How the Yachtmaster evolved

In the March issue of YM, Rob Sutcliffe discusses how the RYA’S Yachtmaster Scheme evolved. I hope that I can add something to this discussion.

I joined the staff of YM in 1971 with the title of Projects Editor. Des Sleightholme, JDS, was Editor, and Bill Beavis the assistant editor. Des was breathing new life into the art of small-boat seamanship that was a million miles away from the blue-covered official Admiralty Manuals of Seamanship. He introduced the concept of the ‘Practical’: exercises in small boat practical seamanship which became, and continues to be, the lifeblood of the magazine.

The Practical involved going afloat and trying out Des’s practical seamanship ideas. The role of the Projects Editor, as I rapidly discovered, was literally to be the fall guy. I pulled anchors through glutinous East Coast mud, measuring load on a spring balance. I hurled myself overboard to see how easy it was to climb back (not very), practised umbrella warping, running aground and many other day-to-day cruising problems. Health and Safety were noticeable by their absence.

All of this came to the attention of Bill Anderson, who was at the time Cruising Secretary of the RYA and who was keen to develop the practical side of the Yachtmaster. It culminated in a series of exercises dreamed up by Des and called the ‘Troubleshooters’.

We recruited a number of readers, borrowed a couple of North Sea 24s from the Island Cruising Club and over the course of a week performed many practical exercises ranging from man overboard (guess who fell in?), fire on board, abandoning ship and jury rigging. And many more. Bill was involved as an observer and from his experiences of this course, the Yachtmaster Practical evolved.

I’m not claiming that this was the only influence to shape the modern Yachtmaster exam but it certainly contributed a great deal towards it. Andrew Bray (former YM editor)