Professional skipper title, green light: how, where and when to get it

Focus / 1 – The examination program to attain the title of professional skipper

PLEASURE BOATING OFFICER 2ND CLASS – EXAMINATION PROGRAM

THEORETICAL TEST.

1. Ship theory

Elements of ship theory and stability. Evolutionary effects of the propeller and rudder.

2. Engines

Operating elements of motor propulsion systems. Knowledge of auxiliary machinery. Operating irregularities and failures. Calculation of range in relation to engine power and remaining fuel quantity.

3. Safety of navigation

Safety regulations, with special reference to safety equipment, life-saving equipment and the use of fire extinguishers. First aid medicine box. Types of security visits and their periodicity.

Fire prevention. Measures to be taken in the event of a casualty (fire, collision, grounding, failure of steering gear, spillage of polluting liquids, man overboard). Measures to be taken for the safety of persons on board in the event of a casualty or abandonment of the unit. Precautions to be taken when sailing in adverse weather conditions. Assistance and rescue: rescue signs and their meaning. Proper use of on-board radio equipment, with emphasis on assistance and rescue. Radiotelephone communications and related procedures. International Signal Code.

4. Maneuvering and conduct

Precautions when entering and leaving harbors, while navigating near the coast or bodies of water, where other boating activities take place. Allowable speeds.

Maneuvers of mooring, unmooring, anchoring and man overboard recovery.

5. Colreg and maritime signaling

Regulations to prevent boardings at sea. Light beacons and daylight signals of ships at anchor, maritime signals and traffic regulations in inland waters. List of beacons and fog signals.

6. Meteorology

Elements of meteorology. General circulation of the atmosphere. Elements that characterize weather conditions: pressure, temperature, humidity. Cloud formation and their characteristics. Warm front and cold front. Winds, currents, and tides. Beaufort and Douglas scales. Meteorological instruments and their use. Weather bulletins for maritime navigation. Local weather forecast.

7. Cartographic and electronic navigation

Geographic coordinates. Nautical charts. Mercator projection and other types of projection. Orientation and compass rose. Earth’s magnetism, magnetic poles and geographic poles, magnetic declination, magnetic compasses. Table of residual edge deviations. Distinction between rhumb line and orthodromic navigation. Estimated navigation: time, space and speed. Coastal navigation. Instruments for measuring ship speed. Vessel point positioning, including through the use of electronic tools. Bow and course; effect of wind and current on the motion of the vessel (drift and drift). Nautical publications: pilot book, list of lighthouses and fog signals, coastal navigation radios.

8. Boating and environmental regulations

Powers, duties, and responsibilities of the commander. Documents to be kept on board pleasure craft for private use and pleasure craft for hire. Design categories of CE-marked recreational craft and associated navigational limits. Regulation of bathing activities, water skiing, sport fishing and underwater fishing. Shipboard waste delivery and spillage into the sea. Elements of the regulation of marine protected areas.

Laws and regulations governing recreational boating, recreational boating code, regulations implementing the recreational boating code, and other regulatory sources applicable to recreational boating, with special reference to: powers of the Maritime and Inland Navigation Authority; ordinances of local maritime and inland navigation authorities; regulations governing the commercial use of recreational units; and penalty regulations for recreational boating.

PRACTICAL TESTING.

During the practical test, the candidate demonstrates the ability to drive the naval unit at different gaits, maintained over stretches of navigation of at least 1/2 nautical mile, carrying out with skill and promptness of action the necessary maneuvers, including those aimed at the recovery of man overboard, mooring, unmooring and anchoring of the naval unit, correctly using the devices on board and demonstrating competence in the proper use of safety equipment, life-saving and fire-fighting equipment. The candidate demonstrates the ability to make the necessary preparations for adverse weather conditions and to take preventive measures to safeguard human life at sea.

