Wind in the sails: 10 embarrassing yachting questions and their answers

Wind in the sails: 10 embarrassing yachting questions and their answers

About how and where to get a license to drive a yacht, not to get caught by scammers and go to sea already this summer.

More and more people in Russia are fond of sailing, but as it turned out, getting the right to operate a small vessel is easy only at first glance. We found out what problems any novice yachtsman can face.

Why do you need a boat driver’s license?

Without a license you cannot rent a boat. If you have your own yacht, without a driver’s license you are obliged to hire a specialist, even if you plan to cruise through a rain puddle. And it’s not about hefty fines, it’s about your own safety.

I want to get a license to drive a boat, where do I start?

In general, the procedure is similar to getting a driver’s license. You need to pass a medical examination, choose a sailing school and undergo training, pass theoretical and practical exams, get a license.

The yacht club promises that after completing the training I will get a license. Will it be a real license?

No, it’s either a publicity stunt or you are dealing with scammers. Schools are not allowed to certify and issue licenses. After the training, you only get a certificate, which does not give you the right to drive a boat.

Who conducts certification for boat drivers?

Two bodies in Russia take examinations and issue licenses: the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels (GIMS) and the All-Russian Federation of Sailing Sports (VFPS). GIMS belongs to the Ministry of Emergency Situations and deals with registration of vessels and certification of boat drivers. The Federation is engaged in training of sportsmen and popularization of sailing sport.

How do I know where to take the exam?

First you must decide where you plan to use your vessel. If you are going to travel only on inland waters of Russia, you need to take the exams in GIMS. And in case you plan to charter a yacht abroad, you will need to pass the certification in the federation. It is forbidden to operate a vessel in Russian inland waters with a federation license, and it is practically impossible to charter a yacht in European countries with an inspection license.

Why can’t one body be in charge of issuing licenses?

The whole problem is that there are no uniform rules in the world, as there are too many different water areas, types of vessels and purposes of staying on the water. That is why the only international document is the Convention for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea.

I have decided that I will only travel in Russian inland waters, what is the procedure?

The first thing you need to do is to choose a shipmaster school where you will study. After completing training and obtaining a certificate, you can take exams in the GIMS. In the theoretical part of the exam, the inspectors should make sure that you are familiar with the structure of the yacht, the rules of navigation and safety. During the practical exam, you need to perform exercises on the water in one of the water sections of the inspectorate.

How to choose a boatmaster school?

The choice should be taken as seriously as possible, as the risk of running into fraudsters is very high. The first thing to do is to make sure that the school has all the necessary documents. The license for training boat drivers of small vessels is issued by the Ministry of Education, not the inspectorate itself. The presence of a license ensures that the school has everything necessary for the full training of students. In addition, before entering into a contract, it is necessary to find out how and where the practical classes are held, it can be a real body of water or simulator, depending on the location of the school.

How do I get a license to drive a boat that will be quoted in other countries?

Some yachting schools on their websites assure that the licenses issued by the State Institute of Yachting Industry are accepted abroad. In most cases this is not true, even on the website of the Ministry of Emergency Situations it is stated that the licenses issued by the inspectorate are valid in Russian territorial waters, as well as in the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Russia).