Yacht Charter Greece Qualifications

Experience & Qualifications to Charter a Yacht in Greece

The best way to explore the Ionian islands of Greece is on a yacht and whether or not you have sailing experience or a sailing qualification/certificate there will be a yacht charter for you.

Bareboat Yacht Charter

Bareboat yacht charter is a great option for those with previous sailing experience. To charter a yacht bareboat in the Ionian waters of Greece the skipper is required by Greek law to hold:

  • RYA Day Skipper Practical Sailing Course or above OR
  • ‘International Certificate for Operator of Pleasure Craft’ with Sail endorsement (ICC), OR
  • An equivalent national qualification/certificate

With previous experience as skipper on a similar size yacht gained by sailing in the UK or abroad the skipper should be assisted by a competent member of crew. The skipper should be competent at handling a yacht in close quarters, anchoring and mooring in varying conditions and be able to use navigation and pilotage skills to plan the day’s sailing and know your position at any time.

More about Bareboat Yacht Charter

Flotilla Sailing Holidays

Joining an Ionian flotilla offers you the chance to sail your own yacht with the back-up of an experienced and knowledgeable lead boat and skipper. As you sail your own yacht having at least one member of crew (the skipper) with some previous sailing experience is important although he or she will have the support of the flotilla lead crew and security of being within a group.

Whilst you are part of a flotilla group you will still be the skipper of your own yacht and so the skipper should have the same qualifications or certificate as with a bareboat yacht charter such as RYA Day Skipper or above, the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) or a similar certificate from another country. The skipper should be assisted by at least one competent crew (or first mate!).

More about Flotilla Sailing Holidays

Bareboat Refresher

For less experienced sailors looking to develop or for those a little rusty who would benefit from a confidence boost a bareboat refresher (or assisted bareboat sailing) allows you to have a dedicated Island Sailing skipper on board for the first days of your holiday and you progress to bareboating when you feel you are ready. If you have been on flotilla in the past then you will more than likely be ready to progress to a bareboat refresher.

You need to hold a sailing qualification or certificate as with a bareboat yacht charter such as the RYA Day Skipper or above, an International Certificate of Competence - ICC (or a similar certificate from another country), for when you are ready for your skipper to leave you to explore the Ionian on a bareboat basis.

More about Bareboat  Refreshers

Skippered Yacht Charter

Skippered yacht charter is ideal for those with little or no sailing experience or qualifications. If you do want to learn how to sail whilst on holiday you can choose to have informal tuition from your skipper and learn as much or as little as you wish or you can take a formal sailing course onboard your own private yacht.

For those wanting to sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful Ionian islands then a skippered yacht charter is the way to go.

More about Skippered Yacht Charter

Sailing experience but no qualification?

If you have sailing experience but no sailing qualifications or certificate there are plenty of options available either before you come to Greece or when you get here.

  • Take an RYA Day Skipper course in the Ionian as part of a one or two week bareboat or flotilla holiday.
  • Have a short ICC assessment before you come to Greece with an RYA sailing school or affiliated sailing club.
  • Take the Day Skipper course with an RYA sailing school before you come to Greece.
  • Most countries outside of the UK offer similar courses and assessments.

Island Sailing work with a number of excellent RYA sailing schools in Greece and in the UK. Contact us for information about training centres offering ICC assessments, RYA Day Skipper and other great sailing courses in the UK or in Greece. For a general chat about your experience and qualifications or if you live outside of the UK and need advice call us on 0844 840 1968 or email jonny@island-sailing.com

More about Ionian Sailing Courses

Other Sailing Qualifications

To sail a yacht bareboat or in a flotilla in the Ionian waters of Greece the skipper of the yacht should have previous skipper experience on a similar size yacht and a recognised sailing qualification or certificate issued by a recognised sailing organisation or statutory body. We have included some further information about various sailing qualifications from around the world, however these are by no means exhaustive so if you have any questions about sailing qualifications/certificates or sailing experience please do not hesitate to call or email us.

  • Sailing qualifications Australia: RYA Day Skipper or higher or Yachting Australia Inshore Certificate or higher
  • Sailing Qualifications Ireland: ISA Day Skipper or above
  • Sailing qualifications New Zealand: RYA Day Skipper or higher
  • Sailing qualifications South Africa: SAS Day Skipper or higher or RYA Day Skipper or higher
  • Sailing qualifications United Kingdom: RYA Day Skipper or higher
  • Sailing qualifications USA: Bareboat Chartering Standard (ASA 104) (Intermediate Coastal Cruising) or higher or US Sailing Bareboat Cruising Certification or higher or the International Proficiency Certificate (IPC). If you have sailing experience you can ‘challenge’ our sailing certifications at any US Sailing certified school www.sailingcertification.com.  He will need to be certified through bareboat cruising to meet the requirements for chartering in Europe.  The U.S. offer the equivalent to an ICC called the International Proficiency Certificate (IPC) which is recognized in European waters.

 

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