Find Your Course
STEP 1: Choose An Accreditation
There are three different types of accreditations: SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Association) is the South African body which issues Certificates of Competence (CoC). However, SAMSA has authorised South African Sailing (SAS) to issue Certificates of Competence (CoC) for sailing. A SAMSA or SAS CoC is required to sail in South Africa and both are recognised Worldwide.
If you are wanting a career overseas working in the yachting industry, RYA (Royal Yachting Association) is the preferred accreditation of employers in the Super-yacht industry.
If you’re not looking for a skipper course (Certificate of Competence), check out our mile-builder trips for a practical sailing experience, or consider a short course to refresh your seamanship skills.
STEP 2: Choose A Level Of Competence
After you’ve chosen the accreditation best suited to your needs, it’s time to choose a level of Competence (CoC).
It may be tempting to try dive into the deep-end and choose the highest certificate of competence before completing the lower levels first – this may be a legitimate option for you if you’ve spent many years crewing at sea. However, this route may steal from your overall progression and leave you struggling to pass the theory and practical exams and not confident enough to sail even once you’ve passed the exams.
Therefore, we recommend starting at a competence level that you could easiest achieve the prerequisites for. Start sailing and boating and progress through the competence levels as you gain the experience and sea-time required.
There are many “Zero to Hero” courses that may qualify you as a Yachtmaster/CAT A sailor within three months but without the real experience to handle yourself sailing off-shore in a storm or when something goes wrong. If you want to progress quickly, the best option is to sail a lot! Chat to us about crew experiences and offshore mile-builders to get real sea experience! Or we highly recommend chatting to your local yacht club about opportunities to crew on vessels.
View the below table to find the level of competence you would like to attain for your chosen accreditation:
STEP 3: Prerequisites To Achieve A Certificate Of Competence
You will be required to meet the perquisites of the course. You will not be issued a Certificate of Competence (CoC) until all the prerequisites are met and the examinations for each course are passed successfully.
If you need assistance in attaining any perquisites drop us a line and we will help find the best solution for your needs.
(Dams, rivers, lagoons, harbours)
(1nm from shore)
(15nm from shore)
(40nm from shore)
(unlimited)
- Log a min. of 50 hours on a vessel at sea signed off by a skipper
- Log a min of 50 hours on a vessel at sea signed off by a skipper.
-
Log a minimum of 25 hours on a CAT C vessel at sea signed off by a CAT C skipper or higher.
-
Log a minimum of 50 hours on a CAT C vessel at sea signed off by a CAT C skipper of higher.
- Not applicable
- Not applicable
- Not applicable
- 200nm as crew
- 2 night hours of watch
- 1 night entry into candidates port
- SRC Radio Certificate
- Visual Acuity and Ishihara Colour Test
- 800nm as crew.
- 24 night hours on watch.
- 3 passengers of at least 60nm each.
- SRC Radio Certificate
- Visual Acuity and Ishihara Colour Test
- 1st Aid Course
- 2500nm as crew.
- 48 night hours on watch.
- 3 overnight passengers of at least 100nm each as skipper.
- SAS Coastal Skippers
- Not applicable
- Not applicable
- 5 days on water sailing.
- A minimum of 100 hours logged.
- A minimum of 4 night hours on board a sailing yacht.
- A minimum of 15 days of on water sailing of which at least 2 days must have been as skipper.
- A minimum of 300 miles logged.
- A minimum of 8 night hours.
- 50 days sea time with 5 days as skipper.
- 2500 miles logged with 12 night hours.
- At least 5 passengers of 60 miles or more and with at least 2 being overnight and 2 as skipper.
- At least half the mileage must have been in tidal waters.
(Dams, rivers, lagoons, harbours)
- Log a min of 50 hours on a vessel at inland waters or sea signed off by a captain.
- Pass SAMSA theory exam.
(1nm from shore)
- Log a min of 50 hours on a vessel at sea signed off by a skipper.
- Pass SAMSA theory exam.
(15nm from shore)
- Log a minimum of 25 hours on a CAT D vessel at sea signed off by a CAT C skipper or highter.
- Pass SAMSA theory and practical exams.
(40nm from shore)
- Log a minimum of 50 hours on a CAT D vessel at sea signed off by a CAT C skipper of higher.
- Pass SAMSA theory and practical exams.
(unlimited)
- Not applicable
(Dams, rivers, lagoons, harbours)
- Not applicable
(1nm from shore)
- Not applicable
(15nm from shore)
- 200nm as crew
- 2 night hours of watch
- 1 night entry into candidates port
(40nm from shore)
- 800nm as crew.
- 24 night hours on watch.
- 3 passengers of at least 60nm each.
(unlimited)
- 2500nm as crew.
- 48 night hours on watch.
- 3 overnight passengers of at least 100nm each as skipper.
(Dams, rivers, lagoons, harbours)
- Not applicable
(1nm from shore)
- Not applicable
(15nm from shore)
- 5 days on water sailing.
- A minimum of 100 hours logged.
- A minimum of 4 night hours on board a sailing yacht.
(40nm from shore)
- A minimum of 15 days of on water sailing of which at least 2 days must have been as skipper.
- A minimum of 300 miles logged.
- A minimum of 8 night hours.
(unlimited)
- 50 days sea time with 5 days as skipper.
- 2500 miles logged with 12 night hours.
- At least 5 passengers of 60 miles or more and with at least 2 being overnight and 2 as skipper.
- At least half the mileage must have been in tidal waters.
Some accreditors like RYA allow applicants to start at any level of competence, so your first RYA course may be a Yachtmaster course if you meet the prerequisites. Therefore, students wishing to qualify for RYA accreditations should consider completing SAS courses (which are far more economical) and then transition to RYA when you meet the sea-time prerequisites for the desired RYA course.
