Commercial skipper qualifications

Magnum

Magnum

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I've been trawling the Cayman Isles and MCGA website for hours trying to find the answer to this one without success.

Take 1 Cayman flagged vessel, under 24m (which due to strange measuring system actual equates to around 28m OAL). Get it coded for charter use. Decide to charter. What are the minimum qualifications and number of crew for required <60M and <150M from safe haven?

Remember Cayman is part of the Red Ensign group so I'm pretty sure the requirements are as per a normal British flagged vessel.
 
Hmmm, seems that IOM dont bother with anything under 24m but I guess it has to be similar but if memory serves me right there is no need for a engineer under 24m, I think the skipper can hold that ticket. JFM can advise better that's his bag .
 
Have a look on the MCA website - MGN 280 -.page 125 & 126. This is the Harmonized Code for UK registered vessels giving vessel & manning requirements. 

Cat 2 waters - up to 60m from a safe haven - YM Offshore plus an experienced person on board.

Cat 1 waters- up to 150m from a safe haven- YM Offshore plus a person up or above to Coastal Skipper.

All require commercial endorsement & one person on board who has a MCA approved engine course.

Paul
 
Thanks. Whoever designed the MCA website wants shooting. This is my understanding.

Cat 2 waters (<60M from safe haven) - Min MCA Boatmaster Licence grade 1, 2 or modified grade 3 + 2nd person deemed to be experienced by skipper. No engineer required (unless employed in towing operations, lifting or cargo).

Cat 1 waters (<150M from safe haven) - Min Yachtmaster Offshore + 2nd person min Coastal Skipper + person with Approved Engine Course or who can satisfy MCA of engineering experience and competency. It doesn't say whether engineering can be the responsibility of the 2 existing crew members.
 
I have interpreted the engine course to be anyone on board in whatever capacity - that is accepted for my cat2 operation.

For cat 2, the alternative to the Boatmaster is the Yachtmaster Offshore option as previous post.

The harmonized code combines the old yellow, blue, brown & red codes to SIMPLYFY it .

Paul
 
Cat 2 waters (<60M from safe haven) - Min MCA Boatmaster Licence grade 1, 2 or modified grade 3 + 2nd person deemed to be experienced by skipper. No engineer required (unless employed in towing operations, lifting or cargo).

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Boatmaster licence, is only required when the number of 'passengers' is more than 12 persons (excludes anyone up to 1 year old). These are area specific & do not cover all waters.

Below 12 passengers, a YM commercial endorsement is usually valid (depends upon how the vessel is coded).

In UK, a Boatmans Licence can be issued by local authorities for vessels (coded by them) with less than 12 passengers. This comes under the 1891 (I think) Public Health Act.
 
I think the prime qualifications are:

1 Can drive the boat

2 Doesn't <span style="color:white"> </span> shag <span style="color:white"> </span> the guests
 
Never say never.
Sometimes the master happens to own a PLLC which in turn happens to own the charter company which owns the boat.
In which case, he might be more interested in a high OB rating rather than in the career.... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
I occasionally use skippers to charter my boat or get it delivered. FWIW, for my boat, I take the view that the required qualification is whatever my insurance co accepts which is normally a Yachtmaster Offshore + commercial endorsement. I always send them a copy of the qualification with the name of the skipper before any trip and ask them to confirm in writing that they accept the skipper's qualifications
 
Magnum
It's pretty much been answered but just to add

1. Virtually all med <24m boats are cat2. There is no demand for cat1, so you dont lose any business by doing cat2 only. Cat2 allows 120nm voyage so it covers CDA to Corsica, which is what you need. The only med typical voyage that you need cat1 for is Blearix to Sardinia/corsica direct, and no charter guest ever wants to do that when there are perfcetly good aeroplanes

So imho go for an easy life and use cat2

In practice you need YM offshore with commercial endorsement. The latter is easy, the former you can do in Antibes on own boat, I'll give you details of examiner there, nice guy.

On my cat2 boat I have never been asked to provide engineering evidence to RYA or anyone and I've never done a diesel engine course but would rely on my degree and other experience if it happened. It's very rare to get stopped on charter and asked to verify you have met the crewing requirements on that specific point. It's common enough to be checked ref the other requirements ie MCA coding and YM commercial ticket for the skipper

You are correct that the requirements are same as for a UK red ensign vessel
 
[ QUOTE ]
There is no demand for cat1, so you dont lose any business by doing cat2 only

[/ QUOTE ]Now that's an interesting point.
Business-wise that's probably fine, but what happens if you want to move an MCA coded boat from Balearics to Sardinia yourself? I suppose you should charter the boat to do that, don't you?
Alternatively, only the crew (with no guests) would be allowed onboard in such delivery trips, I guess?

On a side note, also Sardinia-Sicily and Sicily-Greece are typical Med passages >120nm.
 
but what happens if you want to move an MCA coded boat from Balearics to Sardinia yourself? I suppose you should charter the boat to do that, don't you?
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Unless you have 'paying guests' aboard, or are doing it for 'gain', there is no reason why you cannot move the boat yourself, subject to any peculiar local regs. On a British flagged vessel, you do not need any quals for leisure purposes.
 
I see your point, but what do you mean by 'yourself', bearing in mind that we're talking about a commercial vessel, owned by a charter company?
 
Even if owned by a company, the ultimate owner wouldn't have to charter the boat to make a delivery trip. The company officers can simply instruct the captain to move the boat, without any charter contract

The question of whether the 120nm limit applies depends on the circumstnaces of the delivery voyage. If the owner of the boat receives consideration/money for the delivery voyage, so it is part of a charter, then the rules apply hence 60nm from safe haven applies. If there is no money/consideration received, and the boat is just being repositioned becuase the ownrs want to, then the rules dont apply and there is no 60nm limit

The law is in SI 1998 No. 2771, The Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations 1998
 
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