What Qualifications Do I need to Charter a Yacht?
Before you start planning your sailing vacation, it is best to double-check the experience level and qualifications needed to charter a yacht in your chosen destination. Sunsail has put a list of destinations into each level of experience needed depending on the conditions with level 1 being the easiest and level 3 the most challenging. Although these sailing levels are for guidance only, they will provide you will an idea of the conditions, qualifications needed, and key information before you charter a yacht.
Level 1 Sailing Destinations
Sailing Conditions
Level 1 sailing destinations are ideal for beginners. The waters are calm with line-of-sight sailing with the wind at around 5-20 knots. You can island-hop your way around and relax knowing that the mooring options are easier too. In the Mediterranean, the moorings are generally stern-to-mooring whilst in the Caribbean, there are buoys.
Sailing Destinations
- Lefkas, Greece
- Corfu, Greece
- Agana, Croatia
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- The British Virgin Islands
- Australia, Whitsundays
Qualifications
- Five days or 100 miles as skipper on an equivalent size yacht.
- International Certificate of Competence (ICC) or RYA Day Skipper is compulsory for Croatia and Greece.
- Sailors must have basic knowledge of charts and be able to plot their position.
Level 2 Sailing Destinations
Sailing Conditions
Level 2 sailing destinations are intermediate level with a mix of blue water stretches and line-of-sight sailing with the wind at around 10-20 knots. The mooring is mostly anchoring, with protected anchorages, Mediterranean-style anchoring, and/or marina slips.
Sailing Destinations
- Sardinia, Procida, Italy
- St. Martin
- Antigua
- Abacos, Bahamas
- Thailand, Phuket
- Tonga, Vava’u
- French Polynesia, Raiatea
- Athens, Greece
- Spain, Mallorca
Qualifications
- 10 days or 200 miles as skipper on an equivalent size yacht.
- RYA Day Skipper.
- ICC or Day Skipper is compulsory for Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Spain.
- Sailors will need to understand the tidal flow and be able to navigate in open water.
Level 3 Sailing Destinations
Sailing Conditions
In level 3 sailing destinations, you can expect consistent, stronger trade winds at around 10-25 knots with plenty of blue water sailing to enjoy. The mooring is largely anchoring and there are some more exposed anchorages with poor anchor holding ground.
Sailing Destinations
- Portsmouth, UK
- Vancouver Island, North America
- Belize
- Exumas, Bahamas
- St Lucia
- Grenada
- Mahé, Seychelles
Qualifications
- 20 days or 400 miles as skipper on an equivalent size yacht
- RYA Day Skipper with experience to a higher level
- RYA Coastal Skipper
- ICC with experience to a higher level
- A Temporary certificate of competence is compulsory in Belize
- Understand large tidal variations, deal with strong currents, and be able to make a passage plan.
Additional rules you will need to take into account:
- In Croatia, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Seychelles, there must be at least one skipper who is over 18 years old.
- In Greece, there must also be one experienced crew member at ‘Competent Crew’ level or a similar/equivalent certificate from any recognized sailing association. This crewmember must also be over 18 years old.
- In Croatia and Seychelles, skippers are required to have a VHF Radio Operators License.
- The skipper must be able to handle a yacht in close quarters, anchor and moor in all conditions, as well as have navigation and pilotage skills to plan a days sailing.
- Skippers must take their original skippers license or certificate in case the Port Authorities ask to see it.
- There are some destinations that don’t require a sailing qualification or licenses such as BVI or Grenada, however, you would be required to fill in a sailing CV to show that you are competent in chartering a yacht.
No experience or qualifications?
If you are eager to charter a yacht, however, don’t have any experience, don’t worry, there are plenty of options and opportunities to learn:
- You can try out the Sunsail sailing schools and learn from the best.
- You can hire a skipper who will have insight and great knowledge of the area.
Our vacation planners are always available to help if you need more information on qualifications.
Contributor
Dominique Wright
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