motor Cruising | 1 day | £300 | £1000 | £1000 | £320 |
Learn On Your Boat | Per day | £320 | £320.00 | £320.00 | £330.00 |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Advanced Powerboat Certificate of Competence – Prep and Exam | 2 Days | £495 | £n/a | £330.00 | |
RYA Advanced Powerboat | 2 days | £375 | £975 | £1000 | £640 |
RYA Intermediate Powerboat (Coastal Cruising by Day) | 2 days | £340 | £989 | £960 | £660 |
RYA Powerboat Tender Operator | 2 days | £299 | £695 | £750 | £550 |
RYA Powerboat Level 2 | 2 days | £320 | £750 | £895 | £640 |
RYA Powerboat Level 1 | 1 day | £325 | £325 | £550 | £320 |
Learn On Your Boat | Per day | £320 | £320.00 | £320.00 | £330.00 |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship | Home Study | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solent Familiarisation | 1 day | £900 | £- Please ask | £900.00 | £320.00 |
Practical Boat Handling | £900 | £900 max 2 | |||
Powerboat Enhancement / Refresher Days | 1 day | £190 | £550 | £550 | £320 |
Mile Building / Skippered Passages | 1 day | £650 | £please ask | £- Please ask | £- Please ask |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Advanced Passage Planning and Pilotage | £130 | £400 | |||
Understanding your Chart Plotter – Basic to Masterclass | 1 day | £130 | £500.00 | £330.00 | |
RYA VHF Refresher | 4 hrs | £45 | £6 people £250 | ||
Rope & Rope-work | £99 | ||||
RYA Yachtmaster (Theory) Refresher | 2 Days | £250 | £550 | £725 | |
Understanding Radar – with Simulator Experience | 1 day | £150 | £500.00 | £N/A | £n/a |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Evening Cruises | 1 day | £199 | £849 | £699 (4 people) | £N/A |
Cruise in Company | 5 | £700 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
Course Description | Duration | P/P | 1-on-1 | Group | Own Boat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RYA Radar Instructor | |||||
RYA Teaching in the Classroom | |||||
RYA First Aid Instructor | 1-day | ||||
RYA Navigation Instructor | |||||
RYA VHF SRC Assessor | |||||
RYA Cruising Instructor Power | 4 days | £1125 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor | 2 days | £385 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
RYA Powerboat Instructor | 4 days | £495 | £N/A | £N/A | £N/A |
Have you harnessed the power of the wind and tide, overlay header.
Rya yachtmaster motor practical prep & exam in southampton (offshore): course summary.
The RYA Yachtmaster™ Offshore Certificate of Competence is a highly regarded qualification that is recognised worldwide. RYA Yachtmaster Coastal is a new pathway Certificate of Competency for an Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch on yachts less than 3000gt.
The RYA Yachtmaster offshore/coastal preparation and exam week consists of intensive revision, as well as expert instruction followed by the Yachtmaster Exam. The exam starts on the Friday, however it may include the weekend depending on the number of students.
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
Its highly recommended that you also have attended the RYA one day radar course, *RYA sea survival course and RYA diesel engine course.
*required to commercially endorse your RYA MCA certificate.
Yachtmaster coaster skippers will need:
Or if you have completed the RYA Coastal skipper course this is reduced to:
Yachtmaster offshore candidates will need:
A minimum of half the required mileage and passages must be completed in tidal waters and within 10 years of the exam.
Candidates must also hold a valid first aid certificate and GMDSS VHF licence to be eligible to be entered into the exam
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore preparation and exam week is an intensive bespoke, focused week of skills and drills putting everything together. You will practice the finer points of boat handling, planning, navigation and theory, as well as crew management and decision making, culminating with the Yachtmaster Offshore exam.
OUTLINE COURSE CONTENT
The RYA Yachtmaster Motor Practical Preparation and Exam consists of 2 stages:
WHAT DOES THE COURSE COST?
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE COST?
NEXT STEPS AFTER YACHTMASTER MOTOR OFFSHORE
Book online below, or call on 023 81 242159 .
If there are no courses listed below, please email us to enquire about availability: [email protected].
Jet ski club, boat charter, safety boat services.
Kristian Aderman a Pro Yacht Racer from Sweden being examined by RYA Examiner John Roberts earlier this year
14 weeks of practical training, next course : spring 2024, starts mon 19th february 2024.
For Course Prices Scroll Down or Click Here
Below is a brief outline of the course content. Please contact us for a full description of the course program.
We would be delighted to have a sit down meeting with you over coffee to discuss your suitability for this program and how it can be tailored to suit your prior sailing experience. If you are booking from abroad we would be delighted to arrange a skype conversation to discuss the program with you.
