What kind of skipper license does a yachtsman need?

One of the most popular questions in our yachting community is: “What kind of skipper license do I need and in which countries is this or that license valid?” This question is not only popular among beginners - experienced yachtsmen can talk for hours about the features of certain licenses.

Well, let's start with the types of licenses that exist and what rules govern them.

What is a universal skipper's license?

Alas, such a thing does not exist. None of the existing skipper licenses are universal or recognized across the planet. It’s funny that even within the European Union no one gives a 100% guarantee of recognition of your license, which seems to be supposed to be listed.

Much more important for us is the type and type of license - the legal norms of each individual country. Before obtaining a particular type of license, you should familiarize yourself with the requirements of a specific country, for example, France, Croatia, Montenegro...

Often, when talking about the EU, the principle of “legitimacy of the flag” applies. That is, if your boat flies the flag of country A, you received a certificate and a skipper’s license in country A and went to country B, then if country B recognizes the certificates of country A, then there should be no problems.

This is why it is important to study maritime laws before going to sea. How do you know if your license is probably not listed in the destination country? Another interesting point is that the “flag law” only applies in the territorial waters of a country. Most states apply local laws to boats and yachts, regardless of registration or flag.

What license do I need?

If there is no universal license, then what should a yachtsman choose? Your choice should be based on several key factors. First, you must decide on the geography of your travels and where you plan to sail. Secondly, what matters is how seriously you take yachting and what expectations you have for your time at sea. 

Depending on the answers, you can take a closer look at the following yacht license options:

• Local licenses: if you are just starting your yachting journey, then pay attention to the possibility of obtaining local licenses of the countries in which you live. This is the most affordable option to get an initial license. Among the disadvantages, it is worth highlighting that usually local licenses apply either to the internal waters of the country or to a small list of nearby countries. If you are not going to cross the ocean, then obtaining a local license will be the best option.
• UK RYA License: One of the most widely recognized certifications on the planet. A British Royal Yachting Association license is a prestigious option that is respected throughout the world and is valid indefinitely. However, the cost of such a license makes it quite an impressive purchase for a yachtsman with a small to medium budget.
• ISSA License: Another extremely popular license, this is issued to skippers who have completed training at an accredited ISSA (International Sailing School Association) school. The license is recognized by many countries and is considered proof of sufficient competence to operate a yacht. This type of license is highly sought after by charter firms all over the planet. It is also worth noting that ISSA includes different levels of training, from beginner to advanced, including various courses such as catamaran control, navigation, sea survival, etc.
• VHF/SRC Radiotelephony Certificate: An addition to your basic skipper license that demonstrates your radio skills. This is, in principle, a useful and necessary skill on the water, and an additional certificate will be another proof of your competence in yachting.

There are actually many more types of licenses. However, most of them include either narrow specialization or internal country licenses. Thus, in Croatia you will have to obtain a Croatian license with a mandatory English-language exam at the end of training.

What might be the requirements for a skipper's license in different countries?

Depending on your leisure sailing plans, your license requirements may vary significantly from country to country. By what criteria can your yacht license be checked:

• license type;
• qualification level;
• special conditions and requirements;
• regional features;
• age restrictions;
• medical requirements

Let's go through each criterion in more detail.

License type

If you plan to work for a charter company as a skipper, then you will need an appropriate commercial license, which covers a wide range of specifications. For personal use and leisure, a license such as RYA or ISSA is sufficient.

Skill level

Depending on the level of qualification, licenses can be divided into licenses:

• inland waters - that is, those that make it possible to travel along rivers and lakes;
• coastal waters - up to 20 nautical miles from the coast;
• open sea - everything further than 20 nautical miles from the coast;
• Yacht Master (RYA Highest Level) - the highest level of qualification allowing you to operate vessels in any waters.

Special conditions and requirements

These include the fact of passing certain exams, as well as the availability of security and radiotelephony certificates. In principle, to obtain a license you will need to pass theoretical and practical exams, and certificates will be an additional help in confirming your skills.

Regional features

In EU countries, in addition to the RYA or ISSA license, they may often require an ICC - International Certificate of Competence or its equivalent. More specifically, here are some examples of EU countries with their own requirements:

• Croatia – recognizes its own national skipper licenses. Anyone in Croatian waters is required to have a radiotelephony certificate. To operate boats over 12 meters in length, a higher level license than Croatian B and C or European equivalents will be required.
• Italy – puts forward strict licensing requirements. The skipper must have a license of the appropriate level, issued by the country of citizenship or Italy itself. Foreign licenses, even such as the RYA, may not be recognized, potentially leading to fines. Keep this in mind, as local companies are happy to rent boats even with licenses not recognized by Italy.
• Greece - Often local charter firms may require at least two people with a skipper's license to be on board.

