The Royal Yachting Association (RYA), is the British national body for all forms of boating, including dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sports boats, powerboat racing, windsurfing, inland cruising and narrowboats, and personal watercraft, even training the sailing TeamGB. RYA’s training scheme is considered the best in the world. It is recognised by big organisations and adopted by public services in the UK like Police, Fire Service, RNLI etc. The certificates of competence backed by the MCA are recognised worldwide and if commercially endorsed can be used for employment in the sailing and superyacht industry.

The RYA sailing qualifications have been voted the premiere sailing accreditation for excellence and global reputation following a recent survey targeting 200 professional yacht and motorboat charter companies. The professional charter companies that were surveyed own and manage in excess of 6,000 charter boats across the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Asia.

This survey was conducted in response to the growing requirement for sailing qualifications by local boat charter authorities. Where once a very loose approach prevailed, this is now tightening considerably, particularly in the Mediterranean. Where once some sailing holidays companies had even issued their own ‘licenses’, we are now provided with a prescriptive list of acceptable sailing licenses. Consequently, there is an increasing international demand for sailing accreditations by sailors looking beyond their own local accreditations.