Powerboat Skipper
The Powerboat Skipper course is a five to six day course. This is a certificate of competency for those candidates who wish to skipper a power vessel up to 24 metres in length, in fair weather and in sight of land.
The “depth of knowledge” required for the theory portion of the Powerboat Skipper Certificate is the same as required for the International Bareboat Skipper Certificate. Candidates must have logged over 200 miles and 10 days at sea by the end of the course in order to obtain the Powerboat Skipper Certificate of Competency.
It is the level of competence required when chartering a boat in the Mediterranean or West Indies where there are restrictions in terms of cruising area and distance from the base and the vessel has to be safely moored in a marina or anchored before dark.
Candidates must either hold a recognised VHF Radio Operators Certificate or must take the full IYT VHF-SRC Marine Communications course which is included in this course and school must place order for the VHF certificate while placing the order for the Powerboat Skipper Certificate of Competency. If ordering VHF at the same time as Powerboat Skipper please upload a note to this effect. We have provided a sample note to upload when placing order.
* Please note that we do not accept ISSA VHF qualifications.
(If you are unsure if your radio license will be accepted, please send a scanned copy of the front and back of your license to [email protected]. We will verify that your license is sufficient to receive the IYT Powerboat Skipper license).
Those who obtain the Powerboat Skipper qualification can automatically obtain the “International Certificate of Competency Power <24M” (ICC), provided the student meets the requirements as laid down by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (Resolution 40). Please click this link for more information.
Certificate Limitations
- Command of a vessel up to a maximum length of 78 ft /24 metres as part of a flotilla
- In coastal waters up to 20 miles offshore
- In fair conditions with moderate wind and sea conditions
- Most charter agencies will insist on daylight hours as a condition to charter.
Entry Standard
- Should be 16 years of age or over
- Candidates with prior experience that equates to the competency in Modules 1 – 11 may skip these modules and proceed to Module 12 (VHF-SRC) through Module 25.
- Candidates who hold a recognised VHF-SRC CoC may obviously skip Module 12 (VHF-SRC)
- The candidate must have logged over 200 nautical miles & 10 days at sea by end of course.
Course Outline
This course is a combination of the International Crew, VHF/SRC and Flotilla/Bareboat Skipper Power course modules. It is also the same as the IYT ICC Power <24M.
Introductory Modules:
- nautical terminology
- safety
- vessel checkout
- basic rope work
- refueling
- man-overboard procedures
- capsizing
- swamping
- sinking
- anchors & anchoring
- running aground
- responsibilities of the crew
Command Modules:
- small powerboats and rigid inflatable boats,
- boat handling under power
- basic meteorology
- short passages including heavy weather
- restricted visibility & negotiating harbour entrances
- compasses and magnetism
- charts, chartwork & basic navigation
- tides & currents
- buoyage
- collision regulations
- navigation lights
- basic first aid
- responsibilities of the skipper/captain