by ianrmaciver » Wed May 22, 2013 8:13 am
Hi Ian,
Yes I did go straight to the Coastal/Yachtmaster course, and was able to cover any gaps with a bit of background reading. There are plenty of books covering the Day Skipper course.
As the course was over 20 weeks at 2 hours a week there was plenty of time for catch up, and I didn't find it a problem at all.
It sounds as though you have access to some expert advice , which can only help.
The 1 week (5 day) or 2/3 weekend courses would be a bit more frenetic , but shouldn't be a problem.
Regarding usefulness, for coastal and offshore sailing, I would say essential.
Sailing Schools want you to do all the courses, that's their business, but if you show a bit of relevant knowledge they are usually ok.
Good luck,
Ian