ICC International Certificate of Competence

The International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is an internationally recognised certificate that qualifies its holders to sail in countries where formal qualifications are required, such as Croatia and Greece.

The five-day ICC course includes five days sailing and five nights staying on board the yacht, followed by an assessment on day five.

Those with little sailing experience can take the five-day ICC course at Port Solent, UK. The training and assessment are designed to ensure you become a competent skipper of your own yacht, and on completion you will have enough experience to sail on a Sunsail Level 1 charter or flotilla holiday.

Please note: ICC certificates can only be issued to British nationals and residents, US and Canadian nationals and non-UNECE country nationals. For more information and a full list of UNECE nations, please view our ICC Eligibility page.

Course Structure

Start

• Give safety briefing including use of safety equipment

• Has listened to weather forecasts

• Pre start engine checks

• Use kill cord (if fitted)

• Start engine

• Check cooling

• Knows fuel range

2. Depart from Pontoon

• Understands use of springs to depart from lee wall/pontoon

• Communicate with crew

• Position fenders correctly

3. 360° Turn in Confined Space

4. Securing to Buoy

• Communicate effectively with crew

• Prepare warp

• Choose correct angle of approach

• Control speed of approach

• Secure boat effectively

• Depart from the mooring safely

5. Man Overboard

• Observe MOB or instruct crew to do so

• Demonstrate correct direction and speed of approach

• Make suitable contact with MOB

6. Handling Under Sail

• Sail triangular course with one leg to windward

• Choose suitable area for hoisting/lowering sails

• Use sails suitable for prevailing conditions

• Show awareness of wind direction

• Trim sails correctly on each point of sailing

• Warn crew before manoeuvres

• Look round before tacking and gybing

• Control sails during tacking and gybing

7. Coming Alongside Windward Pontoon

• Communicate effectively with crew

• Show awareness of other water users

• Prepare warps/fenders

• Choose correct angle of approach

• Control speed of approach

• Stop boat in place required and secure to pontoon

• Stop engine

Theory assessment:

Regulations:

1. Knows responsibility for keeping a proper lookout

2. Can determine a ‘safe speed’

3. Can recognise a potential collision situation

4. Can identify ‘give way’ vessel in a collision situation

5. Knows what action to take as ‘give way’ and ‘stand on’ vessel

6. Knows responsibilities of a small vessel in a narrow channel

7. Can recognise manoeuvring signals (1.2.3 & 5 short blasts)

8. Can make and recognise visual distress signals

Safety:

1. Is able to use and instruct crew on the use of:

• Life jackets

• Distress alerting (e.g. DSC VHF, EPIRB, Flares, etc.)

• Fire extinguishers

• Kill cord (if fitted)

2. Can prepare a boat for use and take sensible precautions before setting out, including:

• Engine checks

• Check fuel for range / duration of trip

• Obtain weather forecast

• Avoid overloading boat

Useful Information

The ICC assessment is an internationally recognised certificate, enabling the holder to sail in countries where formal qualifications are compulsory. As many countries now require visiting yachtsmen to hold formal qualifications, the ICC provides official assurance from one government to another that the holder meets an agreed level of competence.

As some basic navigation is required, we recommend taking the online Essential Navigation and Seamanship course prior to commencing the training course. This course is takes six hours to complete. The RYA 2 day Start Yachting course, or equivalenet experience, is required before taking the ICC.

Please note:

The following UNECE countries have adopted Resolution 40. If you are a national of one of these countries and are resident in that country or another country on this list the RYA is not authorised to issue you with an ICC:

Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland,Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia,Switzerland