Qualifications required- Charter Business Greece

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Nick86

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Hi All,

I am struggling to find via the RYA a clear qualification that you require to be able to charter your own boat commercially (up to 5 customers) out of Greece.

Some have advised that a Day Skipper course to otain an ICC is suffcient. Others have advised commercial endorsement is required at yachtmaster level and another advised you don't need to have your day skipper license commercially endorsed to do charter holidays.

I would really appreciate it if someone is able to help with this query as the RYA haven't been able to provide a straight answer.

Not sure if this helps but we're currently undecided whether this will be a Greek or UK registered company (understand this will make a difference).

Cheers,

Nick
 
Nick86 said:
Hi All,

I am struggling to find via the RYA a clear qualification that you require to be able to charter your own boat commercially (up to 5 customers) out of Greece.

Some have advised that a Day Skipper course to otain an ICC is suffcient. Others have advised commercial endorsement is required at yachtmaster level and another advised you don't need to have your day skipper license commercially endorsed to do charter holidays.

I would really appreciate it if someone is able to help with this query as the RYA haven't been able to provide a straight answer.

Not sure if this helps but we're currently undecided whether this will be a Greek or UK registered company (understand this will make a difference).

Cheers,

Nick
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If its UK flagged, would think a commercial endorsement definitely required if your the skipper + boat properly coded (not cheap). You can get comm end at DS level.
If Greek flagged, check with their authorities, nothing to do with RYA.

If bareboat, would assume local rules apply.
 
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Thanks Alant. Finding it hard to get a clear path from RYA - nobody seems to know the correct answer there (that I've spoken to which is only 3 employees to be fair).

"Check with Greek authorities" I'll try.......... ;-)
 
Nick86 said:
Hi All,

I am struggling to find via the RYA a clear qualification that you require to be able to charter your own boat commercially (up to 5 customers) out of Greece.

Some have advised that a Day Skipper course to otain an ICC is suffcient. Others have advised commercial endorsement is required at yachtmaster level and another advised you don't need to have your day skipper license commercially endorsed to do charter holidays.

I would really appreciate it if someone is able to help with this query as the RYA haven't been able to provide a straight answer.

Not sure if this helps but we're currently undecided whether this will be a Greek or UK registered company (understand this will make a difference).

Cheers,

Nick
Click to expand...

At a guess, you need to be Greek whatever the official rules say.
 
thats right, it also need to comply with greek regs too.

Meldoy was great in my last thread but didnt want to bother her with all my questions (There are too many!) :-)
 
Nick86 said:
thats right, it also need to comply with greek regs too.

Meldoy was great in my last thread but didnt want to bother her with all my questions (There are too many!) :-)
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Nick if you don't mind me saying your better off asking people who been there and done it , rather then second guessing both Melody and Jim B have , if you don't ask you won't know , the most that can happen is they will tell you bugger off which I dough very much .has they are both very helpfull people .
 
cheers sailaboutvic. I'll drop them a line - you're completely right, people that are doing it will be able to give me the info I need just hate bombaring the same people :)
 
I know people with a Brit reg yacht that have done it without an MCA endorcement, I don't know how, best bet is to ask Melody as I believe they use Brit and Greek flagged charters. I know of people out here who are skippering charter boats with only an ICC. I have been quite surprised, I live here, I keep my mouth shut!
 
Davy_S said:
I know people with a Brit reg yacht that have done it without an MCA endorcement, I don't know how, best bet is to ask Melody as I believe they use Brit and Greek flagged charters. I know of people out here who are skippering charter boats with only an ICC. I have been quite surprised, I live here, I keep my mouth shut!
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Not advisable unless you want to lost your boat
 
Nick86 said:
Hi All,

I am struggling to find via the RYA a clear qualification that you require to be able to charter your own boat commercially (up to 5 customers) out of Greece.

Some have advised that a Day Skipper course to otain an ICC is suffcient. Others have advised commercial endorsement is required at yachtmaster level and another advised you don't need to have your day skipper license commercially endorsed to do charter holidays.

I would really appreciate it if someone is able to help with this query as the RYA haven't been able to provide a straight answer.

Not sure if this helps but we're currently undecided whether this will be a Greek or UK registered company (understand this will make a difference).

Cheers,

Nick
Click to expand...

If you Google "Greek Professional Yacht Owners Bareboat Association" you will get their English version website and you will find copies of the relevant legislation covering chartering, including crewing. My (quick) reading suggests that qualifications are not very precisely defined and refer you to the ministry, but at least you will have a contact organisation to approach for more guidance.
 
Hi Nick

i suggest you get a copy of the book RYA Commercial Regulations for Small Vessels which is available from Amazon. That will tell you what you should do for UK flagged vessels and give guidance on international requirements.

Here in Greece they are pretty strict about what the boat will need and fairly lax about what you need as skipper. The yacht must be commercially registered in her home country and, in addition, I believe you'll also need to comply with Ministry of Merchant Marine requirements if you are chartering in Greece, whether she is Greek flagged or not. You must also carry adequate insurance - they are very strict about that.

As far as the skipper's qualifications, some skippers here have the absolute minimum. If many clients booking on skippered charters knew how lacking in qualifications and experience their skipper was they'd have a fit! On the other hand, there are many highly competent and well-qualified folk around as well.

Things have changed somewhat over the past ten years and Yachtmaster Commercial is becoming much more the norm. I'd suggest you aim for that - you can get a commercial endorsement on YM Coastal; it doesn't have to be YM Offshore.

If you are an experienced sailor you can just book for a 1 or 2 day prep then take the exam on your own boat; you don't have to do loads of courses. You will need a radio operators certificate, an up to date First Aid certificate, a sea-going medical, and a couple of other things but, if you are going to have paying passengers lives in your hands, I think those are reasonable requirements anyway.

At present no-one will insist you have these. As long as you have some recognized qualification that will be okay but you may find your insurance premium will be lower if there will always be a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster on the vessel.
 
At present no-one will insist you have these. As long as you have some recognized qualification that will be okay but you may find your insurance premium will be lower if there will always be a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster on the vessel.
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I have quoted Melody as a reply to Vic really, but it confirms what my experience has been, I was offered a job a few years ago, I could have taken people out on a charter boat for a day to give them experience (not my charter boat) or skippered them for a weeks sailing. I have not got a commercial endorsement, but I was assured this would be ok with the port police.
It does seem a grey area.
 
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