Commercial endorsement - worth the hassle?

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My RYA 'bits of paper' are date-stamped and due for renewal. That's going to cost at least £100.

Given that I don't earn any living from this, acrimony and worse seems to attend all delivering of boats these days, and the burden of personal liability is hugely increased with any hint of 'professional qualification', should I not bother? What does the team think?


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The only reason I have comercial endorsement is to use it for work. Can't see a reason to have it if you're not using it.
 
Never bothered myself. I've done the MN Sea Survival etc so just need a medical to get the commercial endorsement. Occasionally do the odd week trials for the company which should strictly be commercial but is it worth the hassle?
 
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My local GP did the medical for a tenner,

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I'm given to understand today, from the MCA, that the examiner must be on a List of Approved Medical Examiners, maintained by the MCA. I also understand that the fee, a National Standard Fee, is now £80 ( up from £63 in September )

If your guy is on the list, and he's willing to 'do' me for a tenner, I'll drive up to Troon just for the occasion, and we'll have a beer or three on the difference......!

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I have both BOT/DTI licence and YM with commercial endorsements that I have not officially used for sometime now. The reason for my keeping them up is two fold,
1. They were bl**dy hard to come by and
2. I've had them for so long now (21 yrs) I'd hate to be without them.

But with the way HMG & MCA are heading I can see that in the future I may well be asked either to surrender them or not re-apply due to lack of use.

Peter.
 
Increasing litigation and an obsession with bureaucratic safety culture, risk assessments etc makes it silly to run practical courses or do deliveries for pin money or unless the money is really needed. Its nice to practise the skills but do you really need the stress / risk / worry involved? I dont so all I do are the shorebased courses

You keep the YM for ever as I understand it, and the medical you can easily get again if you change your mind. So why cough up the money now?
 
For a YM commercial endorsement medical your GP must follow the procedure and fill in the form as prescribed (can't remember the exact designation of the medical exam form, but look it up)

My GP didn't charge me anything, but ours is a most remarkable medical practice.

I have a commercial endorsement because I have run RYA courses and expect to do so again. I also have vague hopes of supplementing our cruising budget with a bit of delivery work, but if you don't need it why have it?


- Nick
 
No, the GP doesn't have to be on an approved list - for YM Commercial Endorsement. Mine isn't. I think that for higher orders of commercial certification perhaps this is the case though.

- Nick
 
No, the GP doesn't have to be on an approved list - for YM Commercial Endorsement. Mine isn't. I think that for higher orders of commercial certification perhaps this is the case though.
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Yes he does, on all commercial endorsements covering certification for operating more than 60 Nm from a safe haven! You are unable to use your own GP, unless on the MCA panel list.

Therefore, all YM Offshore+, should be in this category & require a ENG1 medical examination. This is requirement for MCA "at sea" (60Nm+).

If you don't have it, you do not satisfy the MCA manning regs for a commercially operated vessel. The medical ML5, commonly erroneously used, is specifically for certificates under 60Nm from a safe haven. "For work on a non-seagoing vessel (i.e. only operating in rivers/canals & estuaries) then an ML5 medical report will suffice. The form is included in this pack and can be completed by your own doctor and is valid for 5 years."
 
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I refer the Honorable Gentleman to.....the MCA.

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Isn't it astounding that, on these pages, a simple, clearcut matter of fact gets denied - time and time again - as if boaty matters were acts of religious faith and national regulations were somehow an optional matter of opinion?

I s'pose it's all my own fault. I should know better by now than to seek 'Fact, logic and reason'......



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AFAIK the Yachtmaster Offshore ommercial endorsement only covers you up to 60 miles from a safe haven anyway, so an ML5 is adequate. It certainly is what the RYA require when issuing a comnmercial endorsement to the YM Offshore certificate.

I assume the right honorable hobbit is referring to YM Ocean commercial endorsement, which is not the same thing.

I am speaking from recent (last year) personal experience so if I am wrong then the RYA are issuing worthless commercial endorsements - perhaps Mr. Baggins would care to tell them.

- Nick
 
It certainly is what the RYA require when issuing a comnmercial endorsement to the YM Offshore certificate.
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Check with the MCA, who the RYA issue Commercial Endorsements on the behalf of. The RYA do not decide the rules & are wrongly issuing commercial endorsements if using ML5's in the case of YM Offshore or YM Ocean certificates.

As far as the MCA are concerned, ANY certificate which will entitle the holder to Skipper more than 60 Nm & a YM Offshore is valid up to 150 Nm (even though the holder may only intend operating within 60 Nm of a safe haven), must be covered by an ENG1, not ML5.

The responsibility to be properly licenced is the Skipper's, NOT the RYA.
 
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