Yachting licence? – Everything you need to know

There is the yachting licence for inland waters, lakes and the Lake Constance boat licence. These can all be obtained in one exam or individually or one after the other. For the yachting inland and lake licence, you must be at least 16 years old. For the Lake Constance boat licence, however, the minimum age is 18.

The yachtmaster certificate for coastal waters is valid internationally and on all inland waters approved for navigation, such as rivers and lakes (except Lake Constance). With this licence, you are permitted to operate pleasure boats with a length of up to 20 metres (excluding rudder and bowsprit) and an engine with a power output of up to 15 hp.

The yachting licence is valid on all maritime shipping routes. With this licence, there are no restrictions on the length of the boat or its power (horsepower). It is also valid internationally. (Outside the so‐called 2 nautical mile zone, a licence is no longer required. The Lake Constance boat licence is valid exclusively for Lake Constance. It is required for boats exceeding 6 hp and has its own theoretical section in the exam.

The yachting licence obtained in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is valid everywhere abroad. If you still have an old paper licence, we recommend that you apply for a replacement before travelling abroad. Find out in advance which regulations apply in your country or at your holiday destination.

Once you have your yachting licence in your hands, the world of yacht chartering is open to you. To inspire you on your first trip, we have put together some helpful chartering tips for beginners and professionals.

To prepare for the written and practical exams, we recommend a pleasure craft school, which usually also provides the recreational boat required for the exam.

The yachting licence for coastal and inland waters each include a theoretical part, as does the Lake Constance Skipper’s Licence. There is a practical part for all three licences. This only needs to be passed once, regardless of whether you want to obtain one or more licences.

The theory is explained in courses at the boating school, and you will usually do exercises to go with it. There are books with exam papers and the corresponding answers. An app can also help you learn the multiple‐choice questions. In addition, the exam includes excerpts from nautical charts (estuaries of the Jade, Weser and Elbe rivers), which test your navigation skills. This is also explained and practised in the courses.

In practice, you will learn 10 different nautical knots, such as the bowline knot and the reef knot, as well as various manoeuvres. These include, for example, mooring and casting off, navigating by compass, man overboard, turning in confined spaces, stopping on course, navigating by navigation marks, simple or cross bearing, manoeuvring sound signals and putting on a life jacket.
 

One of 15 different examination papers is selected at random. They always consist of 7 basic questions, 23 specific questions and an excerpt from the nautical chart. A basic question could be, for example, the name of the windward side. In contrast, the question „How should traffic separation zones be navigated?“ is a specific question. Each exam paper covers all areas, i.e. inland waters, the sea and Lake Constance. Nevertheless, the three theoretical areas can be completed separately, as desired.

The practical part of the exam is taken on the boat or at the jetty on site. It consists of compulsory manoeuvres, other manoeuvres and knots. Of the maximum of seven knots tested, six must be performed with a satisfactory result. These include the figure‐eight knot, the reef knot, the bowline knot, the sheet bend or the double sheet bend. In addition, the stopper knot, the webbing knot, the webbing knot on slip, the round turn with two half hitches and the securing of a cleat with a head hitch.

The compulsory manoeuvres must be performed satisfactorily! These include docking and undocking, navigating by compass, taking bearings (single or cross bearings) and the rescue manoeuvre (man overboard). For the other manoeuvres, you must successfully complete at least two of three tasks. These can be either stopping on course, turning in a confined space, navigating by navigation marks/landmarks, manoeuvre sound signals (one of three) or putting on a life jacket/safety belt.

Have we sparked your interest? Then find out more at a recreational boating school near you.
BAVARIA wishes you every success and lots of fun with your yachting licence.