Introduction
This course is designed to take the complete sailing novice to become a professional sailor in the sailing industry in an intensive accelerated course over fifteen weeks. The course culminates in the Yachtmaster Offshore Exam by an independent RYA Yachtmaster Examiner. This is a 10 hour practical and oral examination on all aspects of sailing a yacht in difficult circumstances. Provided you are hard working we will have you fully prepared and confident of passing the exam over the 3 months. We have run 11 successful Professional Yachtmaster Programs since the schools opening in 2011 and have almost 100% success rate in that every student has passed the exam first time after our training program. This is largely to do with having a small number of students and being able to focus on each students own weaknesses leading up to the exam. We have successfully trained students in the past who have gone on to work all over the world in different sectors of the sailing industry, from charter base managers, to delivery skippers, to Yachtmaster Instructors to yacht brokers to Riggers. We have developed contacts within the sailing industry over the past 10 years which you can call upon to help you achieve your first job in your new career within the yachting industry. The course is geared towards a career in the yachting industry, but we have a variety of students from guys in their 30s and 40s looking for a career change, to school leavers looking for an alternate second career before attending university to newly retired people looking to change their approach to their own sailing, a to finally sail in a professional confident way.
The course is divided into 3 modules of four to five weeks in duration. Students can enter the course program at different stages depending on their previous sailing experience and the cost of the course will be pro-rated accordingly. Please consult us on this. Many fast track courses are run by different sailing schools in the Med. Some advertise courses that are only 10 weeks long and at very low prices. These are soft courses in the sunshine with little or no wind. Exams are almost always conducted under the same conditions. Our experience of these schools has been shabby yachts and poor quality tuition. At Irish Offshore Sailing we will train you to cope with challenging weather confidently using a modern offshore yacht with the most up to date navigational equipment. These yachts enter the Fastnet Race and Round Ireland Yacht Race every year, so they are extremely well equipped.
Our Commitment to You
At Irish Offshore Sailing we draw upon a team of expert instructors with over 10 years training students on the Professional Yachtmaster Scheme. We have put a course program together not just to get you to pass your Yachtmaster exam, but to make you into a competent confident professional skipper. We see time and time again within the industry, sailors barely meeting the grade and delivering yachts by the seats of their pants. Our aim is to train you to a standard where we would trust you to deliver our yachts in the dead of winter, and rest assured that the yacht will arrive in pristine condition. Students who train and sail in Ireland and the UK during the Winter and early Spring, experience strong winds, heavy swells and other difficult conditions. These difficult training grounds challenge and drive students to excel and ultimately produce a higher calibre of skipper. At Irish Offshore Sailing, we run a professional, well structured course designed to meet your needs. We operate from our course from our base at Dun Laoghaire Marina using our two Jeanneau Sunfast 37 foot yachts “Desert Star” and “Sherkin” and our classroom facilities at the Royal Irish Yacht Club. Dublin Bay provides and incredible training ground for our students with a large tidal range, shallow harbours, commercial shipping, and offshore winds which allow us to continue sailing even under heavy wind conditions. The protection of the outer harbour in Dun Laoghaire allows us to sail even in the most challenging of winds, when any other school would have to have a day in the classroom.
Below is a brief outline of the course structure for our 2024 Spring Course, our Autumn course will be very similar:
Module 1: February 2024
Week 1: Competent Crew (5 days) (Mon 19th – Fri 23rd February 2024)
Week 2: Dayskipper Theory (5 days) (Sat 24th – Sun 25th Feb & Fri 1st – Sun 3rd March 2024)
Week 3: Skills and Drills (3 days) (Mon 26th Feb – Wed 28th Feb 2024)
Week 4: Dayskipper 1 (Navigation and Pilotage) (5 days) (Mon 4th – Fri 8th March 2024)
Week5: Dayskipper 2 Mon 11th – Thurs 15th March 2024 ( 4 days)
VHF SRC (1 day) (Sun 10th March 2024)
First Aid (1 day) (Sat 9th March 2024)
24 days training incl. First Aid and VHF SRC
4 days break: 1600 Thurs 14th March – 0930 Tues 19th March 2024
1 days break: 1600 Wed 28th Feb – Fri 1st March 0930 2024
Module 2: March 2024
Week 1: Yachtmaster Theory (6 days) (Tues 19th – Sun 24th March 2024)
Week 2: Milebuilder Passage 1 (6 days) Northern Ireland (Mon 25th March – Sat 30th March 2024)
Week 3: Coastal Skipper 1 (4 days) (Mon 1st – Thurs 4th April 2024)
ISAF Offshore Safety Course (2 day) (Sat 13th – Sun 14th April 2024)
Week 4: Milebuilder Passage 2 (6 days) Irish Sea (Sat 6th – Fri 12th April 2024)
Week 5: Coastal Skipper 2 (5 days) (Tues 15th – Fri 19 April 2024)
30 days training – including ISAF Offshore Safety Course
1 day Break: 1600 Sat 30th March- 0900 Mon 1st April 2024 (1 day)
1 day break: 1600 Thurs 4th April – 0900 Sat 6th April 2024 (2 days)
7 days break: 1600 Sun 19th April – 0900 Mon 27th April 2024 (7 days)
Module 3: May 2024
Week 1: Milebuilder Passage 3 (7 Days) ( Sat 27th April – Fri 3rd May 2024) Ireland South Coast
Week 2: Yachtmaster Preparation 1 (4 days) (Mon 6th May – Thurs 9th May 2024)
Week 3: Yachtmaster Preparation 2 (4 days) (Mock exams, all elements revised) (Sat 11th – Tues 14th May 2024 )
Yachtmaster Offshore Examination (2 days) (1400 Tues 14th May – 1300 Thurs 16th May 2024 Approx.)
