Licence for circumnavigation

[cmt145]

I'm planning a circumnav in few years time

I would like to know which license should I possess and if it have to match same nationality of your passport issue country ?

Is it possible as a non American citizen possess ASA or US sailing license be able to circumnavigate without any problem ?

Also , is it possible for non American citizen to buy sailboat in USA and circumnavigate ? How does that work ?

Thanks

[s/v Moondancer]

No license required and ASA and US Sail 'qualifications' are not legal licenses.

[Benz]

There are no licenses required if it's your boat and you don't charter it. Every country has different chartering rules and regs, some have none. But if it's just you and the missus or the cat cruising around you need nothing but the boat doc and a passport.

[Stu Jackson]

What makes you feel that you even need to consider a license of any kind?

[goboatingnow]

Hi I sell circumnavigation licenses. Personally approved by me and come in a nice see thru plastic wallet. Just fill in the nationality section and your good to go , valid on all international high seas of the world.

I just require a sample of your signature , two photographs , and your bank details

Dave

[Sea Frog]

You don't have to have ANY license to circumnavigate. American, non-american, it does not make any difference. License may be useful for getting lower insurance quote (or get any insurance at all), and insurance may be required by some marinas, besides, a couple countries here and there "require" ICC ("international certificate of competence) to sail in their waters, but you can opt to not enter their waters, the remaining 99.9% of countries don't give a slightest damn.

You MAY decide to go for some sailing courses to improve your sailing skills AND get some "impressive looking" paperwork, but absolutely nothing is required to circumnavigate besides your boat, boat papers and a passport. Don't overcomplicate simple matters.

[Crimea Cruiser]

You problem lies not in having any license, but in having a documented boat. As a foreigner you can not possess a US coast guard documented boat as owner. Nor can you title boat in a state without some sort of acceptable residence to DMV in your state of purchase or residence. So you are left with getting boat you buy documented in your country of origin that you hold a passport for and legal residence. You will run into considerable difficulty with customs and immigration of countries you plan to stop at during circumnavigation if not with valid boat documents.
As far as a personal competency license for sailing, it is presently only required in a few countries such a Croatia as example. This type of license could be had by passing a course with RYA.

[cmt145]

Thank you all for the info

[Sea Frog]

Originally Posted by Crimea Cruiser

This type of license could be had by passing a course with RYA.

Mmmm... Are you sure RYA does issue ICC to non-EU-residents?

[Crimea Cruiser]

yes! In fact it has provision for American and Canadian citizens to get an ICC, but as OP does not post his nationality I do not know if it will help him or not

[Sea Frog]

Originally Posted by Crimea Cruiser

yes! In fact it has provision for American and Canadian citizens to get an ICC, but as OP does not post his nationality I do not know if it will help him or not

That means "no". Because US and Canada are just 2 countries, and the rest of the world (besides EU) should not bother applying. That was the reason why I decided not to go to RYA school, their restrictive ICC policy. OP is not US-based, as he states in his first post, and I think he is not Canadian either. I have a feeling that he is non-EU too, but then again I may be wrong

[Crimea Cruiser]

Actually it has nothing to do with EU, but with UNECE and the ratification of resolution 40. As for the nationality of the OP, i think he can speak for himself , if he chooses.

[Sea Frog]

Originally Posted by Crimea Cruiser

Actually it has nothing to do with EU, but with UNECE and the ratification of resolution 40. As for the nationality of the OP, i think he can speak for himself , if he chooses.

It is even more strict than I thought. According to this page:

The RYA is permitted to issue the ICC to British nationals and residents. You are a British national if you are one of the following:

• A British citizen
• A British Overseas Territories citizen
• A British overseas citizen
• A British national (overseas)
• A British subject
• A British protected person

Evidence of residency is required for non-nationals this is usually a photocopy of a driving licence, utility bill, Council Tax bill, bank statement or similar. Further authenticated evidence of residency may be requested.


The RYA is also permitted to issue the ICC to the nationals of non-UNECE countries and nationals of the USA and Canada (which by a quirk of history are UNECE member states). Special arrangements are in place for applications from Australia through Yachting Australia and New Zealand through the New Zealand Coastguard Boating Education Service.


The RYA is not permitted to issue the ICC to the nationals of other UNECE countries unless they are British residents. This means that the RYA cannot issue the ICC to the nationals of: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.


Nationals of these countries should speak to their national maritime authority as you will only be able to obtain an ICC through their acceptance of Resolution 40.

So, EVEN though you may be a citizen of one of the countries that accepted UNECE, you must be a British resident.

[Crimea Cruiser]

Originally Posted by Sea Frog

The RYA is not permitted to issue the ICC to the nationals of other UNECE countries unless they are British residents. This means that the RYA cannot issue the ICC to the nationals of: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.


Nationals of these countries should speak to their national maritime authority as you will only be able to obtain an ICC through their acceptance of Resolution 40.

So, EVEN though you may be a citizen of one of the countries that accepted UNECE, you must be a British resident.

Try again. I will not argue till blue in face about obvious fine print details. I suggest you contact RYA directly if you are concerned or unsure of eligibility requirements.

The above listed nations while in the UNECE, have not ratified resolution 40 and therefore are not eligible to have their citizens get an ICC through RYA, which is why the RYA asks them to contact their representatives of their own countries to encourage them to ratify resolution 40 so they can then get an ICC.

English still is the national language of America, yes?

[K_V_B]

It depends on where you live, and what flag your boat flies. For example, for Swiss flagged yachts a license is required. Which is why I don't intend to register a boat here...