How to get an I.C.C. (International Certificate of Competence)
If you want to charter a yacht, or go cruising your own yacht in international waters, it is a good idea to get an I.C.C. (International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft). If you have passed the RYA Day Skipper Practical course you simply apply to the R.Y.A. as per below. If you have not passed the Day Skipper practical course, you can do a 5 day course and I.C.C. assessment and on successfully passing the assessment you can apply for an I.C.C. You can also take an I.C.C. assessment on your own yacht. But first here are some things you should know:
1, The I.C.C. is not available to everyone. It depends on which country you are resident. If you are resident of one of the following countries you CANNOT apply for an I.C.C. : Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,Czechia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Ukraine.
2, You need to be at least 16 years old. Physically and mentally fit to operate a yacht.
3, If you already have done your Day Skipper practical course, the RYA training centre will have registered your Day Skipper certificate on the RYA database. So you can simply apply online on the RYA website:
You will need:
- A digital copy (photograph or scan) of your passport or a national ID card showing your nationality.
- Proof of address. Documents can be: Driving licence, Tax statement, Credit card statement, (do not send originals). More info on that here
When applying via the RYA website you will be asked:
“Please select completed courses”.
If you have the Day Skipper Practical Certificate you choose:
Sail
RYA Day Skipper Sail (Practical) Course Completion Certificate If you hold the older Day Skipper Practical with Tidal or Non-Tidal Endorsement, please tick the box and upload a copy. Power (with ‘up to 10m LOA’ restriction), Sail (including auxilliary engine), Coastal Waters
…and upload a scan of your Day Skipper practical certificate. Make sure you use the same email address on the application from is the same one you have given the RYA training centre.
If you have NOT done the Day Skipper Practical but have done the I.C.C. Assessment you choose:
RYA ICC Assessment – Sail (including auxilliary engine) for which the required evidence is the RYA ICC assessment certificate – sail (including auxiliary engine) category or the RYA ICC Application Form Part 4 (pages 1 and 2) confirming ICC assessment of competence passed for Sail (with auxiliary engine).
Power (with ‘up to 10m LOA’ restriction), Sail (including auxilliary engine)
…and upload the 2 I.C.C. assessment forms * (see below) signed and stamped by the RYA training centre.
Be aware
- A freelance Yachtmaster Instructor cannot do the assessment without an RYA training Centre.
- You can do an I.C.C. assessment on your own yacht if it is suitable and has all the necessary safety equipment.
- If you choose to do the assessment without training you have to be competent on the skills below.
For cruising there are two parts you need to pass.
* ICC assessment – sail (including auxiliary engine) category
* ICC assessment – coastal waters category
1. Preparation
• Give safety briefing including use of safety equipment
• Obtained and assessed appropriate weather forecast
• Pre-start engine checks
• Use kill cord (if fitted)
• Start engine
• Check cooling
• Knows fuel range
2. Depart from pontoon
• Understand use of springs to depart from lee wall or pontoon
• Communicate effectively with crew
• Position fenders correctly
3. 360˚ turn in confined space
4. Mooring to a buoy and anchoring
• Communicate effectively with crew
• Anchoring (deploy and set anchor, check holding,
recover and stow anchor)
• Mooring buoy (prepare warp, choose correct angle and
control speed on approach, secure boat effectively to
mooring buoy, depart from mooring safely)
5. Man overboard
• Observe MOB or instruct crew to do so
• Demonstrate correct direction and speed of approach
• Make suitable contact with MOB
6. Handling under sail
• Sail a triangular course with one leg being to windward
• Choose suitable area for hoisting / lowering sails
• Use sails suitable for prevailing condition
• Show awareness of wind direction
• Trim sails correctly on each point of sailing
• Warn crew before manoeuvres
• Look round before tacking and gybing
• Control sails during tacking and gybing
7. Coming alongside windward pontoon
• Communicate effectively with crew
• Show awareness of other water users
• Prepared warps / fenders
• Choose correct angle of approach
• Control speed of approach
• Stop boat in place required and secure to pontoon
• Stop engine
REGULATIONS
1. Knows responsibility for keeping a proper lookout
2. Can determine a ‘safe speed’
3. Can recognise a potential collision situation
4. Can identify ‘give way’ vessel in a collision situation
5. Knows action to take as ‘give way’ and ‘stand on’ vessel
6. Knows responsibilities of small vessel in narrow channel
7. Can recognise manoeuvring signals (1, 2, 3 & 5 blasts)
8. Can make and recognise visual distress signals
SAFETY
1. Is able to use and instruct crew on the use of:
• Lifejackets
• Distress alerting (e.g. DSC VHF, EPIRB, Flares, etc.)
• Fire extinguishers
• Kill cord (if fitted)
ICC ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE SYLLABUS – COASTAL WATERS KNOWLEDGE
PLANNING
Can prepare a boat for use and take sensible precautions
before setting out, including:
• Engine checks
• Check fuel for range / duration of trip
• Obtain weather forecast
• Avoid overloading boat
PLANNING NAVIGATION (CHART & PLOTTING INSTRUMENTS REQUIRED)
1, Sources of weather information, interpreting a forecast and
its impact on a passage
2, Can prepare a simple passage plan (tidal and non-tidal)
COLLISION REGLUATIONS (IRPCS)
1. Knows rules relating to Traffic Separation Schemes
2. Knows requirements for navigation lights and shapes to be
displayed on vessel
3. Can recognise the following from the lights: power driven,
sailing vessel, vessel at anchor, tug and tow, dredger
4. Knows sound signals to be made by: power driven vessel,
sailing vessel, vessel at anchor, tug and tow, dredger
5. Knowledge of all other rules (excluding annexes)
NAVIGATION (CHART & PLOTTING INSTRUMENTS REQUIRED)
1. Can interpret a navigational chart, understand significance
of charted depths and drying heights and can identify
charted hazards
2. Knows sources of information on: local regulations, port
entry and departure signals, VTS and Port Operations Radio
3. Can plan a harbour entry / departure, taking account of
possible presence of large vessels and avoiding
navigational hazards
4. Can fix a position and understands the importance of
verification of position from at least two sources
5. Can source weather information, interpret a forecast and its
impact on a passage and the sea state
6. Understands various methods of sending a distress signal
with reference to annex IV of the International Regulations
for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCS)
