News 24 january 2025 Michael
Woman skipper on a training yacht day

Skipper licence for a yacht in Ukraine. How to choose a yachting school? What is the price?

In Ukraine more than 40 schools that provide training and issue captain’s certificates for sailing boat or a catamaran. Each of the schools has its own advantages & disadvantages, but which school is better is the result of good PR?

Today Bimbarent will talk about what to look for when choosing a yachting school, what captain’s licences are and how much training costs. In addition, obtaining a captain licence is a possible additional income.

Is it possible to buy a captain’s licence without knowledge, practical experience?

In Ukraine, the practice of acquiring a captain’s docs without management experience is common. Most often, this is done by young captains who plan to sail only in local waters. All luck ends before the first insured event, or rather before the first accident on the water. Recall that the Cap is responsible not only for himself and the ship, but also for the lives of everyone on board. And you know, sometimes the repair, treatment of guests is much more expensive than the basic knowledge & experience gained at the skippers’ school.

By the way, the water police of Ukraine promises to close the loopholes for the purchase of water rights. They began an active fight against the owners of jet skis who ride along the Dnieper without documents.

Company on a sailing yacht steer a boat together

What to look for when choosing a school

A cap’s certificate is a confirmation of your knowledge during the exam, and not of real boating skills. Therefore, many schools focus their courses on the number of theory lessons, instead of the practical knowledge that you will need while driving your own or charter yacht during a charter on the Dnieper.

In good schools, the theoretical course lasts 1-2 months, then comes the practice. See that the program has at least two weeks of active training. If at first approximation everything is OK, study the experience of teachers. For example, whether someone has crossed the Atlantic, whether there is an RYA certificate either a captain’s document marked “tidal”, which allows you to sail without restrictions in the most difficult water areas. Why are we talking about this? We have been surprised when some schools proudly offer training from instructors who have never left their city. Some teachers, for example, have never encountered locks or mooring in bad weather.

a crew in uniform racing a regatta on huge sailing yacht

What is the price for captain’s licence

There is a classification of rights that allows you to operate a vessel in different water areas, at different times of the day and weather. If you plan to operate a sailing yacht (from 6 to 24 metres) in the inland waterways of Ukraine or nearby seas, then you need to undergo national basic study, cap’s certification. The average cost of education for sailing yachts is 200-350 dollars for a theoretical course with an exam.

If you plan to sail not only in Ukraine, but also abroad, then most likely you will be offered to undergo International Yacht Training certification. The IYT Bareboat Skipper licence allows you to operate your own either rental boat worldwide. The price is 300-400 dollars for theory with practice along the Dnieper, either $200-350 for theory and $1000 for a weekly practice in Turkey or Greece (for sailboats).

Theory for motor yachts can reach $500 per course. By the way, practical classes in Ukraine cost a lot in schools. For example, on a 15-meter motor yacht, you may be asked for 150-200 dollars for an hour of study, so we recommend that you do not refuse a week-long trip for practice.

Another tip when you rent a yacht abroad. Take it always with the captain. He knows the peculiarities of the local water area, you will be calmer during the rest. For a week, captain services can cost $ 1,000.

Next comes the category of rights, which is suitable for professional activities. This is a coastal sailing skipper (Yachtmaster Coastal – Sail/Power). It allows you to sail up to 24 meters offshore for 60 miles in moderate wind and rough seas at any time of the day. Then comes the offshore skipper (Yachtmaster Offshore – Sail / Power). Everything is the same, only the distance from the coast is 150 miles. The skipper of ocean navigation (Yachtmaster Ocean – Sail) – you go anywhere, in any weather, time of day.

By the way, the cost of rented boat insurance directly depends on the captain’s certificate. The simpler is it, the more expensive the insurance.

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