Where candidates go wrong
- They repeat "yachts up to 30 GT" from old notes and from the certificate form. Since 1 February 2020 arts 80-82 of the old regulation read 18 m (NN 13/20 art. 48(2)). Quote the text in force and mention the old wording as history.
- They assume C covers everything. It does not cover yachts of 18 to 24 m; those need a Zapovjednik jahte A (art. 82).
- They forget that minimum crew depends on use and navigation area, not just length.
Where the rule lives
Croatian small-craft titles still sit in Glava IX and X of the Pravilnik o brodicama i jahtama (NN 27/05). That regulation was repealed in 2020, but art. 48 of the Pravilnik o brodicama, čamcima i jahtama (NN 13/20) keeps those chapters "until special regulations are adopted". Category C is acquired under art. 53 and Dodatak 8 (Appendix 8). The certificate itself is the Uvjerenje o osposobljenosti za voditelja brodice kategorije C.
What C allows: minimum crew
| Craft and area | Minimum crew | Art. |
|---|---|---|
| Private brodica (boat), areas I and II | C holder + one crew with B | 69 |
| Commercial boat, areas I and II | C holder + one crew with B | 71 |
| Passenger boat, areas III and IIIa | C holder + one crew with B | 72 |
| Passenger boat, IIIb | B holder + one crew with A | 73 |
| Passenger boat, IIIc and IV | B holder | 74 |
| Jahta (yacht) up to 18 m, areas I and II | master with C + one crew | 80 |
| Commercial yacht up to 18 m chartered with crew, III-IV | master with C | 81(1) |
| Yacht 18-24 m | Zapovjednik jahte A + one crew with B | 82 |
Navigation areas (područja plovidbe) are now set by NN 13/20 art. 37: I unlimited; II up to 20 nm from the nearest coast; III up to 12 nm (IIIa 6 nm, IIIb 3 nm, IIIc 1 nm); IV harbours, bays and river mouths.
CAUTION — area IIa NN 13/20 abolished areas Ia and IIa (owners had to re-register by 31 Dec 2020), yet arts 70-71 of the old regulation still mention them. In the exam, quote the article as written and explain that areas now follow NN 13/20 art. 37.
What comes with C
- Everything A and B allow (art. 50(2)). A yacht up to 18 m chartered bareboat or used privately may also be skippered by a B holder (art. 81(2)).
- A B or C holder may ask for an International Certificate (ICC) under Resolution 40 (NN 57/06 art. 37, kept by NN 13/20 art. 48).
- Whoever operates a ship's radio must be qualified for it (art. 78); maritime radiotelephony is one of the six C subjects.
Other routes to C
Under art. 87, deck or engine officers, graduates of Croatian Navy NCO or officer schools, maritime college graduates and former "mornar motorist" holders may obtain C. All must meet the medical standard (sight and hearing); some must also pass a radiotelephony top-up unless they hold SRC, ROC, GOC or LRC.
WARNING — announced reform In June 2026 the Ministry announced a new regulation: computer-based exams for every title, more practical sailing, and extra modules for C [secondary sources: Index.hr, HRT, Nautička patrola]. Nothing had been published in Narodne novine by 1 Oct 2026. This course teaches the rules in force.
What the examiner wants to see
- That you know where the rule is (NN 13/20 art. 48 → Glava IX-X of NN 27/05) and say 18 m, not 30 GT.
- That for any boat, use and area you can give the minimum crew and the article at once.
- That you know where C ends and the yacht master titles begin.
Hrvatsko nazivlje
| Hrvatski | English |
|---|---|
| voditelj brodice kategorije C | category C boat skipper |
| brodica / jahta | boat (2.5-15 m) / yacht (over 15 m) |
| područje plovidbe | navigation area |
| najmanji broj članova posade | minimum safe crew |
| zapovjednik jahte | yacht master |