Skipper in good standing at last! Recreational title reform is law

Skipper in good standing at last! Recreational title reform is law, and the new title of Recreational Navigation Officer 2nd Class is in the Official Gazette. We anticipated this to you in November 2023, in the article on how to become a professional skipper of a charter boat or as a captain/mariner of a yacht. The reform is now law, you will finally be able to work in Italy as a skipper, hired by charter companies, or privately, with a VAT number. A revolution that is decades overdue. Here’s what’s changing, as announced by Confindustria Nautica’s press release.

AAA Skipper Wanted, the new title of 2nd Class Recreational Navigation Officer

It is finally easier to become a professional recreational skipper. The reform, as reported in the press cumunication of Confindustria Nautica, is in the Official Gazette. With the decree Dec. 13, 2023, no. 227, concerning the reform of the Recreational Vocational Qualifications for personnel employed on recreational boats and vessels engaged in chartering activities and on vessels intended exclusively for chartering for tourism purposes (registered defines the new simplified national title of “Recreational Navigation Officer 2nd Class” (non-STCW).

The new figure Recreational Navigation Officer 2nd Class, may conduct as master, vessels flying the Italian flag and sailing in the Mediterranean or inland waters, not exceeding 200 GT. It is a national title, is valid for 10 years and does not require registration with Seafarers.

How to become a recreational navigation officer 2nd class

To become a Recreational Navigation Officer 2nd Class, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age and meet the mental and physical requirements for a B boat license,
• Be in possession of a secondary education degree,
• earn the Short Range Operator Certificate (SRC), it can be done via the web, as described in our article on the SRC Online Course
• Have valid basic firefighting courses, basic “First Aid” first aid, and attend a personal safety course for offshore sailing (World Sailing’s courses on raft use)
• Take a theoretical and practical examination.

The new 2nd Class Recreational Boating Officer title is an exclusively National title, simplified precisely to meet the needs of recreational boating. not providing for compliance with the international STCW convention, It will not be usable abroad. The ‘written and oral examination, will be held at the harbor master’s offices. The contents of the examination test will be comparable to the examinations for the license for recreational vessels with some simplifications, the ministerial decree with the program will be issued shortly by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

Finally, you can rent a boat with a skipper

Thus, all sailing and sea enthusiasts with compentencies will be able to become professional skippers and get hired in an industry that has for years required a simplified title to command pleasure boats along our coasts. Charter companies, will be able to hire the new skippers with the title of Recreational Navigation Officer 2nd Class, and will not be obliged to limit their activities to “skipperless chartering” of boats.

The full text of the Confindustria Nautica press release is available here .