17 days incl. Yachtmaster Offshore Exams
2 days break : 1600 Fri 3rd May – 0900 Mon 6th May 2024
1 day break : 1600 Thurs 9th May – 0900 Sat 11th May 2024
This course is comprised of 71 Days of Tuition and Examination
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam is organised on the last two days of the course.
Professional Yachtmaster Training Program Prices
The 14 Week Course €10,950
One Module €5,350
Two Modules €8,500
Whats included:
Whats not included: Food and accommodation is not provided during the shorebased courses. Air BnB’s, and hostels are available with good weekly rates and all the home comforts. Shorebased courses comprises of 15 days of the overall course length. Neither accommodation nor food is provided during the weekends between courses.
€85 SRC exam and license fee for the the SRC course
Yachtmaster offshore examination fee of £240
Examiners travel expenses ( Approx €120 per student depending on candidates)
are not included in the course fee.
Offshore Yacht Sailing Personal Insurance (€80 – €120)
This insurance is compulsory to participate in our mile building trips.
State Grants
Some students have in the past qualified for small state grants to attend our courses as the ISA Coastal Skipper Practical Course falls under the national qualification fetac scheme. Please contact us for further details about obtaining a grant while attending this course.
Additional Gear and Advice
We strongly advise students to purchase their own sailing boots and gear before the commences. Contact us for advice on this. We don’t believe in flashy prospectuses to hook you in. We want to meet you for a coffee, or have a lengthy phone conversation, answer your questions, explain the course in great detail, learn about your background and your motivation for doing the course and assess your suitability for the course before your place is accepted. We monitor your progress very carefully during the course, and a high degree of self motivation, self learning and a good patient nature is required.
Previous Experience
While previous experience is not required before booking, but we do strongly advise that you attend at the very least a start yachting weekend or competent crew course before making a decision to book onto this intensive full time sailing course. The optimum is that each candidate would have around 500 miles of sailing experience prior to coming onto the sailing course. This means that you would have an understanding of what its like to sail a yacht offshore and at night before coming on the course. It also takes the pressure off your attendance on the course, if you are sick for one week, then you may miss achieving your target mileage of 2,500 miles which is required to sit the Yachtmaster Offshore Exam, if you start the course with zero miles under your belt. We can advise you on how best to get these few days of training before the course begins when we meet for a coffee to show you the school and discuss the course.
The Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster certificate has become the industry standard qualification after the entry-level stage. It is the first formal training in navigation and seamanship that deckhands receive on their path to higher MCA issued certificates and it is a vital part of their maritime education. If you are working towards your MCA OOW, Chief Mate or Master Certificate of Competence, you are required to successfully complete the shorebased theory course as part of your training. In Fort Lauderdale , the course includes: RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Theory Course ($1250), RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Practical Course ($2150) and the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Exam ($480). In Antibes , the course fees if taken individually are RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Theory Course 960 euros, RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Practical Course 1700 euros and the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Exam including commercial endorsement is 330 euros. We also add the VHF and PPR to our package thus you make a considerable saving of 595 euros. Objectives You will learn methods of visual and electronic navigation, charts and chart-work, calculation of tidal heights and tidal streams, meteorology, the collision avoidance rules, safety and safety equipment. Assessment
Three written exams over the duration of the shorebased theory course. During your RYA Final Practical Assessment with a 3rd party examiner, you will complete a verbal and practical examination. This is not a beginners’ course! You will need to demonstrate practical boat handling and navigation abilities on an RYA approved twin-screw, inboard diesel motor vessel, (we do not currently offer Yachtmaster Sail) of up to 45’. Though we will provide direction and instruction specific to our training vessel you must have developed basic boat handling and navigation skills BEFORE taking this course. We strongly urge you to work through the RYA Essential Navigation course materials provided by the RYA before taking this course. We are happy to help you obtain this important study material. You are required to hold the VHF (SRC) GMDSS Radio Licence, Valid First Aid certificate (to have been taken within 3/5 years), Valid Personal Survival Techniques certificate, Valid ENG1, and online PPR certificate. FINAL Practical Assessment : You will be examined by an RYA examiner, who will test your practical ability as well as your written and verbal theoretical knowledge. Depending on your personal experience, you may be examined for either of the two qualifications listed below after successful completion of the RYA Shore based Course. The majority of our RYA Yachtmaster candidates want to get the theory and practical courses done in quick succession, keeping the theory fresh in the mind and applying it immediately to the practical training. The course is intense and rewards those who have prepared well so get the resources you need to start studying. A Yachtmaster Coastal Exam Candidate must have the knowledge needed to skipper a motor cruiser on coastal cruises but does not have the experience needed to undertake longer passages. Any candidate preparing to exam for this Certificate of Competence must provide the following information to the examiner: • Proof of Sea Time – 30 days , 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night hours • VHF or SRC Radio Operator’s Certificate • First Aid Certificate A Yachtmaster Offshore Exam Candidate is competent to skipper a motor cruiser on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbor. Any candidate preparing to exam for this Certificate of Competence must provide the following information to the examiner: • Proof of Sea Time - 50 days, 5 days as skipper, 2,500 miles, 5 passages over 60 miles, including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper • VHF or SRC Radio Operator’s Certificate • First Aid Certificate Additional documentation will be required if the candidate desires to have his/her license commercially endorsed. These documents are listed in the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal/Offshore Theory Course description. ***Scheduled dates may change due to Examiner availability or Inclement Weather *** Fee for the exam is based on 3 or more examinees for the date of examination. To book this course individually, please contact an administration staff member @ +1-954-779-7764 in Fort Lauderdale or +33 4 93 34 47 73 in Antibes.
We provide this yacht training course in .
*Due to weather and/or examiner availability, the examination date may differ.
Practical and Written Assessments
Your qualification must be appropriate to the vessel and area of operation. For commercial use, all certificates must be commercially endorsed .
A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence will enable you to skipper vessels up to 24 metres in length, operating in category 3,4,5, and 6 waters - up to 20 miles from a safe haven.
A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence will enable you to work as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt in category 1 to 6 waters - that is up to 150 miles from a safe haven.
This Certificate of Competence can used commercially in its own right, or as a pre-requisite for the MCA's Officer of the Watch qualification, which enables you to work worldwide on vessels of up to 3000gt.
A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence will enable you to work worldwide as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt.
This Certificate of Competence can be used commercially in its own right. It is also a pre-requisite for the MCA's Chief Mate, Master 500 and Master 3000 qualifications.
For more information about working with RYA qualifications, the categorisation of waters and required certification click here .
Contact details Melani Kruger | Sales Cell:+27 (0)82 088 7186 [email protected]
Perry-Anne Davies | Principal & General Manager Cell:+27 (0)73 187 3746 [email protected]
Yachtmaster Ocean Sailing School Duncan Road, Table Bay Harbour Cape Town, Western Cape 8001, South Africa
3-minute read.
As a renewable energy source, offshore wind appears to be free. In reality, it is among the most expensive electricity options available, and the current plans to develop giant wind farms off the U.S. East Coast will dramatically increase the already high cost of our power.
Coastal states, like Rhode Island, are blessed with substantial offshore wind resources. These resources have attracted significant interest from offshore wind developers with encouragement and generous subsidies from federal, state and local governments.
Today, Rhode Island’s residential electricity costs nearly two and half times more than the U.S. average. Over the past decade, the state’s electricity prices have risen 81 percent, two-and-a-half times the rate of increase of the average U.S. residential price. Why is it so expensive? Renewable energy and green mandates. Is it going to get more expensive? Yes, and offshore wind will be the primary driver.
We are told offshore wind is competitive with other energy sources, especially because the fuel is “free.” But with all energy sources, it costs money to get the power from where it is produced to your home. This is where the transmission and distribution expenses come into play. These expenses pay for high-tension wires, utility poles, transformers, substations, and meters that enable electricity to get from a power plant, solar panel, or wind turbine to the light switch. For offshore wind, there are also costs to erect the turbines and build the ocean-based substations, as well as lay the underwater cables that bring the power ashore. These facilities and equipment come with sizable construction and operational costs, including regular maintenance, repairs, replacement, and eventual decommissioning. Every dollar of these costs hides inconspicuously in the transmission and distribution charge paid by consumers.
