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Working commercially
If you want to work commercially as a Skipper then you'll need a Commercially
Endorsed certificate. Each year we answer lots of questions about working
commercially for individuals keen to work either in the UK or overseas.
Overseas
What qualifications you need largely depends on where you intend operating
and what 'Flag state' the vessel is operating under so it is always worth
investigating with the local maritime authorities what their requirements are.
One of the real benefits of RYA qualifications though is that they are
recognised world wide and almost all countries accept relevant RYA
qualifications for commercial operators. Many individuals therefore identify the
qualifications they would need were they on a UK flagged vessel and acquire
those on the basis they will be comparable.
UK
In the UK it is comparatively straightforward although we never cease to be
amazed at the inaccurate information supplied to people. We spend so much time
on this subject we'd really like to think it's an areas of expertise for us.
For vessels up to 24m which qualification you need will depend on how far
away from a 'Safe Haven' or a 'Nominated Departure Point' you wish to travel.
'Safe Havens' and 'Nominated Departure Points' relate to the commercial 'Coding'
the craft has undertaken to be able to carry fee paying passengers.
For each of the areas of operation various of the RYA qualifications is
recognised as being acceptable for that area of operation.
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Areas of operation |
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Certificate required:
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Ocean certificate of competence or certificate of
service
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Certificate required:
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Offshore certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Ocean certificate of competence or certificate of
service
With ENG 1 medical rather than the ML5 medical accepted for Categories 2
to 6. |
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Certificate required:
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Offshore certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Ocean certificate of competence or certificate of
service
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Certificate required:
- RYA Advanced Powerboat certificate of competence, or
- RYA Coastal Skipper certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Offshore certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Ocean certificate of competence or certificate of
service
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Certificate required:
- RYA Advanced Powerboat certificate of competence, or
- RYA Coastal Skipper certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Offshore certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Ocean certificate of competence or certificate of
service
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Certificate required:
- RYA Day Skipper practical and shorebased certificate, or
- RYA Advanced Powerboat certificate of competence, or
- RYA Coastal Skipper certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Offshore certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Ocean certificate of competence or certificate of
service
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Certificate required:
- RYA Powerboat Level 2, or
- RYA Day Skipper practical certificate, or
- RYA Advanced Powerboat certificate of competence, or
- RYA Coastal Skipper certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Offshore certificate of competence or certificate of
service, or
- RYA YachtmasterŪ Ocean certificate of competence or certificate of
service
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What other
qualifications will you need? |
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| Commercial skippers must have a First Aid qualification. The qualification
you have must have addressed water related issues so logically if you need
to take a course you should consider the 1 day RYA First Aid Course -
although others will suffice. You will need a Sea Survival qualification
and your VHF/SRC qualification.
You will need a ML5 Medical report (for categories 2 to 6 operation) or
an ENG 1 for Categories 0 or 1. Download the ML5 form from our Downloads
section and get your GP to complete it. ENG1 medicals can only be undertaken
by a MCA Approved Doctor. ML5 medicals are valid for 5 years whereas ENG1s
are only valid for 2 years.
Those operating diesel engine craft should consider the RYA Diesel Engine
Maintenance course or the MCA Advanced Engineering Course. Read more about
these courses here |
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Examinations & Training |
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Each of the examinations has different requirements in respect of the prior
experience that you need pre-entry and the type of craft that the exam can
be undertaken on. |
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Minimum seatime 50 days, 5 days as skipper, 2500 miles, 5 passages
over 60 miles including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper
Required qualifications
VHF/SRC and First Aid
Examination
Practical lasting 8-12 hours for 1 candidate, 10-18 hours for 2
candidates
To quote the RYA website "The exam will include an assessment of your
skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety
awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals. Full details
can be found in the Sail Cruising and Motor Cruising logbooks available for
the webshop (ref codes G15 and G18)."
Booking the exam
Either via the RYA website or more typically via a RYA Training Centre if
you are undertaking some preparatory training there.
Craft
The boat used must be between
7m (23ft) and 24m (78ft) be in sound, seaworthy condition and equipped to
the standard set out in the RYA book Cruising Yacht Safety (code C8). The
boat must be equipped with a full up to date set of charts and navigational
publications and be efficiently crewed as the examiner will not take part in
the management of boat during the exam.
Pre-exam preparation
There is no Yachtmaster Offshore practical course and schools create their
own bespoke courses depending on the precise needs of those taking the exam.
We suggest that you call us to discuss.
Conversions Sail -> Power
Those holding a Yachtmaster Offshore (Sail) Certificate of Competence have
the option to undertake an exam to convert this to a Yachtmaster Offshore
(Power) Certificate of Competence. The entry requirements are:
At least half the required experience for Yachtmaster Offshore must be in
the type of vessel you are converting to. Half of the qualifying seatime
must have been conducted in tidal waters.
