Commercial Powerboat Licence

[JIY]

A bit of advice please.

A young friend has just completed his Yachtmaster (Sail) Offshore fast track course with commercial endorsement. He has found regular skippering jobs with a local yacht charter company, but would like to supplement his income driving RIBs commercially as well.

He has been told that a Yachmaster (Sail) Offshore qualification will also allow him to drive poweboats to Day Skipper level (12 passengers, within 20nm of a nominated port, by day, in favourable weather conditions). I have a copy of the RYA codes of practice book, but can find no mention of this.

Can anyone confirm if this is correct?

Thanks,

Jim

[Jimbo]

I am fairly sure this is incorrect - I've just looked at the RYA Site.

If it was Yachtmaster power, that may be a different story - but the content of the sailing exam and the power exam are totally different!

[JIY]

Thanks Jimbo, that is the way I read it as well. I have a feeling that it may have been correct before they tightened things up last year.

[alant1]

"He has been told that a Yachmaster (Sail) Offshore qualification will also allow him to drive poweboats to Day Skipper level (12 passengers, within 20nm of a nominated port, by day, in favourable weather conditions)."

The 12 passengers include any crew/skipper!
& any RIB/Powerboat qualification needs to be commercially endorsed, even if he has this on another ticket, such as sailing.

[JIY]

Hi Alan,

You are quite correct, that was the answer I (eventually) got from the MCA. There are clearly still some grey areas that require clarification within small commercial boats licensing requirements.

My friend is now undertaking the advanced powerboat commercial endorsement exam, which seems to be the easiest option for adding a power qualification to his yachtmaster sail qualification.

Jim

[alant1]

There are no grey areas, just lack of policing.

The regs are clear, but easily ignored in a commercial environment until all goes pearshaped.

The recent court case where the skipper was adjudicated accountable for 85% of the cost of a very expensive boat, should be a sobering reminder that insurance companies will wriggle out of paying-up, if there is a chink in a skippers armour.

[JIY]

Originally Posted by alant1

"He has been told that a Yachmaster (Sail) Offshore qualification will also allow him to drive poweboats to Day Skipper level (12 passengers, within 20nm of a nominated port, by day, in favourable weather conditions)."

The 12 passengers include any crew/skipper!
& any RIB/Powerboat qualification needs to be commercially endorsed, even if he has this on another ticket, such as sailing.

Alan, meant to say, certainly our certification is for 12 passengers, crew are not included in this.

[alant1]

Corrected, my mistake.

[Solent Ranger]

Originally Posted by alant1

There are no grey areas, just lack of policing.


The recent court case where the skipper was adjudicated accountable for 85% of the cost of a very expensive boat, should be a sobering reminder that insurance companies will wriggle out of paying-up, if there is a chink in a skippers armour.

Actually it was the helm (crew) that was fined 85% - the skipper, who was not at the helm at the time, was fined 15%.