How to Become a Yacht Captain and Get a License? A Beginner's Guide

Publication date: 12.03.2024

The thirst for adventure, the salty wind in your face, the endless horizon – a yacht beckons with freedom and the chance to explore the world from a unique perspective. How does one become a yacht captain and set sail? It's a journey that demands knowledge, practice, and, of course, a passion for the sea. To achieve this, you must complete training, pass exams successfully, obtain a license, and hone your skills in vessel handling, navigation, and safety to confidently and responsibly traverse the open waters.

Typically, the interest and desire to steer a yacht arise after your first sailing trip as part of a crew. If you haven’t yet experienced a sea voyage, we recommend starting with just that. Joining an organized adventure to feel firsthand what a yacht expedition is like—this is the best way to begin.

After gaining hands-on experience, you’ll immediately understand life aboard a yacht, how a sailing passage unfolds, and grasp the captain’s role. This will help you decide whether you truly want to become a captain and command a yacht—or simply enjoy sailing adventures as part of the crew.

Several organizations issue international yacht licenses. Their key differences:

The most popular licenses worldwide are: ISSA, RYA, IYT.

ISSA (International Sailing Schools Association) is a British association whose licenses are currently universal for global travel. The organization issues lifetime licenses. Even at the entry level, you can sail both day and night. However, some regions or charter companies may impose night-sailing restrictions regardless of license type—always confirm this when renting a vessel.

Charter companies worldwide accept ISSA licenses. The only country where you might encounter difficulties is Montenegro. In other regions, refusals are more likely due to lack of experience or an incomplete sailing resume (we’ll cover this in the article "How to Charter Your First Boat").

RYA (Royal Yachting Association) is one of the oldest and most respected licensing bodies among seasoned sailors. This British association boasts an impressive history—founded in 1875. Its schools operate globally, offer certified programs, and maintain unquestioned training standards.

However, it has a major drawback: Until recently, courses were only available in English.

While RYA licenses were once recognized almost worldwide, Brexit changed everything. Today, no charter company rents yachts to RYA license holders (except for British passport holders within the UK). As a result, even experienced sailors with RYA credentials had to re-certify through other schools, regardless of prior experience.

Bottom line: RYA training is now impractical for most international sailors.

IYT is a Canadian organization with schools worldwide. Like ISSA, instruction is conducted in the local language, with international maritime terminology included in the course.

These certifications are recognized by the vast majority of countries in the Americas and Europe. However, the license falls short compared to ISSA. In 2013, the organization stopped issuing lifetime licenses - they now require renewal every 5 years along with regular membership fees. This is why the school is losing popularity, and the license has become rare - mainly obtained in the US and Canada.

Additionally, the entry-level license only permits daytime sailing - night passages require additional training after completing a certain mileage. For this reason, the license isn't accepted in some popular sailing areas like Greece, where nighttime navigation rights are required to leave ports. You'd need to obtain an additional paid certificate or choose documentation from another school.

Comparative characteristics of licenses

In addition to a skipper's license, some countries may also require a certificate confirming knowledge of international maritime radio communication rules (VHF), but most schools offer to obtain it right away.

We should note right away that Russia is one of the few countries that does **not** accept international licenses. To become a yacht captain in Russia, you must obtain a Russian license called **GIMS**. We will write more about it below.

To operate a yacht in Russia, you must obtain a license from GIMS (State Inspectorate for Small Vessels) - the government body regulating small boats. Sailing in Russian waters without this license is prohibited. The agency also handles registration of boats, yachts, etc.

Important: The GIMS license is only valid domestically. It cannot be used to charter yachts in other countries.

To obtain a GIMS license you need to:

You can complete the training directly at GIMS or its authorized training centers.

You may find information online about VFPS licenses - the All-Russian Sailing Federation. This organization primarily focuses on training athletes, so these licenses aren't suitable for recreational yachting in Russia. Like GIMS, this type of license isn't recognized in other countries.

Earlier we discussed the types of international licenses - now let's look in more detail at what the actual training involves. Generally, programs from different associations are similar, as all courses must comply with the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) - a UN-developed convention standardizing training.

To obtain a yacht captain's license, you must complete theory and practical sea training. The theory ensures all future captains arrive for practical sessions with basic knowledge of yachts, their operation, and an understanding of the instructor's commands.

Theoretical training covers:

To pass the exam after the theoretical course, you must complete a week of practical training at sea. Schools typically publish schedules on their websites, social media groups, or special channels. The schedule shows available dates, the country where training will take place, the yacht model, and the number of available spots in the group.

You can complete the practical training at any time after finishing the theory, though it's best to do so within six months to retain what you've learned.

The practical part usually lasts 7 days. At sea, the instructor helps refine your theoretical knowledge and teaches how to manage a crew.

If you dream of becoming a captain and are ready to start training, fill out the form below. Our team will contact you, answer any questions, and provide start dates for both theoretical and practical training.