WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED TO BAREBOAT CHARTER A YACHT?
If you are interesting in booking a bareboat yacht charter, it is important to first know what qualifications are necessary to increase your chances of approval.
At the end of the day, yachting companies will need to be confident in your ability correctly and safely charter a yacht. But what specific qualifications will you need?
Simply put, all yachting companies are all going to have a slightly different set of qualifications for people interested in bareboat chartering yachts. However, there are some key experiences and certifications that will make you more likely to be approved.
Prior Yachting Experience
Practical yachting experience, with no record of accidents, will be invaluable and will help make yachting companies feel more confident in your abilities.
In fact, some yachting companies may require you to produce a CV or resume that outlines your yachting experience, the types and sizes of yachts you have manned, and your planned itinerary. This experience will give companies a rough idea of your skill and knowledge level.
RYA Day Skipper (Theoretical) Certificate
As far as formal qualifications go, most companies will require you/your skipper to have, at minimum, a RYA Day Skipper certificate. It is important to know that there are two types of RAY Day Skipper courses, a theoretical course and a practical one.
The shore-based course, sometimes referred to as a theoretical course, consists of 40 hours of lecture material and two assignments. This course can often be completed online.
Participants in this course will learn how to read different forms of information such as tidal data, navigation, weather forecasts, and planning. They will also learn about rules and regulations such as those related to collisions, pollution, and general safety. Finally, participants will learn about different techniques such as planning and emergency strategies.
RYA Day Skipper (Practical) Certificate
Different from the theoretical course, this RYA Day Skipper practical certificate gives you/your skipper an opportunity to actually man a yacht under the supervision of an instructor.
While the theoretical course is not strictly a prerequisite to this course, it is strongly recommended for you to be successful in the practical course.
This practical course will consist of four to five days of hands-on experience. Please note that this course does not necessarily teach you how to do hands-on crewing, but rather teaches you how to be an effective crew manager.
RYA Competent Crew certificate
In addition to the skipper qualifications, many companies will require your crew to hold a minimum of a RYA Competent Crew certificate.
This five day long course will teach participants about sea terms and the different parts of the boat. They will also learn about rigging and handling sails, rope work, emergency procedures, customs, and other general duties.
Upon completion of this course, certificate holders should be able to effectively steer, work the sails, and practice daily routines.
While some companies may strictly require formal certifications, others may be satisfied if you can otherwise prove your ability to safely and correctly operate a yacht. Qualifications will always be different depending on the company and the size of yacht you are interested in.