can I then use the CH license in other places around the world, i.e. Mediterranean sea ?
so is that correct - if I relocate to CH, I can have my Australian Boat License swapped for the CH version ? no further tests required ?
THANKS LOB!
Although I went to that link, I had alreay foundout that those schools listed do not provide for anything other than getting your personal operators license for recreational boating. I need to find more info on the commercial end of this, and am finding out that not every kanton provides the test in an English format. Just starting to learn German is not providing me with many opportunities, for local knowledge. Yet I am very determined to open doors here, just need to find the righ ones!
you may start with some of the contacts listed on the thread as they might be able to steer you in the direction you need.
it might make sense to keep all the captain stuff in this thread though - so when captsomeoneelse comes along, he or she will find it
Hi there,
Just wondering if anyone can advise me whether it is possible to convert an Irish Sailing Assoc. Day Skipper Cert. to the Swiss system
Thanks for the thread guys.
Been meaning to do this for a Looooong time, not that the winds here are great for sailing, but you get the occasional day.
Any English versions of the Theory lessons? Have RYA training stuff, but not sure if this covers all the right information. Anyone have any example tests?
Can RYA certificates be converted? i.e. Power boat and sailing?
The RYA will issue an HOCC (Helmsman's Oversees Certificate of Competency) based on the certificates you hold. You will be able to get a powerboat one if you have a Powerboat level 2 cert, I think the dinghy sailing requires a level 3 cert and for keel boats I think its Dayskipper that will entitle you to the HOCC.
I used to be an RYA/ISA Sailing Senior instructor and a Powerboat Advanced Instructor and this was the standard course of action we would recommend for people coming to the continent to sail or motorboat.
Having said that I have never actually went and gotten a HOCC and have driven waterski boats on various lakes in Switzerland and France. I was counting on them accepting my normal certificates if someone asked me... I never got asked!
Hi,
Thanks for the info. I guess I'll contact the RYA and find out more.
I did my Tidal advanced when I was 14 but could not go any higher at the time as you needed to be 16 for instructor etc..
Yachts, did the day skipper thoery over a decade ago, but never completed the Pratcial. Although I've done many bareboat charters just based on my experience (a couple of times in Rothmans week Cape town SA, Block Island race week, many Isle of white races and Sunsail race weekends).
Power boat I did decades ago too but never received the certificate (thanks to the plocker organising this).
I'm considering getting my day captain permis to be able to take a motor boat out on to Lac Leman on these beautiful summer days
The SAN website for the Canton of Vaud tells me that I can only take the practical test in French, German or Italian and it seems to be a multiple choice exam taken on a computer
My French is OK but I'm a little worried about the technical terms. Does anyone know if the sylabbus for the exam and sample questions are published anywhere?
I remember when I did my pilots theory exam in the US many years ago, it was a huge help that the FAA published ALL the possible questions you could face on its website. It was a great way of swatting up on the answers and also getting a sense of the kind of questions you might come up against.
If something like that were available here then there would also be the huge benefit of being able to sit down with a dictionary and work out what the words mean!
Hi to everybody.I tried to check any information in Ef, however I could not find anything clear about converting foreign Certificate of Competency for Yatching (Amateur) to Swiss one. Is there any time limit for the conversion.Is it like Car Driver Licence or not. Do I have to attend any exam.And the most important question , where I should apply.(11 months in Switzerland as non-eu, B permit holder, living in Baselland)
I suggest to contact the police of Baselland. It's the authority responsible for boat captain licenses.
Hi all, I'm looking to contact a member, John MC, regarding his website... he mentioned that he started a school to help people get their sailing licence here in Switzerland in English (but that was a few years ago now), my husband is geared up to get back into sailing.... I would appreciate any leads...thanks...
Did you try sending him a message? Click on his username (left button) and select email or private message.
Yeah, tried that... but haven't heard anything yet... thanks though...
Hello John,
I am searching the ways of having amateur motor boat license which is valid around the world.
The idea is to able to rent jet ski and a boat/yacht daily to enjoy the peaceful blue on our holidays. I am planing this courses as a gift to my husband. While I was searching, I have found different information that some of them says online courses are possible, some of them says it takes months to have a license. Is there a short period of education as a first step, so that he can find out if he really enjoys it and decides to have further education or not?
I highly appreciate any kind of help and information.
Thank you in advance.
I wish you a happy new year and all the best,
Most of my Swiss friends who have international licenses have done them in Italy.
And even there it takes some time.
Tom
As John hasn’t been around since 2010 and didn’t post his website details I’m afraid you won’t hear anything from him.
There is also this problem which Mark mentioned back in 2006.
"What I’m about to say is completely unqualified information, so please don’t rely on it…
From what I’ve heard the process is very long and very expensive in CH. Best option is to do outside the country and then have your licence converted. But there’s a catch - you have to have been away for more than 12 months to get away with it. They obviously want to stop people going away for a holiday and doing it. I believe the same kind of rules apply to getting a driver’s licence outside of CH."
Obviously you’d need to confirm that, but it could make taking any course outside of Switzerland difficult.
Hi,
John is still here but rather busy with work and the joys of a young family to do any sailing...
@ gzdgvn
An online course could be valuable for theory, but nothing will replace the value of practical experience. To rent a jet ski or small motor boat might only require a car licence, or deposit, in many parts of the world. So you may not need any formal qualifications.
My advice would be to book a holiday where you can try whichever boating you or OH are interested in and take it from there. Your home country would be a very good choice of destination for this.
Best of luck!
The ICC is more like and international driving licence in that you can't get one unless you have a national licence.... Which I suspect is what he was referring to. If you are Swiss resident then the licensing authority is Switzerland, not the country where you did the course.
If you are just renting out something for a day as a tourist you should not need any special certification.
The thing is there is no single international licence as such. There are multiple nation licences depending on what you want to do and there is an international certificate based on meeting national requirements but they are only recognised by certain countries. I expect that you are getting different information because you are being told about dissimilar options. It is a long time ago since I got my Cox certificate, but basically you can break it down into three areas: inland, on shore and off shore. Off Shore tends to be commercial and navy so probably not what you are interested in. Inland tends to be rivers, waterways, lakes etc... and on shore is about the distance from shore in which you are entitled to operate certain vessels. Perhaps this can help you to filter out the noise in your quest.
Like any license, they are valid everywhere except Switzerland (if you are resident here).
Many Swiss resident friends (mostly Swiss as well) have gotten theirs (offshore) outside of Switzerland. The only person I know to bother getting his here is my wife's ex, as he is a Captain on Lake Lugano and thus needs a local certificate.
Tom