What qualification for offshore cruising?

[LeeME3]

So,

Just back from 2 weeks in the South of France and, having added up the cost of accommodation, fuel and so on, partial/shared/fractional ownership of some kind of motor cruiser seems to be a viable alternative (I mean its more expensive but I can sort of justify it!). I've got a 1/5 share in a light aircraft and that works OK so I'm hoping similar schemes work well for boats.

Anyway, my question is, to fly my plane I need a pilots licence, but what do I need to act as captain of a boat? I've googled it and gone through the RYA website but can't seem to get a definite answer. Looks like an ICC is bare minimum (along with necessary radio licences) but any advice greatly received. Looking to get something about 10-12m long, probably twin engined.

[tomTVR]

You dont need any qualifications to control a boat offshore generally speaking. Someone might be along in a minute to point out where that may vary.

[tank slapper]

You don't need any kind of certificate for that size boat unless you are doing anything commercial with it. Some countries (eg France) want a certificate of competence to use their inland waterways.

The RYA run courses (both shore and water based) aimed at powerboats as well as sailing boats and are usually pretty good. Probably a good idea if your experience is limited, as there are things that are important to know - COLREGS for a start, but if you already have a pilots licence then you shouldn't have too much problem with the navigation side of things.

You need a Short Range Certificate for the VHF, which you get by doing a short shore based course, and a ships radio licence (which is now free, and permanent for pleasure craft).

[Legmaster]

tank slapper said:

You don't need any kind of certificate for that size boat unless you are doing anything commercial with it. Some countries (eg France) want a certificate of competence to use their inland waterways.

The RYA run courses (both shore and water based) aimed at powerboats as well as sailing boats and are usually pretty good. Probably a good idea if your experience is limited, as there are things that are important to know - COLREGS for a start, but if you already have a pilots licence then you shouldn't have too much problem with the navigation side of things.

You need a Short Range Certificate for the VHF, which you get by doing a short shore based course, and a ships radio licence (which is now free, and permanent for pleasure craft).

TS is spot on.
If it's pleasure craft you're after then here's the regs as applicable to small pleasure craft. Essentially there's no regs but you do have a 'duty of care' to yourself (e.g. carry life jackets and don't be a muppet). As TS mentioned, learn your COLREGS as big fines are not unusual if you flout them and get caught (usually by radar evidence).

If you want to operate a small vessel (definition = <24m) commercially, then prepare yourself for some training and 148 pages of boring reading here

Otherwise, fill your boots and have fun

Cheers
L
PS If you want real fun, get yourself on a sail training trip, loads of different operations from diddy yachts to three-masted square riggers, all over the country here

[LeeME3]

Cheers all, useful links.

Think I'll get myself an ICC, see how I enjoy that (I've done a bit of 'competent crew' type sailing a few years ago and enjoyed it) and go from there.

Any recommendations for cruiser hire on the south coast of UK so I can see if the family are into it? Every operator I can find insists on hiring you a skipper as well!

[ALawson]

I have done quite a bit of sailing after doing my comp crew prior to my parents purchasing a yacht. This basically has led to me getting circa 25k miles on the old log book, which whilst not a lot is quite enough to do the RYA Yachmaster up to Ocean as long as I get all my astro records in place etc.

I am now belatedly doing my YM Theory and then practical just to get them on "paper" the theory at the moment is a piece of piss, as was the VHF DSC Short Range exam.

For Europe I think that they only want ICC for inland water ways.

P.S. If you want to come sailing I am sure we could sort something out for free seeing as out boat isn't coded. Based in Southampton, 7 Berth 38 foot.

[bobt]

For most of Europe at least you will need an ICC to get insurance. The ICC now only covers you up to 10M (for motorboats at least), but to go up to 20M, you just need someone with that level of licence, or higher, to endorse yours, and the RYA will issue you the appropriate upgrade.

[BMWBen]

I'd definitely do an ICC - if you're not skilled enough to get one then you really shouldn't be out on the water imo :P It's also a legal requirement in some countries (Croatia and Holland for example). If you want to do more extended passage making i'd go a little further than the ICC syllabus.