If you’ve fallen in love with the sea and the thrill of being out on the water, chances are you are already going boating on a regular basis. You may also be interested in making an income out of it by starting your own business. Either way, you will need to obtain a skippers licence (or ticket).

If you are considering buying your own boat or making boating a regular activity in your life, you’ll be aware that there are legal requirements for operating your chosen vessel, so let’s take a look at your options.

Firstly, in order to operate a boat, you must take the following into account. For any vessel that is up to 9 metres in length, and with a minimum engine capacity of 15hp, you will be required to obtain your skippers licence. This will enable you to use your boat in dams, rivers, the sea and harbours in South Africa.

Skipper training is comprised of two areas – practical and theory, which is categorised according to the type of vessel being used. Practical training is associated with surf launch training, sheltered launch training and Jet Ski training.

Skippers licences are divided into 4 categories. But which of these categories applies to you?

Category R

This applies to vessels operating on inland waters such as within a port, fishing harbour, tidal river, lagoon, estuaries and all inland waters within South Africa.

Category E – commercial vessel (non-passenger)

This applies to vessels operating up to 1 nautical mile from shore.

Category C – commercial vessel (non-passenger)

This applies to vessels operating up to 15 nautical miles from shore

Category B – commercial vessel (non-passenger) Night Rated

This applies to vessels operating up to 40 nautical miles from shore.

Owner and operator of Allsafe Maritime Safety & Training, Ronnie Windsor, offers some insight into the services that he currently offers.

“We offer a range of skipper courses depending on the vessel you wish to be certified to use and our qualified and highly skilled team provides the most interactive training that you can experience in urban and natural surroundings.”

Allsafe Maritime Safety & Training has been in operation for 12 years and has a strong reputation as a leading skipper training company in KZN. With the added benefit of obtaining your VHF DSC Radio licence through the company, you are assured of a complete one-stop shop for professional training that equips you with the tools to achieve your goal in becoming a competent skipper.

Down to the nitty-gritty – what documentation do you need to apply for your skippers licence?

This is a comprehensive list of everything needed in order to get you one step closer to being certified:

• Certified Copy of I.D (If ID card then both sides certified)
• 6 x Colour I.D Photos
• Medical – To be completed on SAMSA documents
• Eye Test – To be completed on SAMSA documents
• Log Sheets – 25 hours signed off by a competent skipper
• Log Sheet – 12 surf launches – only 3 launches per day over 4 days can be logged

As you’re no doubt aware, having a skillset that sets you apart from your peers and provides you with the ability to earn additional income is an attractive incentive, so what are you waiting for? Contact us now and we’ll guide you through the application process.