I am interested in doing a bareboat charter in the Med next year. Although I have a fair amount of coastal cruising experience in my Catalina 30" I do not a a formal certificate stating competence. The charter company I contaced has mentioned that a declaration of competence from a club or association is sufficient in lieu of a formal certificate such as ASA. I can't really picture me going into the marina office and saying "I'm competent, please write me a letter saying as much." Has anyone done this before and how does it work? Thanks in advance. rtp
Bareboating Comptetence
- Thread starter ron627
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certification
Most organizations that offer sailing certification will allow an experienced sailor to challenge their certification. This means that one of their instructors will accompany you while you demonstrate your skills. If you meet the requirements of the certification, they'll issue it without requiring you to take their course. The Admiral took a class and got certified last year. Now she wants me to challenge and get the cert myself. I haven't made the time to do that yet, but I probably will in the near future.
Most organizations that offer sailing certification will allow an experienced sailor to challenge their certification. This means that one of their instructors will accompany you while you demonstrate your skills. If you meet the requirements of the certification, they'll issue it without requiring you to take their course. The Admiral took a class and got certified last year. Now she wants me to challenge and get the cert myself. I haven't made the time to do that yet, but I probably will in the near future.
Boating/Sailing resume'
When we chartered a vessel in the Caribbean and also on the Chesapeake, the charter companies had me write-up a boating/sailing resume in lieu of a certificate. I listed my years of sailing and boat ownership, the courses I had completed with the U.S Power Squadron and Coast Guard Auxillary, previous charter experience, boats owned, experience of sailing companions, etc. They accepted this document as proof of experience and (assumed) competence.
When we chartered a vessel in the Caribbean and also on the Chesapeake, the charter companies had me write-up a boating/sailing resume in lieu of a certificate. I listed my years of sailing and boat ownership, the courses I had completed with the U.S Power Squadron and Coast Guard Auxillary, previous charter experience, boats owned, experience of sailing companions, etc. They accepted this document as proof of experience and (assumed) competence.
As an ASA instructor
All the ASA schools that I have experience do this type of "challenge" in order for experienced sailors to get the desired certifications. Many experienced sailors have challenged the "Bareboat" certification for the exact reason you mention (to charter a boat in the Carribean, Med, etc). Our goal is to have a community of knowlegable, skilled and safe sailors. We welcome sailors from outside our ranks to join us. Together we can become a stronger community, we can learn from each other and we can help each other. There will be a fee for test administration (the challenge includes a written exam and on-the-water skills assessment), but it is much less than taking a class. COME ON DOWN!!! And welcome aboard. Capt. Jim
All the ASA schools that I have experience do this type of "challenge" in order for experienced sailors to get the desired certifications. Many experienced sailors have challenged the "Bareboat" certification for the exact reason you mention (to charter a boat in the Carribean, Med, etc). Our goal is to have a community of knowlegable, skilled and safe sailors. We welcome sailors from outside our ranks to join us. Together we can become a stronger community, we can learn from each other and we can help each other. There will be a fee for test administration (the challenge includes a written exam and on-the-water skills assessment), but it is much less than taking a class. COME ON DOWN!!! And welcome aboard. Capt. Jim
ASA Tests . . .
I'd try to do it with a sailing resume - the ASA tests are kind of a pill. I had over 90% correct on all of them (ASA 101,103,104,105), but there were a lot of poorly written questions. It took a lot of studying and memorizing to get there - and then some of the answers are not in the textbook, so you either have to have taken good notes when out on the water in a sailing class, or have other good general sailing knowledge. Even with good sailing experience - you might find the test route to require quite a bit of studying. I took the clases in full - not the challenges as I did not have the larger boat experience - great classes, a real benefit for me. But, I think that to challenge, most people would find a lot of study time to be needed even with good on the water experience. Will the charter company just let you do a checkout sail? That might be the easiest way to do it.
I'd try to do it with a sailing resume - the ASA tests are kind of a pill. I had over 90% correct on all of them (ASA 101,103,104,105), but there were a lot of poorly written questions. It took a lot of studying and memorizing to get there - and then some of the answers are not in the textbook, so you either have to have taken good notes when out on the water in a sailing class, or have other good general sailing knowledge. Even with good sailing experience - you might find the test route to require quite a bit of studying. I took the clases in full - not the challenges as I did not have the larger boat experience - great classes, a real benefit for me. But, I think that to challenge, most people would find a lot of study time to be needed even with good on the water experience. Will the charter company just let you do a checkout sail? That might be the easiest way to do it.
But Spain and some other areas req more
ASA 104 et al. with even a little charter experience might get you a bareboat, but in Spain, they require a government issued license. CG 6-pack here I come (am going to the America's Cup in two years....)
ASA 104 et al. with even a little charter experience might get you a bareboat, but in Spain, they require a government issued license. CG 6-pack here I come (am going to the America's Cup in two years....)
Just Returned from Greece
I just returned from a 10-day charter in the Aegean Sea. I have had instruction from Annapolis Sailing School (Basic Keelboat, Introduction to Cruising Boat, and Coastal Navigation) but not a license other than the Annapolis Sailing coarse completion certificates. At the time I took the courses I did not realize that I could have requested taking the US Sailing exams and received a registered certificate from US Sailing. I had been warned by the charter company (Posiedon Charters/Vernicos Yachts) that my credencials had to be submitted to the Greek Port Police and that the regulations required a bareboat certification or equivalent for both the captain and the first mate. I submitted an extensive sailing resume, my sailing school certificates, and a letter from the sailing club that I have belonged to for four years. I also submitted my wife and son's sailing school certificates. The charter company put them all in a folder and took them to the port police for approval. They only comment they had was that I had only brought copies, they would have preferred to see the original certificates. We had a wonderful time. Some days with 25 kts winds with gusts to 36 kts and swells approaching 10-12 ft. Other days 5 to 7 kts and flat seas. We sailed as part of a 3 boat flotilla. The lead boat had a Greek skipper who knew the waters and the local customs. We would have been lost and would have had a lot of trouble with the ports without him. Practice your Med Mooring. There are no marina slips in the Med. You back stern-to concrete sea walls while dropping your bow anchor in very tigh quarters and litterally squeeze your way in between two other boats. If the wall is full you back in and tie your stern lines to the bow of two boats already moored for the night. In the port in Hydra we were a second tier boat and had two more boats tie up to us. In the morning one of the pier side boats wanted to leave and we had to jocky all of the boats around to let him out. We had 3 anchor rodes crossed and two of the anchors, including ours got pulled up. But nobody gets mad and everybody helps each other. I could go on for pages. Let me know if you want any more information. Bob Rectanus
I just returned from a 10-day charter in the Aegean Sea. I have had instruction from Annapolis Sailing School (Basic Keelboat, Introduction to Cruising Boat, and Coastal Navigation) but not a license other than the Annapolis Sailing coarse completion certificates. At the time I took the courses I did not realize that I could have requested taking the US Sailing exams and received a registered certificate from US Sailing. I had been warned by the charter company (Posiedon Charters/Vernicos Yachts) that my credencials had to be submitted to the Greek Port Police and that the regulations required a bareboat certification or equivalent for both the captain and the first mate. I submitted an extensive sailing resume, my sailing school certificates, and a letter from the sailing club that I have belonged to for four years. I also submitted my wife and son's sailing school certificates. The charter company put them all in a folder and took them to the port police for approval. They only comment they had was that I had only brought copies, they would have preferred to see the original certificates. We had a wonderful time. Some days with 25 kts winds with gusts to 36 kts and swells approaching 10-12 ft. Other days 5 to 7 kts and flat seas. We sailed as part of a 3 boat flotilla. The lead boat had a Greek skipper who knew the waters and the local customs. We would have been lost and would have had a lot of trouble with the ports without him. Practice your Med Mooring. There are no marina slips in the Med. You back stern-to concrete sea walls while dropping your bow anchor in very tigh quarters and litterally squeeze your way in between two other boats. If the wall is full you back in and tie your stern lines to the bow of two boats already moored for the night. In the port in Hydra we were a second tier boat and had two more boats tie up to us. In the morning one of the pier side boats wanted to leave and we had to jocky all of the boats around to let him out. We had 3 anchor rodes crossed and two of the anchors, including ours got pulled up. But nobody gets mad and everybody helps each other. I could go on for pages. Let me know if you want any more information. Bob Rectanus
Try Australia
If you come to the Whitsundays, you don't need a licence to charter a bareboat, even though all private yachts have to have a licensed skipper on board. You just have to submit a resume of experience, and you don't even need that!!! They say they give you a comprehensive briefing prior to letting you out on your own. However, we have seen some horrendous mistakes made by inexperienced charterers, and hopefully it won't be long before insurance companies will demand that all hirers will have to be licensed. Then it should be a level playing field. Bing
If you come to the Whitsundays, you don't need a licence to charter a bareboat, even though all private yachts have to have a licensed skipper on board. You just have to submit a resume of experience, and you don't even need that!!! They say they give you a comprehensive briefing prior to letting you out on your own. However, we have seen some horrendous mistakes made by inexperienced charterers, and hopefully it won't be long before insurance companies will demand that all hirers will have to be licensed. Then it should be a level playing field. Bing
Six Pack
It's interesting that Spain would accept a government issued certification (like a six-pack), but not the ASA cert. The six-pack is not a certification of sailing ability, it's a certification of understanding of government regulations. There's not even a test of ability, it's all written.
It's interesting that Spain would accept a government issued certification (like a six-pack), but not the ASA cert. The six-pack is not a certification of sailing ability, it's a certification of understanding of government regulations. There's not even a test of ability, it's all written.
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