Entry & progression
Governing: RYA Level 1 and Level 2 course pages; RYA Commercial Endorsements; REG Yacht Code Annex K1. Leads to: Advanced Powerboat.
Two courses, one ticket that matters
Most crew arrive on a yacht with the tender explained to them in a sentence and a key thrown across the garage. The RYA powerboat scheme exists so that sentence is not all you have.
| Course | Duration | Minimum age | Prerequisite | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Start Powerboating | 1 day | 8 | None | Preparation, handling, buoys, alongside, MOB in theory |
| Level 2 Powerboat Handling | 2 days | 12 | None (Level 1 optional) | Launch and recovery, handling, buoys, anchoring, alongside, MOB |
Level 2 is the one yachts ask for. It is a practical course run at an RYA centre, inland or coastal, and the certificate is endorsed with the type of boat you trained in. It is also the basis of the International Certificate of Competence, which some Mediterranean authorities expect for private use. Level 1 is a taster; nobody hires on it.
Why "PB2" alone is not enough
A yacht in commercial use is a workplace, and the RYA's position is that anyone using PB2 to work on a commercial vessel needs it commercially endorsed. The endorsement bolts a set of professional minimums onto the handling certificate:
- Medical: ML5 or ENG1. Most yacht crew already hold an ENG1.
- Sea survival: RYA Basic Sea Survival or STCW Personal Survival Techniques (you will have PST from STCW basic safety).
- Radio: SRC or a higher GMDSS certificate. See GMDSS SRC/ROC/GOC.
- PPR: the RYA's online Professional Practices and Responsibilities course.
- First aid: the PB2 application form also asks for RYA First Aid or STCW Elementary First Aid.
It is valid for five years, provided the medical stays in date. The detail of applying and revalidating is in Commercial Endorsement.
TIP — Get the paperwork in order early If you already hold STCW basic safety and an ENG1, the only extra items are usually SRC and PPR. Book them before the PB2 course so the endorsement goes in at the same time.
What an endorsed PB2 lets you do
The RYA describes commercially endorsed PB2 as covering commercial vessels up to 24 m in category 6 waters: up to 3 miles from a nominated departure point, in fine weather and daylight. The UK Workboat Code Edition 3 goes further: PB2 is only accepted on open boats, RIBs, inflatables and collared boats under 3 GT in category 6, and any towing or high-speed work (defined there as 20 knots or more) needs at least an Advanced Powerboat certificate.
That code governs UK workboats, not yacht tenders, but it tells you how the regulator views the ticket. On a yacht the real limits come from the flag, the Safety Management System and the captain.
CAUTION — The ticket does not set the job Beach runs in daylight with a view of the yacht are PB2 work. Night crossings, long coastal runs and chase-boat duty are not. Say so when asked.
Where the tender sits in the yacht rules
The REG Yacht Code, given UK force for new yachts by MSN 1895, deals with tenders in Annex K1: fit for purpose and inspected, safety equipment matched to its range, marked with capacity and the parent vessel's name, petrol handled to the code's rules, IMO MSC.1/Circ.1417 applied above 12 passengers, and a kill cord worn at all times where there are remote throttle controls. It does not name a driver's certificate. The market does: PB2 with commercial endorsement is the standard deckhand request, often alongside PWC Proficiency and Guest Operations.