The capital investment for offshore wind is nearly five times that of gas-fired electric generation, and the annual maintenance expense is likely to reach twice the current average, based on the government’s data from BIW, the test turbines off the coast of Virginia and offshore wind projects in Europe. New England’s Revolution Wind offshore project, rejected by Rhode Island Energy, would only secure about half of Rhode Island’s current generating capacity while adding $3 billion to ratepayer electricity bills. The Public Utilities Commission and the Office of Energy Resources, both Rhode Island State government entities, agreed with that assessment. However, consider that, at this cost, the actual power delivery of the generating capacity is less than half because of the intermittency of wind. The actual cost of replacing Rhode Island’s current generating capacity with offshore wind will be several times higher than the $3 billion.
Another challenge to wind energy, and another driver of higher costs, is the need for backup power. For offshore wind, backup energy is needed to ensure that the grid always meets consumer demand, even when Mother Nature fails to deliver the wind. Another power source must be ready to take over when the wind stops blowing, often at times of highest demand. That could be batteries — but, in addition to being expensive and environmentally harmful, they could really only serve for about four hours. Fossil fuel power plants are currently the only suitable guarantee of electricity to meet consumer demand during these times. As a result, consumers must support a secondary utility system to offshore wind to ensure a dependable energy grid. In essence, offshore wind guarantees that ratepayers assume the cost of two independent generation systems.
To stimulate the creation of renewable energy, including wind energy, the federal and state governments are providing increasing levels of subsidies and incentives to encourage private investment. These taxpayer-supported subsidies take the form of tax credits and financing mechanisms such as tax-exempt bonds, loan guarantee programs, and low-interest loans. Our elected leaders may wish to ignore basic economics, but there is no denying that state and federal taxpayers will shoulder the cost of these financial benefits for developers.
For many states, especially coastal states that are planning to develop offshore wind, electricity is expensive and will become even more so. As renewables become a greater proportion of the electricity generation capacity, electricity costs rise — as the experiments in Germany and California have shown. Increased energy costs have a significant negative effect on economic activity. And offshore wind is the most expensive of the renewables. Our government has already admitted that there is no evidence that offshore wind energy will make any measurable impact on climate change. Despite the high costs that we will all be forced to bear, not to mention the environmental, security and fishing impacts resulting from offshore wind, development is still planned. This is a bad deal by any measure for Rhode Island. Hold on to your wallet as the government and developers recklessly industrialize our coastal waters.
G. Allen Brooks is a supporter of Green Oceans and is an experienced energy securities analyst, author, and consultant to the energy industry.
International audit firm exposes the skyrocketing costs of offshore wind projects as Governor Murphy ‘runs headlong into economic buzz saw’ | (202-225-3765) | comments issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) exposing the skyrocketing exorbitant costs of offshore wind development in Denmark—a major hub for projects—should be “a major wake-up call for Governor Murphy that even his massive government subsidies and ratepayer hikes won’t be enough to foot the ever-growing bill for his reckless pursuit of offshore wind,” said Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester). Denmark is home to offshore wind giant Orsted, which backed out of its two offshore wind projects in New Jersey late last year. In response, Murphy left Orsted off the hook for $175 million that was owed to the state and then actually the already aggressive timeline for new proposals. “The evidence clearly shows that offshore wind projects are nowhere close to being economically viable—regardless of how much taxpayer money Governor Murphy forks over to foreign corporations like Orsted or how high energy prices are increased,” said Smith, who noted that Murphy’s own admitted his policies would result in higher energy rates. Smith said indicate the PwC study found a whopping $6.7 billion in planned Danish offshore wind construction costs since 2021, but a Danish green energy lobbying group acknowledged the actual figure will likely be even higher. “Instead of continuing to run headlong into an economic buzz saw, Governor Murphy should finally face the facts and stop throwing billions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars at unsound, improperly vetted offshore wind projects here in New Jersey,” said Smith. Just last fall, Danish offshore wind corporation Orsted announced it had of two offshore wind projects off the coast of New Jersey, citing anticipated impairments of approximately $2.3 billion as a result of “negative developments from adverse impacts relating to supply chains, increased interest rates…” “Despite Governor Murphy’s efforts to prop up these projects, Orsted concluded it would still lose money,” said Smith. “It’s long past time that Governor Murphy come to the same conclusion and concede that this is a terrible deal for New Jersey taxpayers before he leads our state to catastrophic financial ruin in pursuit of his blind ambition.” ### |
The project could help the state reach its renewable energy goals, sourcing power to approximately 300,000 homes — but at what cost?
Windmills have long been a source of controversy for Hawaii residents. Now, they could be in our oceans.
Aukahi Energy, a partnership between Progression Energy and EDF Renewables North America, is seeking approval to build floating offshore windmills north of the Kaiwi Channel, near Makapuu Point. If approved, the project will produce enough clean electricity to power around 300,000 homes, according to the company.