These were just examples. Special cases need to be studied in more detail, referring to local legislation.

Age restrictions

The minimum age to obtain a license may vary from country to country, but generally the skipper must be at least 16-18 years old. In theory, there is no top position, the main thing is that a person can independently control the boat and get on and off the boat without outside help, as well as provide for himself a decent standard of living.

Medical requirements

Some countries may require a medical examination to confirm your ability to operate a yacht.

Skipper license levels

In order to generally familiarize you with the possible levels of skipper licenses, we draw your attention to the ISSA system. The International Association of Yachting Schools ISSA offers a wide range of certification programs for yachtsmen of varying levels of experience and specialization. ISSA programs are structured to provide comprehensive training and development of boat handling skills. Here are the main qualification levels that ISSA offers:

1. First level

• Crew Member: For novice sailors who want to learn the basics of boat handling and water safety.
• Inshore Skipper: For those who already have some experience and want to start independently sailing a yacht in coastal waters.

2. Advanced level

• Offshore Skipper: For experienced yachtsmen who want to sail yachts on the open sea over long distances.
• Yachtmaster Coastal: Qualification for handling yachts along the coast, including night sailing and more complex navigational tasks.
• Yachtmaster Offshore: For skippers planning long sailing trips, including international waters and at night.

3. Professional level

• Yachtmaster Ocean: Designed for those who plan to cross oceans or participate in international regattas. Includes in-depth knowledge of celestial navigation and ocean meteorology.
• Instructor: Qualified to train at the Crew Member, Inshore Skipper level or above, depending on the level and specialty of the instructor.

4. Specialized courses

• Powerboat: Control of power boats.
• Navigator: Specialization in navigation, not including ship handling.
• Survival and Medical Courses: Courses on survival and medical training at sea.

Each ISSA qualification level requires successful completion of both a theoretical exam and practical tests confirming boat handling skills and knowledge of theoretical material. This ensures that every ISSA certified yachtsman has achieved the highest standards of training.

This does not mean that you will have to go through all the levels and constantly take exams, not at all. At this point, we presented the road map that awaits any yachtsman who decides to obtain a license. The thorns and complexity of the path are different - it all depends on your goals.

VHF/SRC Radiotelephony Certificate

To use a VHF radio on board a yacht, the skipper must have a Radiotelephony Certificate, such as the SRC Short Range Certificate. However, the presence of such a document is not always a mandatory legal requirement.

The main purpose of a radiotelephony certificate is to confirm your radio communication skills in various situations. Typically, “situations” mean emergencies. In the event of emergency situations such as collisions, breakdowns, medical emergencies or weather disturbances, the ability to quickly contact shore rescue services or other vessels can save lives. 

On a more mundane level – obtaining meteorological data. It is important to keep up to date with the latest weather conditions at sea. Weather updates and warnings are regularly transmitted through marine radio communications, which can influence the captain's routing decisions. This way to find out about the upcoming or current weather is more reliable and faster than online sites.

Although a radiotelephony certificate is not mandatory, some countries may require it. Keep this in mind.

How will my skipper's license help me if I am sued?

Probably the most unpleasant thing that can be associated with a skipper's license is legal red tape and legal delays. However, it is precisely in such situations that a license can save not only your nerves, but decent sums of money. The presence of a license significantly affects the insurance safety of a yachtsman.

Often insurance and charter companies deliberately hide the facts, saying that “anyone can rent a boat from us.” Indeed, you can rent a yacht from unscrupulous charter offices with a refrigerator passport. True, then you will have to pay for the repair of the yacht due to the fact that these same offices sue and levy fines due to the lack of a license. 

However, if you have a license, everything becomes much simpler - even if the company sues you, it will be much easier to prove that you are an experienced skipper. Investigators usually evaluate not only the “crust”, but also the actions of the captain.

The choice of license is yours

As you can see, choosing a license is not so easy. The presence of a universal license could change the situation, but the legal peculiarities of the countries of the world do not allow the creation of such a system. However, the imperfection of the legal model should not become a barrier between you and the sea!

We recommend that you read our other material on the topic: Top 5 reasons to still get a skipper's license.

If you are not sure which license you need to obtain, please contact our Interparus team. We will help you choose the training course to obtain the license of your dreams!

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If you upgrade, do it only with your soul! In a new video on the Interparus channel, Sasha Goron will talk about how we customized the Dufour 530 and what came of it. Enjoy watching!

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13.07.2024