Focus 2 / Professional title skipper. Requirements & limitations

YACHTING NAVIGATION OFFICER 2ND CLASS

The units he can bring

The 2nd class recreational navigation officer may embark as a master on the following Italian-flagged vessels of up to 200 GT*:

– Pleasure boats and ships, including those used for charter;

– Ships intended exclusively for chartering for tourist purposes

• * GT (gross tonnage) is a volumetric, international standard measure of the gross tons of all enclosed spaces of a ship.

The limits of navigation

– Can sail in the Mediterranean Sea and in inland waters

Titles required

To earn a 2nd class recreational boating officer’s certificate, you need these requirements:

– 18 years of age;

– secondary school diploma or a foreign degree recognized or declared equivalent;

– Short Range Operator Certificate (SRC);

1. – Have successfully completed the following courses:
2. – Basic firefighting at institutions, agencies or companies recognized as suitable by the Administration
3. – “First Aid“ medicalfirst aid;

– survival and rescue, personal safety and social responsibility (PSSR), or, as an alternative to the above courses, a personal safety course for offshore navigation organized by sports federations that are members of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), national recreational associations, and institutes, institutions or companies recognized as suitable by the Administration in accordance with the program established by decree of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport;

– Possess the psychophysical requirements necessary to obtain a category B boating license;

– Meet the moral requirements for obtaining and validating nautical licenses;

– Have successfully taken a theoretical and practical examination

Examination evidence

The examination tests consist of an interview designed to ascertain knowledge of the topics provided for in the ministerial program (see table) and a practical test in maritime waters on a naval unit not less than 15 meters in length. The examination is held at the maritime compartment offices, according to the schedule, at least every six months, published from time to time on the offices’ institutional website.

Exempt from theory examination

Within 36 months of the entry into force of the decree that defined programs and examination methods of the professional title of 2nd class recreational navigation officer (i.e., by May 20, 2027), holders for at least 10 years of a category A nautical license with the ability to navigate without any limitation of distance from the coast may obtain the professional title of 2nd class recreational navigation officer with exemption from taking the theory test under the following conditions:

– Age not less than 50 years;

– registered for a total period of at least 10 years in the business register or in the REA of a Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicrafts and Agriculture with ATECO code 50.10 (rental of pleasure craft with crew excluding scheduled transport) or 77.21.02 (rental of pleasure craft without crew) or 74.90.9 (other professional, scientific and technical activities), or if they have entered into one or more contracts of employment or coordinated and continuous collaboration with companies that rent or lease pleasure craft for a total period of at least 10 years.

In this regard, it is interesting to note that the rule stipulates that in order to prove the type of work performed, the principle “of the prevalence of the substantive consistency of the manner in which the employment relationship is carried out over the formal qualification given by the parties” must be applied. That is, the manner in which the work was actually carried out counts over the formal qualification (contract, if any) signed between the parties.

Exempt from practical test

They are exempt from taking the practical test:

– seafarers holding the professional titles of chief boat for in-state traffic, chief boat for local traffic and chief boat for inshore fishing provided they have a valid navigation record book;

– seafarers holding the professional inland navigation titles of captain and chief helmsman even if they lack the “authorized” title, provided they have a valid navigation record book;

– seafarers holding the maritime professional title of boatmaster for pleasure craft for hire.

Achieve the title without examinations

They can earn the title without examinations:

– Holders for at least 3 years of a valid category B recreational vessel license, subject to holding the Gmdss Short Range Operator’s Certificate (SRC) and having passed the required courses for 2nd class recreational boating officer;

– seafarers with the following certificates: deck officer, first mate on ships of 3,000 GT and above, first mate on ships of 500 to 3,000 GT and above, master on ships of 3,000 GT and above, master on ships of 500 to 3,000 GT and below, deck officer on ships of less than 500 GT making coastal voyages, and master on ships of less than 500 GT making coastal voyages provided they have a valid certificate of competency and sailing record;

– seafarer members with the following certificates of competency of the boating section of the deck: boating officer of the boating section, captain of the boating section, and master of the boating section provided they have a valid certificate of competency and sailing record book.