If all goes according to plan, the windmills would be up and running by 2035, according to vice president Noelani Kalipi. In the meantime, she said that the company will be running a wide range of studies, examining everything from the project’s impact on marine mammals and fishing to its cultural implications.
“We’re not asking anybody to support us in this project,” she said at a Waimanalo neighborhood board meeting earlier this month. “It’s too early for a yes or no on offshore wind. What we are looking for is for people to work with us to identify all of the concerns, all of the questions, so that we can really study that.”
Some community members already are expressing concern about the project’s potential effects on wildlife, cultural practices and the environment, highlighting the complexity of offshore wind farms and the long road to a sustainable Hawaii.
Aukahi Energy’s objective is to help Hawaii reach its renewable energy goals, said Donalyn Dela Cruz, the company’s head of communications. In recent years, the state has been ramping up its efforts to shift toward a more sustainable environment, aiming to have a 100% renewable energy-powered electric grid by 2045.
The company describes floating offshore wind energy as a way to reduce the state’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and to create new jobs, while maintaining a minimal land footprint.
Henry Curtis, executive director of Life of the Land , said the ocean-based nature of such a project will ensure that the windmills are “a lot less intrusive” than the Kahuku wind farm, which has faced backlash for years.
He also said that offshore wind farms can help combat issues regarding Oahu’s limited space.
“It would decrease the pressure of using Oahu land, which is being competed with solar and wind and agriculture and affordable housing and so many other things,” Curtis said. “It would be a way of diversifying the energy sources.”
Kalipi also brought up access to land, which Aukahi Energy’s offshore windmills would not have to compete over in the same way that solar and onshore wind farms do. For her, this competition is one of several factors holding the state back from its renewable energy goals. Another is a lack of trust for these kinds of projects.
“The easy projects are done,” she said at the board meeting. “Now, any project that’s done is going to create a change for people, and so there’s a lot of lack of trust, negative experience and lack of inclusive processes to co-create actions.”
Aukahi Energy is seeking to overcome this by prioritizing community engagement, Kalipi said. The company is visiting neighborhood boards around the island, including Waimanalo’s, to share its plans and to generate feedback, she said.
It’s safe to say that feedback has been generated.
“Alternative energy is vastly important, but the Kaiwi Channel, with our whales and sea birds, I just don’t understand that,” board member Elizabeth Reilly said at a Hawaii Kai neighborhood board meeting on Tuesday.
Maxx Phillips, Hawaii director and staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity , shares this concern. In addition to its marine mammals and fish, she said that the Kaiwi Channel is well-known for its migratory birds, many of which are threatened or endangered.
The birds are protected under the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but Phillips said offshore wind farms could result in harm that is difficult to document.
She also described the project’s siting — somewhere between the islands of Oahu and Molokai — as a “huge ecological flag.”
“While the project proponents are claiming that this is an Oahu project, it is closer to Molokai than it is to Oahu,” she said. “So already you have an environmental issue, right? Why should Molokai be giving up their near shore waters to feed the insatiable appetite of Oahu and its military and tourist economies?”
Along with potentially hurting Hawaii’s environment, as well as its fishing, paddling and ocean sports communities, Phillips said the project could fill developers’ pockets at the expense of residents.
Pointing to previous wind energy projects, Phillips said developers often fall through on their promises to lower energy costs or to create local job opportunities, instead opting to hire project personnel from out-of-state.
Aukahi Energy is not the only offshore wind energy project to be proposed in Hawaii. Curtis said that there have been similar proposals for windmills off Kalaeloa, Waikiki and Waimanalo. Two of these proposals were rejected by the military, which has sites in the proposed areas.
Some of the proposals faced opposition because of their proximity to the land, something that Senate Bill 2535 attempted to control in 2022. The bill, which would have required offshore windmills to be located a minimum number of miles from the shore, passed the Senate but was ultimately deferred.
None of Hawaii’s previous offshore wind energy projects have come to fruition, something that Wayne Tanaka, director of the Sierra Club of Hawaii , said reflects their complicated nature.
“The proposal development and planning and everything burns so slowly,” he said. “I’ve been hearing things for over a decade, and it still seems like some of these projects are fairly far off.”
Kalipi says that Aukahi Energy has far to go before construction. The company will first have to compete for an opportunity to sell power to Hawaiian Electric, and then for a lease sale with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, followed by years of permitting processes.
“This project is very early stage,” she said. “Nothing is set yet.”
Civil Beat’s coverage of climate change is supported by The Healy Foundation, Marisla Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation.
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High costs and low electricity prices force europe’s largest renewables producer to cut targets.
Statkraft AS logo. (Photo Illustration: Pavlo Gonchar)
Europe's largest renewable energy producer — Statkraft — has been forced to pare back capacity targets as part of a "sharpened strategy" in a more "challenging" energy market.
