ICC Course (International Certificate of Competency)

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Title: ICC Course (International Certificate of Competence) Sail

(For ICC power under 10m please try RYA Start Powerboating and ICC)

Price: £249 p/p.

Duration: 2 Days

Catchment area: International Certificate of Competence (ICC), serving London, Brighton and the counties of Sussex, Kent and Surrey in the South East of the UK. About 45mins from Eastbourne's sovereign harbour and 20 minutes from Newhaven harbour and Lewes to the East. About an hour from Croydon and Crawley and 40 minutes from Haywards Heath and Gatwick Airport to the North. About 45 minutes from Worthing, an hour from Littlehampton and 35 minutes from Shoreham Harbour yacht club.

Location: Brighton Marina.

Parking: Free in the marina multi storey car park.

Candidates: Boat owners, coastal/offshore workers, Coastal/Yachtmaster candidates, divers, outdoor pursuit instructors, yacht skippers, powerboat drivers, Sailing in France.

Frequently asked questions:

Do I need an ICC licence to drive a boat / sail a yacht?

The short answer is, in the UK, amazing as it may sound, legally you do not need to hold any licence or attend any course to drive a powerboat or sail a yacht.. for anything up to 24m or under 500 gross tons.

The long answer is.. it’s complicated! It depends where you are sailing, which company/club/country, what type of boat, who you are on the boat with and the reasons you are on the water. ie leisure or commercial. The ICC qualification will cover you for most scenarios. In the mean time try taking a look at our recommended '6_steps_to_sailing.pdf' for sailing

What licence do I need to take my boat to France?

You will need at least an ICC (International Certificate of Competency) certificate and a VHF operator’s licence. If you are going inland (canals, lakes etc), you will also need to do a CEVNI test which can be added on to your ICC. A Day Skipper Practical certificate will cover you for ICC (you will need to apply to the RYA with a copy of your certificate to receive this), but it will not cover you for CEVNI or VHF. You can do all of these here at SailnetUK.

Do I ever need to renew my ICC Certificate?

Yes, your ICC Certificate is valid for only 5 years from date of issue.

Is there a ICC exam at the end of the course?

Our course includes one day of practical training and going over the syllabus to make sure you are familiar with it. The second day is the assessment. As long as you have paid attention during the course and done the homework, there is no reason you won’t be able to breeze through the assessment. An immediate re-sit is possible if you don’t get through on the first attempt.

Where will my ICC licence be valid?

An increasing number of countries including France, Spain and Croatia require visiting yachtsmen to hold an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) by law. The RYA now recommends skippers hold at least an ICC if you are planning to sail or cruise anywhere within Europe and the Mediterranean. Even though the RYA Day Skipper Practical is deemed equivalent to the ICC, only the ICC certificate will provide unequivocal documentary assurance to the port authorities that you meet the legal minimum requirements.

What is the right ICC course to take, there seems to be so many?

There are basically three types of ICC. ICC sail (up to 24m), ICC powerboat (up to 10m), and ICC motor cruiser (between 10m – 24m). The ICC tends to be referred to in many ways -

ICC Licence, ICC License, ICC, ICC Course, ICC Skippers Courses, RYA ICC Course, ICC Training, ICC Training Course, Certificate of Competence Training Courses, ICC Skippers Licence, ICC skipper assessment, ICC Boat skippers Licence, Boat skippers ICC,

...but don’t worry, if it's got ICC in the title, it is an ICC course!

If I have never sailed before or as a beginner, how do I get my ICC?

You need to do the minimum of a Competent Crew Course - 5 days, Day Skipper Theory course - 5 days and then the Day Skipper Practical course - 5 days.

Why choose SailnetUK’s ICC Course when all courses follow a similar syllabus?

There actually isn’t an official ICC course, only an official assessment which lasts for one day. However, we have found that even experienced yachtsmen can struggle with aspects of the assessment that they are unfamiliar with. So we recommend one day preparation followed by one day assessment. We only use multi disciplined, experienced instructors who use their skills on a day to day basis so you will be in very good hands.

Is there a fee for issuing an ICC Licence?

If you are a member of the RYA it is free. If not there is a £38 admin charge

Are there any other hidden costs?

No. If you book online, there are no ‘claw back’ credit card charges, VAT charges, parking fees or any other charges, which can quickly push up the price of a ‘cheap’ ICC course. If you book over the phone however, a 2% credit card (not debit) charge will still apply. The course does not include an overnight stay on board unless by special arrangement, so you will need to organise an overnight stay in Brighton.

Why go to Brighton Marina to do my ICC assessment Course?

Brighton Marina, with its many cafe’s bars and restaurants is one of the biggest in Europe, easy to get to, and a great place to bring the family for a day out. Being a big busy marina it’s a great place to practice your boat handling skills around other boats and pontoons.

Do you do group discounts, special dates, special offers or ‘on location’ training?

For groups of 4 or more, we are happy to discuss your specific needs, whether it be a ICC Course group discount rate, a date to suit you, holding the course at your dive club, boat club or marina. As a Brighton Berth Holder Member (BMBHA) you will get a further 10% off our already competitive price. (Only £10 joining fee!). Special prices and special offers apply to new bookings only.

What does the course cover?

Short passage

Departing a pontoon
- Communication with crew
- Use of springs
- Fender positioning
- Man over board (MOB) procedures
- Correct direction and speed of approach
- Contact with MOB

Alongside skills
- Communication with crew
- Awareness of other water users
- Use of warps/fenders
- Correct angle and speed of approach
- Securing boat to pontoon

360 degree turn

Securing to a bouy
- Communication with crew
- Preparing warp
- Correct angle and speed of approach
- Securing the boat effectively
- Departing from the buoy safely

Handling under sail
- Choosing suitable sails for prevailing condition
- Choosing a suitable area for hoisting/lowering sails
- Trimming sails correctly
- Communicating with crew before undertaking any manoeuvres
- Undertaking a check of the area before tacking and gibing

Power manoeuvres
- Awareness for other water users
- Use of a kill-cord
- Choosing a suitable area to carry out manoeuvres
- Carrying out an emergency stop
- Able to control speed on turns and warning crew before starting and executing emergency turns

Theory test

Regulations
- Able to recognise a potential collision situation
- Able to recognise action to take as “stand on” and “give way” vessel
- Able to determine a safe speed
- Able to recognise manoeuvring signals
- Able to recognise and make visual distress signals
- Able to keep a proper lookout

Regulations and Pilotage
- Able to understand requirements for navigation lights and ships
- Able to recognise sound signals
- Able to recognise the following from the lights – vessel at anchor, power driven vessel and sailing vessel
- Able to recognise, by day and night, and understand the significance of buoys of the IALA system
- Able to plan a harbour entry/departure, taking in to account possible hazards
- Aware of the sources of information regarding local regulations, port entry and departure signals and Port Operations radio

Navigation
- Able to plot a position by cross bearings and by Latitude and Longitude
- Able to interpret a navigational chart and understand charted depths, drying heights and charted hazards
- Able to use a tide table to find times and heights of high and low water
- Able to determine direction & rate of tidal stream from a tidal atlas or from tidal diamonds
- Able to determine magnetic course to steer, making allowances for leeway and tidal stream