Essential Navigation & Seamanship course

The Essential Navigation & Seamanship course has been available in the classroom for a few years, but now it is possible to take it online through our RYA Interactive e-learning site.

However you decide to take the course, it offers a great introduction to navigation and safety awareness for new, inexperienced or rusty skippers and crew.

This course is for anyone interested in sailing, motor boating, sea angling or diving, and works well in complementing our on-the-water training, such as the Powerboat Level 2, Start Yachting and Helmsman courses.

This is a highly informative course with lots of opportunities for you to put your new found knowledge into practice. If you decide to take the course online, you will find many interactive exercises to help reinforce the information and lots of chances to try out what you've learned.

Online the course will take around six hours, the beauty of it is that you can work through it at your own speed, whenever and wherever you like. All you need is internet access and your course pack.

You will receive a course pack which includes a chart, plotter, dividers, course handbook, exercises and an electronic chart plotter CD.

Course topics include:

The RYA's online Essential Navigation and Seamanship course is run through Sunshine Sailing Australia using the RYA Interactive website. You can see more information and a 'taster' of the course on RYA Interactive. All you need to do is tick the box that says 'offer RYA Interactive courses' and hit 'Go', when it comes to selecting a sailing school, choose Sunshine Sailing Australia.

Certificate of Competence (ICC) and CEVNI

If you intend to use the European Inland Waterways you must have your International Certificate of Competence (ICC) validated for inland waterways.

Certificate of Competence (ICC)

The ICC certificate is available to citizens of most countries worldwide. It is a legal requirement for boaters in Europe. An assessment if need be is undertaken through Sunshine Sailing Australia to ensure that applicants reach the minimum standard required.

For those with little or no experience of boating, we recommend our 2-day course which covers everything needed for the certificate and includes the assessment itself. There is accommodation for those who already have certain qualifications.

Please feel free to contact the Sunshine Sailing Australia anytime to have a chat with John if you are unsure which course would suit your needs. Of note is that the ICC assessment is included within the Day Skipper Practical Course and Powerboat Level Two course and above.

Obtain your ICC with Sunshine Sailing Australia in Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast!

Click HERE to book and enquire or request further info.   

CEVNI

Applicants requiring a certificate valid for inland waters must be over 16 and must pass a test on the CEVNI rules (European Inland Waterways Regulations). This is a multiple choice question paper based on the rules laid out in the book European Waterways Regulations.

If you require an ICC for power or sail valid for use on inland waters, you must learn the CEVNI code and sit the CEVNI exam. The exam can be taken immediately on-line at RYA Interactive after purchasing an enrolment key from Sunshine Sailing Australia.

Signs, rules and procedures for navigating the European inland waterways are all included within the CEVNI code and in the same way as pleasure craft on coastal waters are expected to abide by the COLREGS, pleasure craft on the inland waterways of Europe, which in places are heavily utilised by commercial traffic are expected to know and follow the CEVNI code. Knowing and abiding by the regulations is the best way to protect yourself and your boat.

You must learn the CEVNI code before attempting the exam. We recommend the RYA European Waterways Regulations (G17) book which contains a sample exam paper, we have these available. You can also take an on-line sample test at the RYA Interactive website.

The CEVNI on-line exam is a short multiple choice paper in two parts. Part 1 is about signs and buoyage and Part 2 is about sound signals, lights and shapes. Seven questions are asked in each part, and you must answer at least five questions correctly in each part to pass the whole test.

After you pass the on-line exam you can print off a certificate that can be used to apply to have your ICC endorsed for inland waterways (there is not a separate ICC for inland waterways). In addition to the passing the CEVNI test, you must present your existing ICC certificate or a qualifying RYA practical course completion certificate or pass an ICC practical test at an RYA recognised training centre and be eligible to be issued with an ICC.

If you prefer you can take a written exam please contact us directly

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to learn more about our courses:
Yacht Practical Courses Keelboat Super Yacht and Qualifications
SSA Membership
Yacht Theory Courses Adult Dinghy Specialty Courses