With its hand forced by rising energy costs and lower electricity prices, the company which is a Norwegian state-owned entity, now plans to install 2 to 2.5 gigawatts of onshore wind, solar and battery storage annually from 2026 onward.
Its previous onshore wind target was slated to be in the range of 2.5GW to 3GW annually from 2025, and 4GW annually from 2030. For offshore wind, Statkraft now plans to develop 6GW to 8GW in total by 2040, down from a previous target of 10GW.
Its hydrogen target has also been cut down to 1GW to 2GW by 2035 from 2GW by 2030. The cuts were revealed on Thursday, following the company's first annual strategic review with Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Speaking after the revised targets were published, Vartdal, who was appointed as Statkraft's boss in March, sounded sanguine about the cuts and her company's wider operating environment, citing a challenging mix of complicated market regulations, delays to support policies and geopolitical uncertainty. All of it at a time of higher technology costs, high interest rates and lower pan-European electricity prices.
"The transition from fossil [fuels] to renewable energy is happening at an increasing pace in Europe and the rest of the world. We have strong competitive advantages and have delivered great value creation over time. Statkraft has in recent years built a strong position and an attractive portfolio of profitable renewable projects," Vartdal said.
Samsung confirms highly anticipated galaxy z fold launch details, iss astronauts take shelter after russian spacecraft breaks up in orbit, challenging conditions.
"However, the market conditions for the entire renewable energy industry have become more challenging. We are therefore sharpening our strategy to allocate the capital to the most value-creating opportunities with the best strategic fit," she added.
"Statkraft has a unique and strategic position in flexible production, experience with weather-based systems, and strong analysis and market competencies. Together with a capable and motivated organisation, this makes the company well prepared to grow, build scale and compete in a rapidly growing renewable market."
The company is not alone in making headline renewable energy target cuts. Denmark's Ørsted, the world's largest developer of offshore wind, announced target and investment cuts of its own in February citing similar operating constraints.
In March , French state utility Engie pushed back its target to develop 4GW of hydrogen projects from 2030 to 2035 citing "slow" industry progress. Spain's Iberdrola declared it would take a more "selective" stance on renewable energy, and increase its focus on electricity grids instead that same month . It also cut its 2030 hydrogen targets by two-thirds .
Iberdrola also clarified that it no longer had an 80GW renewables target for 2030, albeit its current project pipeline of 100GW still stands. Portugal's EDP then followed suit in May with lower electricity prices across the continent hitting its revenues and capacity targets.
More European renewable energy companies may likely follow suit as a harsher climate continues to clobber the industry across the continent.
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RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites. 5 passages over 60 miles long, which must include 2 overnight passages and 2 as skipper, which may be reduced to 3 passages including 1 overnight and 1 as skipper if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence 3. 1 At least half the qualifying sea time should be ...
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail exam is open to anyone who meets the minimum criteria, with all experience within the last 10 years. 18 years of age or older. 50 days spent at sea. 2500nm sailed, with at least 50% in tidal waters. 5 days as skipper.
Current exam fees for RYA Certificates of Competence. Type of exam. Fee. Advanced Powerboat. £208. Yachtmaster Coastal. £208. Yachtmaster Offshore. £241.
Yachtmaster Offshore Training. The IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster Offshore certificate is a recreational certificate of competency to command sailing and/or power vessels up to 24 metres in length up to 150 nm offshore. It is a comprehensive theory and live aboard course consisting of five days classroom theory and a practical component of six days ...
The gold standard. The RYA Yachtmaster® Certificate of Competence is often the ultimate aim of aspiring skippers. It is a well known, highly respected qualification worldwide, proving your experience and competence as a skipper. Unlike other qualifications in the cruising programme, there is no formal training course to become an RYA Yachtmaster.
About the Professional Yachtmaster course. This unique, premium qualification has been developed by Richard Baggett, one of the world's top yachting instructors, and his highly experienced team at UKSA.The course is constantly monitored and adapted to ensure it remains relevant and always covers the current requirements for you to start working in the industry straight away.
An RYA Offshore certifies an individual as competent to captain a vessel up to 24m in length and no more than 200 Gross Tonnes. The offshore certification is applicable passages during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour. The Yacht master offshore consists of two components: Yachtmaster Offshore Theory.
The RYA Yachtmaster course is accredited by the RYA and MCA and recognized for service as Captain or Mate (OOW) up to 200gt up to 150 miles from a safe haven, at the Offshore level or up to 60 miles from safe haven at the Coastal level. The Yachtmaster CoC meets the STCW A-V1/1 and section A V1/1-4 when combined with Basic Training Courses.
