Sailing Courses in New Zealand
Do you need them?
Well, if you don’t know how to sail, and it’s your own boat I suppose you could have a quick look on the Internet. I mean, nobody is really going to care whether you know the rules or how to sail until you have an accident, or someone gets hurt. If you are operating a vessel without having the proper number of lifejackets on board, or you are travelling too fast near swimmers or divers, etc., then you can expect to be fined, or at the very least to receive a slap on the wrist; but nobody is going to ask you to identify an isolated danger mark or to explain the sound signal for a sailing vessel in restricted visibility.
But if you really think you should at least have some knowledge of what you’re doing (good on you if you do!) here are some options.
COASTGUARD BOATING EDUCATION COURSES
You can start by undertaking a New Zealand Coastguard Boating Education theory course such as their NZ Day Skipper Course or even their NZ Boatmaster Course. Coastguard Boating Education Courses can be undertaken as a classroom course, or by Distance Education. Their Day Skipper course can also be taken online.
The Day Skipper course is 15 hours of face to face learning when taken in a classroom and is often scheduled over a weekend.
The Boatmaster course is a 30-hour course and may be scheduled over 2 weekends plus a mid-week night class.
These are theory only courses and there is no practical component either in the delivery of the course or in the assessment. The Boatmaster course is completed with a written assessment followed by a short oral examination.
These courses and their certificates have no official significance either in New Zealand or overseas, due to the fact that (a) there is no requirement for Recreational Boat Licensing in New Zealand and (b) there is no practical assessment for overseas purposes.
Perhaps you want to hire a vessel here in New Zealand.
In that case the charter company might want to see some sort of certificate of competency if you are from overseas. If you are a New Zealander, they might want to go out with you for a quick check that you actually know how to operate the vessel. Otherwise, they may be content to know that you are upright, breathing, and that you have a valid credit card.
If, however, you are actually serious about doing the right thing and want to learn how to operate any vessel effectively and safely in nearly any situation, then I suggest you go to an RYA school here in New Zealand and learn how to do it brilliantly.
ROYAL YACHTING ASSOCIATION (RYA)
The Royal Yachting Association is the UK national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising, all forms of sail racing, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising.
In New Zealand there are two types of RYA schools: those that deliver the RYA Sail Cruising Programme and those that deliver the RYA Powerboat programme. We do not yet have any schools capable of delivering the RYA Motor Cruising programme, however that may change in the near future.
Details of the various syllabi may be obtained here: and here:
These RYA courses are practical courses conducted on the water through an RYA Recognised Training Centre. These centres are inspected annually to ensure that the quality of training is maintained to the highest of standards. Many centres are also able to deliver the shore-based theory courses which may be a prerequisite of achieving the Practical competency.
Many RYA certificates of competency may also be commercially endorsed in the UK, through the Maritime and Coastguard Agencies (MCA) allowing the holder to operate a commercial vessel of the type stated on the certificate.
It is well to note that many RYA Certificates of Competency may also be accepted as equivalent maritime certificates in many overseas administrations. Their training system is well respected internationally. You would need to obtain information from the state administration where you intend to operate.
Note: Maritime New Zealand does not recognise RYA Certificates of Competency for commercial purposes.
In order to qualify for the Skipper Restricted Limits a training course is also required to achieve the knowledge components of the competency framework. This knowledge is contained within the NZ Certificate in Domestic Maritime Operations Level 4 (Restricted Limits) and is usually completed at an MNZ approved training provider.
The entry path to a command certificate within restricted limits (enclosed and inshore limits) is through completion of an evidence-based training record book within a minimum sea service of 200 hours aboard any type of vessel. This is followed by a practical assessment aboard a vessel if sea service has been acquired aboard a non-commercial vessel (to verify that the tasks covered in the task book have been satisfactorily achieved).
This will be followed by a safety oral examination. The training provider and the safety oral examiner will all have access to the training record book.
You must also have completed an application to Maritime NZ, paid the application fee ($368 in 2019), hold a current 1st Aid certificate, a current MNZ medical certificate, and have completed a Fit and Proper person application form.
If you wish to continue through the higher levels of the seafarer certification system you will need to complete a training record book for all of these additional levels and hold other ancillary certificates.
There are a number of Maritime NZ approved training providers all over New Zealand, including the NZ Maritime School ( a campus of Manukau Institute of Technology), Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT), Toi-Ohomai Institute of Technology, Coastguard Boating Education, to name a few. Details may be found here: