UK Charter skipper requirements (power)

[Mike1956]

I seem to be out of touch with current requirements. I was talking to someone yesterday and just about everything he said was contrary to my understanding. He said there is no longer a requirement for a candidate to have a record of any sea time (for 20M)? That the appropriate qualification can be obtained by simply attending a college (for 20M), no practical assessment? That my old RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore commercially endorsed certificate (now lapsed) would no longer allow 150M from safe haven and is now restricted to 90M?

He said someone who had never been on a boat before could simply attend a college, be awarded a certificate and take 12 passengers to sea up to 20M on a suitably equipped and coded vessel?.

When I had my commercially endorsed certificate there were Red, Yellow and Brown codes (perhaps others)

Can someone bring me up to date.

Thanks

Mike

[atoll]

a rya day skipper endorsment,will get you an ICC which is sufficient for a bareboat charter skipper.
elements would involve,1st aid,vhf licence,day skipper theory,with a practical assesment on the water,this would be for sailing.
not sure about power boat requirments,but getting the ICC is the key

[Pete7]

Mike, as a start point you should read MCA leaflet 280 which is revised regularly. It talks alot about the vessel but also manning requirements.

I operated a commercial boat up to 20m with a Adv power boat certificate commercially endorsed. I do have a Coastal Ticket but it wasn't needed.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ll-craft-codes

[boatman61]

Are you sure you are not confusing RYA Certification with MSA Certification..
Working for an RYA school I was required to take a Boatmaster Grade 2 Course (MSA) to operate a passenger vessel carrying up to 200 passengers.. the RYA have no formal qualifications that meet the requirement.

[roland stockham]

You need to clarify this. Do you mean qualifications to charter a boat and take you own crew/guests on board or to work as a commercial charterer taking paying passengers.

[Mike1956]

Thanks for replies,

To reiterate...........I have a RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore (UK) which I used to have commercially endorsed. This allowed me to skipper a small commercial vessel up to 150M (category 1) from a safe haven providing I had suitable crew and the vessel was properly surveyed and coded etc. The vessel would be under 200 GRT and limited to 12 fare paying passengers. I understood the regulations pretty well up to about 5 years ago when my commercial endorsement lapsed.

However a few days ago someone told me what I thought to be a load of rubbish about how new skippers are obtaining licences to operate these small commercial vessels by simply attending a college. No requirement to have ever had any experience afloat and no practical assessment.

I have looked briefly at MGN 280 which is the definitive document and the main details look the same as they were when I was operating under this code.

I have been aboard a number of these small commercial vessels (small vessels taking up to 12 anglers for a days fishing for about £60 each in my case) as they are being surveyed and have yet to hear a surveyor ask about manning. Stability, flares, fire extinguishers, first aid, MOB equipment etc YES but qualifications of crew NO.

I think I just need to more careful who I have conversations with in future.

Mike

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Mike1956

Thanks for replies,

To reiterate...........I have a RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore (UK) which I used to have commercially endorsed. This allowed me to skipper a small commercial vessel up to 150M (category 1) from a safe haven providing I had suitable crew and the vessel was properly surveyed and coded etc. The vessel would be under 200 GRT and limited to 12 fare paying passengers. I understood the regulations pretty well up to about 5 years ago when my commercial endorsement lapsed.

However a few days ago someone told me what I thought to be a load of rubbish about how new skippers are obtaining licences to operate these small commercial vessels by simply attending a college. No requirement to have ever had any experience afloat and no practical assessment.

I have looked briefly at MGN 280 which is the definitive document and the main details look the same as they were when I was operating under this code.

I have been aboard a number of these small commercial vessels (small vessels taking up to 12 anglers for a days fishing for about £60 each in my case) as they are being surveyed and have yet to hear a surveyor ask about manning. Stability, flares, fire extinguishers, first aid, MOB equipment etc YES but qualifications of crew NO.

I think I just need to more careful who I have conversations with in future.

Mike

as long as there are no fatalities,and no MAIB inquiry you should be fine.....fishing boat manning qualifications ,working hours,safety at sea etc are put in the too difficult pile, when it comes to crew generally on fishing boats

fishing boat crew are encouraged to do 1 day courses at college for swcw94,sea safety,1st aid etc......but half the guys cant even read or write,and many have drug issues etc...a bit like trying to herd cats

[Mike1956]

Originally Posted by atoll

as long as there are no fatalities,and no MAIB inquiry you should be fine.....fishing boat manning qualifications ,working hours,safety at sea etc are put in the too difficult pile, when it comes to crew generally on fishing boats

fishing boat crew are encouraged to do 1 day courses at college for swcw94,sea safety,1st aid etc......but half the guys cant even read or write,and many have drug issues etc...a bit like trying to herd cats

This thread is not about fishing boats. It is about small commercial vessels that carry under 12 fare paying passengers and the qualifications of the skippers of these vessels. The passengers these boats carry could be going fishing, or bird watching, whale watching, trip round the bay, scattering ashes etc. Pete7 is correct that in order to refresh my knowledge I should refer to MGN 280 which I have done and am happy that things are not substantially different to when I was operating this type of vessel.

Mike

[Mike1956]

Originally Posted by atoll

as long as there are no fatalities,and no MAIB inquiry you should be fine.....fishing boat manning qualifications ,working hours,safety at sea etc are put in the too difficult pile, when it comes to crew generally on fishing boats

fishing boat crew are encouraged to do 1 day courses at college for swcw94,sea safety,1st aid etc......but half the guys cant even read or write,and many have drug issues etc...a bit like trying to herd cats

STCW 1995 (Standard of Training Certification and Watchkeeping).