A Yachtmaster Offshore is capable of skippering the yacht on extended offshore passages by day or night. He or she will essentially be a much more experienced Yachtmaster Coastal and can do the same things more smoothly, for longer periods and in more arduous conditions. The theory knowledge required for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore ...
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation Course teaches the skills and techniques required to skipper safely on offshore passages by day and by night, including passage planning, preparation for sea, pilotage, yacht handling under sail and power, as well as in adverse weather conditions and emergencies. The first five days of this seven-day ...
The Yachtmaster Offshore exam costs £224* which needs to be bought along with you and is payable to the examiner. Please remember to also bring photo ID and 2 passport size photos with you for the certificate to be issued. * Exam fee correct at time of publishing and subject to change without prior notice - Source https://www.rya.org.uk ...
As defined by the Association, 'a passage is a non-stop voyage from a departure port / safe haven to a destination port / safe haven '. For the Yachtmaster Offshore, there must be a minimum of 5 passages over 60 nm each; 2 of those passages should be overnight and 2 when the candidate acted as a skipper. The skipper, as understood by the ...
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualification makes you a competent skipper of a yacht of up to 24 metres in length, in waters up to 150 miles from land. If you are qualified with RYA Yachtmaster Ocean, the difference is you can skipper a vessel of 24 metres in length and up to 200 gross tonnages anywhere around the globe.
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam certifies that you are competent to skipper a motor yacht on any passage that is not more than 150nm from a harbour. ... What Is the Cost of an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor Course and Exam? As ever, many schools differ in price. We would recommend that you take a look around at the various options and ...
Yachtmaster Offshore Sail - Catamaran. The IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster Offshore Sail - Catamaran certificate is a recreational certificate of competency for command of sailing catamaran up to 24 metres in length up to 150 nm offshore. It is a comprehensive theory and live aboard course consisting of five days classroom theory and a practical ...
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites. 5 passages over 60 miles long, which must include 2 overnight passages and 2 as skipper, which may be reduced to 3 passages including 1 overnight and 1 as skipper if the candidate already holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence 3. 1 At least half the qualifying sea time should be ...
Price - £1533.00. The MCA/RYA Yachtmaster™ Offshore qualification is recognised and respected worldwide with candidates demonstrating a wide breadth of existing knowledge. The preparation part of the course provides enables you to get ready for your exam by covering refresher training in a number of key areas.
RYA Powerboat Instructor. 4 days. £495. £N/A. £N/A. £N/A. For more information on all our courses, please call on 01489 588977 during office hours or 07841 659951 / 078096 19665 out of office hours, or complete the form below. Take an RYA Powerboat Course and obtain your qualifications at Mendez Marine.
Course Cost: From £1495pp; ... The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore preparation and exam week is an intensive bespoke, focused week of skills and drills putting everything together. You will practice the finer points of boat handling, planning, navigation and theory, as well as crew management and decision making, culminating with the Yachtmaster ...
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam is organised on the last two days of the course. Professional Yachtmaster Training Program Prices. The 14 Week Course €10,950. One Module €5,350. Two Modules €8,500. Whats included: All food on board during practical courses on the yacht. Waterproofs.
In Fort Lauderdale, the course includes: RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Theory Course ($1250), RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Practical Course ($2150) and the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Exam ($480). In Antibes, the course fees if taken individually are RYA Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Theory Course 960 euros, RYA Yachtmaster ...
A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence will enable you to work as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt in category 1 to 6 waters - that is up to 150 miles from a safe haven. This Certificate of Competence can used commercially in its own right, or as a pre-requisite for the MCA's Officer of the Watch ...
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore packaged program is a major package involving a large amount of invested time, energy, commitment and money. ... Costs R500. Foul weather clothing, for practical on-board courses, alternatively this can be ordered and purchased from Yachtmaster and will be ready for you on your arrival. (10% discount offered only to ...
Offshore wind energy will come at a high cost to Northeast taxpayers 3-minute read. G. Allen Brooks. Special to the USA TODAY Network. As a renewable energy source, offshore wind appears to be ...
A recent audit issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) exposing the skyrocketing exorbitant costs of offshore wind development in Denmark—a major hub for projects—should be "a major wake-up call for Governor Murphy that even his massive government subsidies and ratepayer hikes won't be enough to foot the ever-growing bill for his reckless pursuit of offshore wind," said Rep. Chris ...
Kahuku residents protested the Na Pua Makani wind farm in 2019. (Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019) He also said that offshore wind farms can help combat issues regarding Oahu's limited space.
For offshore wind, Statkraft now plans to develop 6GW to 8GW in total by 2040, down from a previous target of 10GW. Its hydrogen target has also been cut down to 1GW to 2GW by 2035 from 2GW by 2030.