Outdoor Focus

Please login or register
 
  • Decrease font size
  • Default font size
  • Increase font size
  • default color
  • blue color
  • green color
Home arrow Skippers Courses arrow Skippers Course
Skippers Course

Law about Skippers Licenses : It is now law that everyone taking a vessel to sea has to have a skippers licence. It is also law that everyone operating a vessel with an engine of over 15hp on inland waters has to have a skippers licence.

Skippers License : These licenses are obtainable through SAMSA, (South African Maritime Safety Authority). Various businesses and organisations have been authorized by SAMSA to teach these courses on their behalf.

Course Content : The courses consist of various sections to fulfill the requirements for the different courses. Find a list below of the various courses available with the appropriate SAMSA distance allocation for the course.

 

Category R   This covers all inland waters, estuaries, lagoons and ports.

Category E    Vessels only going 1 nm offshore.

Category D    Vessels only going 5 nm offshore.

Category C    Vessels going up to 15 nm offshore.

Category B    Vessels going up to 40 nm offshore

Category A    Vessels going over 40 nm offshore

Endorsements you can add to your skipppers licence.

Surf Launch Endorsement

To get a surf launch endorsement you will have to prove by means of a letter from a skipper that you have done 12 surf launches and beachings with an appropriate vessel. No more than 3 of these launches can be on any one day. 

Dive Skipper Endorsement

To get this endorsement you either have to have one of the following

  • dive leadership qualification
  • entry level qualifications with a written exam and a practical if required
  • ten hours experience skippering a dive vessel with a written exam and a practical if required.

 Skippers Courses we offer

Category R

Inland Skippers Course

Course Content :

This course consists of approximately 4 hours of lecture's, a multiple choice exam and a practical exam. 

Course Duration:
Lectures and the
multiple choice exam will keep you busy until approximately lunch time.

Your practical will take about an hour but all these times will vary depending on the amount of people on the course.

What you will need :

  • You will need to provide a boat for your practical exam.
  • A pen with scrap paper
  • 2 x 1m pieces of rope
  1. Eyesight test certificate       
  2. Doctors letter saying that you are fit to skipper a boat
  3. Copy of your I.D book         
  4. 2 x ID photos
  5. Letter from a skipper proving you have at least 25 hours river service.  (Sea/river time recorded on any category vessel is acceptable for category R)

 Category E

1nm offshore  Marine Skippers Course

Course Content : 

This course comprises half a day of lecture's, a written and  practical exam. 

Course Duration:
Lectures and the
written exam will take approximately 5 to 6 hours.

Your practical will take about two hours but all these times will vary depending on the amount of people on the course.

What you will need :

  • You will need to provide a boat for your practical exam.
  • A pen with scrap paper
  • 2 x 1m pieces of rope
  1. Eyesight test certificate       
  2. Doctors letter saying that you are fit to skipper a boat
  3. Copy of your I.D book         
  4. 2 x ID photos
  5. Letter from a skipper proving you have at least 25 hours skippering a boat at least 1 nm offshore.  It will also have to confirm surf launch and dive boat skipper endorsements if this is what you require.

Category D + C 

5 nm or 15 nm Marine Skippers Course

Course Content : 

This course comprises a day and a half of lectures, a written and  practical exam. 

Course Duration:
Lectures and the
written exam will take approximately 16 hours.

Your practical will take about two hours but all these times will vary depending on the amount of people on the course.

What you will need :

  • You will need to provide a boat for your practical exam.
  • A pen with at least 15 pages of scrap paper
  • 2 x 1m pieces of rope
  • A calculator
  • Pencil and eraser
  1. Eyesight test certificate       
  2. Doctors letter saying that you are fit to skipper a boat
  3. Copy of your I.D book         
  4. 2 x ID photos
  5. Letter from a skipper proving you have at least 25 hours skippering a boat at least 15 nm offshore.  It will also have to confirm surf launch and dive boat skipper endorsements if this is what you require.

Category B

Up to 40 nm Marine Skippers Course

Course Content : 

This course comprises a day and a half of lectures, a written and  practical exam. 

Course Duration:
Lectures and the
written exam will take approximately 16 hours.

Your practical will take about two hours but all these times will vary depending on the amount of people on the course.

What you will need :

  • You will need to provide a boat for your practical exam.
  • A pen with at least 15 pages of scrap paper
  • 2 x 1m pieces of rope
  • A calculator
  • Pencil and eraser
  1. Eyesight test certificate       
  2. Doctors letter saying that you are fit to skipper a boat.
  3. Copy of your I.D book         
  4. 2 x ID photos
  5. Letter from a skipper proving you have at least 25 hours skippering a boat at least 15 nm offshore.  It will also have to confirm surf launch and dive boat skipper endorsements if this is what you require.