The exam will take about three hours. The examiner may ask questions or set
tasks on any part of the syllabus but will concentrate on those sections
which are markedly different in a motor cruiser, eg boat handling, passage
planning, radar.
Learn more about the RYA
Yachtmaster Offshore... |
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Minimum seatime 30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night
hours (if you hold the Coastal Skipper course certificate this is reduced to
20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, 12 night hours)
Required qualifications
VHF/SRC and First Aid
Examination
Practical lasting 6-10 hours for 1 candidate, 8-14 hours for 2 candidates
To quote the RYA website "The exam will include an assessment of your
skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety
awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS (collision regulations), meteorology
and signals. Full details can be found in the Sail Cruising and Motor
Cruising logbooks available from the webshop (ref codes G15 and G18)."
Booking the exam
Either via the RYA website or more typically via a RYA Training Centre if
you are undertaking some preparatory training there.
Craft
The boat used must be between
7m (23ft) and 24m (78ft) be in sound, seaworthy condition and equipped to
the standard set out in the RYA book Cruising Yacht Safety (code C8). The
boat must be equipped with a full up to date set of charts and navigational
publications and be efficiently crewed as the examiner will not take part in
the management of boat during the exam.
Pre-exam preparation
You have two options:
1) Undertake the 5 day Coastal Skipper course
2) Undertake a session of bespoke exam preparation with the school.
We suggest that you call us to discuss which option suits.
Conversions Sail -> Power
Those holding a Coastal Skipper (Sail) Certificate of Competence have the
option to undertake an exam to convert this to a Coastal Skipper (Power)
Certificate of Competence. The entry requirements are:
At least half the required experience for Coastal Skipper must be in the
type of vessel you are converting to. Half of the qualifying seatime must
have been conducted in tidal waters.
The exam will take about three hours. The examiner may ask
questions or set tasks on any part of the syllabus but will concentrate on
those sections which are markedly different in a motor cruiser, eg boat
handling, passage planning, radar.
Learn more about the RYA
Coastal Skipper Course... |
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Minimum seatime 30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night
hours. (if you hold the Advanced course certificate this is reduced to 20
days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, 12 night hours)
Required qualifications
VHF/SRC and First Aid
Examination
Practical lasting 4-5 hours for 1 candidate, up to 7 hours for 2 or 3
candidates
More information about the exam requirements and structure of the exam
are available
here....
Booking the exam
Either via the RYA website or more typically via a RYA Training Centre if
you are undertaking some preparatory training there.
Craft
You will need to provide a seaworthy vessel capable of a minimum of 12
knots equipped with the following:
- compass
- lights conforming with IRPCS
- VHF radio (may be portable)
- GPS (may be hand held) or plotter
- depth sounder
- anchor, chain and warp
- tow line
- torch
- basic tool kit and spares
- heaving line
- paddles or additional means of propulsion
- flares: 2 hand held, 2 orange smoke
- bilge pump or buckets/bailer
- first aid kit
Additionally if not on the boat you will need to bring to the exam:
- laminated or waterproof charts
- GPS set (may be hand held)
- tide tables
- pilotage information for the local area, eg pilot books, port
information etc
- plotting instruments.
As stated you may choose to work with us and we can provide a suitable
craft.
Pre-exam preparation
You have two options:
1) Undertake the 2 day Advanced course
2) Undertake a session of bespoke exam preparation with the school - this
could include the RYA Advanced Course.
We suggest that you call us to discuss which option suits.
Learn more about the RYA Advanced
Course... |
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| Realistically
these qualifications are rarely used commercially as their operation is very
limited.
If however these are relevant to you then once you hold the course
completion certificate then you need to get it commercially endorsed.
If you intend using Dayskipper commercially on a vessel coded to Category
5 then you will also need Dayskipper Theory.
There may be minimum seatime requirements too before you can commercially
endorse
Learn more about RYA Powerboat
Level 2...
Learn more about RYA
Dayskipper Practical...
Learn more about RYA
Dayskipper Theory... |
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A common misconception is that Advanced Powerboat (and Level 2) is only valid commercially
for craft up to 10m. This is untrue however in practice if you expect to
helm vessels in the 10m to 24m range - which are likely to be twin engined
motor cruisers - then the Owner or Managing Agent will almost certainly
insist on qualifications on those type of vessels - Coastal Skipper or
Yachtmaster.
To undertake an examination you either arrange a booking via a RYA Training
Centre or directly via the RYA -
here. You will need to provide a suitable craft, if you don't have one
then a RYA Training Centre may be able to charter you one.
Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster examinations are undertaken by
Yachtmaster Examiners. Advanced Powerboat examinations are undertaken by
Advanced Powerboat Examiners or Yachtmaster Examiners.
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