Licenses / Certificates Needed when Circumnavigating ?

[oschki]

Hi,

I and a couple of friends are in the early stages of planning a voyage round the globe. Although the journey will start in a couple of years at the earliest, I, as the skipper of the boat, thought that i would start getting the required licenses.

Ofcourse I know that i will need licenses for VHF, SSB and so on. The thing I mainly was thinking of is do i need to get myself some sort of "skipper-certificate". For example something like the "international recreational craft license" that i know is required by almost every yacht charter company here in europe. I've been sailing everything from dingys to 70ft yachts, inshore and offshore, during my 21 years alive, so I feel comfortable saying that i know how to navigate, and how to control the boat (sure, you can always get better). I've just never got any paperwork on it because back here in Finland we don't need any.

So, could anyone help out with this? Thanks in advance.

[Palarran]

Hello Oschki,
Welcome to the Cruisers Forum. I hope you continue to post updates on your preperations for your trip.

The information you seek has been discussed quite a bit. If you go to the top of the screen and use the "SEARCH" tab, go down to the GOOGLE SEARCH and type in "international certificate of competancy". You should get all the info you need.

[cabo_sailor]

Welcome,

While Finland may require a license from their citizens, no such license is required of U.S. citizens, yet many are engaged in international cruising. So the short answer is that no licenses or certificates are required except for the radio licenses.

Rich

[goboatingnow]

As a simple certificate, thats easily acquired, the ICC, international certificate of Competency is worth having.

Dave

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum

All depends on where you are from.

[goboatingnow]

hes from finland

irrespective of where your from the ICCs a good bet.

Dave

[DeepFrz]

cabo_sailor, I believe you are wrong in your advice. I suggest you read the other current thread on this.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post768809

A bit of a misnomer for the information that is posted there. Read especially the posts by Bill Trayfors.

oschki, it would be good for you to read that thread as well.

[boatman61]

Seconded...
What Goboating said....lol

[Cheese]

All depends on where you are going!

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Seconded...
What Goboating said....lol

Also available in the US from IYT in Florida

Dave

[cabo_sailor]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

cabo_sailor, I believe you are wrong in your advice. I suggest you read the other current thread on this.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post768809

A bit of a misnomer for the information that is posted there. Read especially the posts by Bill Trayfors.

oschki, it would be good for you to read that thread as well.

DeepFrz,

I'm afraid I don't understand your critique. I believe I did state that a license is required for radio, I believe he would also need the equivalent of a ham general class license for SSB. As I recall, if one leaves U.S. waters that license must include just about every chunk of electronics on board, i.e., radar, epirb, vhf, etc. Of course that is the requirement for U.S. boaters. I don't know if all that applies to a Finlander. My main point is that as far as I know, I can set sail for any country without any certificate of competency or license to operate the vessel.

If I'm wrong, then I will appreciate any correction.

Regards,
Rich

[yeloya]

Hi Oschki,

If you own the boat, whatever document is required when you insure yr boat is sufficient to go wherever you like. If there is no license is required in yr country -I believe France is the same- then you don't need any. (SSB license definately and VHF license in some countries is required)
If you are not the owner of the boat, the owner is not on board and you are assigned as a skipper, then, it's a totally different issue..
Every country has different certificate for that purpose and I'd doubted if you don't need any in Finland. For France, while you don't need anything for yr own boat, for skippering or delivering somebody else's boat, or carrying people for commercial purpose, you need one and that's very difficult to get. Same for Turkey..
Assuming that the boat is Finnish flag, you should better check this with yr local authorities.
Cheers

Yeloya

[swagman]

The RYA now have facilities for non UK national to take an ICC. In my experience it's like as not you'll never need to present it to anyone...........but when you do, you'll be well pleased you took the time out to get it.
Enjoy
JOHN

[holmek]

I have sailed a circumnav and was never asked for certification of any sort, be it Skipper/radio or whatever. Your own country may have requirements for sailing in home waters but once in foreign waters I have never been asked to produce anything at all.If you wish to charter a boat the charter company may have requirements, but on your own boat, ; nada. Each foreign port entry requires proof of boat ownership, which can be just a typed paper giving your name,address,boat description and details(length/beam/draft/tonnage) and a registration number(which I made-up!) and clearance from your last port-of-call, and of course a passport. As recreational boaters I feel very strongly that we must campaign and lobby to keep ourselves as regulation free as possible. There is WAY too much bureaucracy tying us down. For those who enjoy collecting Skipper's tickets and other boy-scout badges, go right ahead, but I demand my freedom.