Entry & progression
Governing: RYA Commercial Endorsements guidance; Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code section 28.1; Workboat Code Edition 3 Annex 1 Note 3. See also: Commercial Endorsement.
Why the endorsement exists
RYA certificates of competence (Day Skipper, Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore and Ocean, Advanced Powerboat and others) were designed for leisure. When you use one to skipper or crew a vessel in commercial use, the UK Codes of Practice require it to carry a commercial endorsement:
- SPV Code 28.1.5: MCA-recognised Yachtmaster certificates and RYA certificates of competence shall be endorsed for commercial use.
- Workboat Code Edition 3, Annex 1 Note 3: RYA certificates shall carry a commercial endorsement; to get it you need a valid medical, sea survival training and completion of the RYA Professional Practices and Responsibilities (PPR) course.
What the RYA asks for
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Base certificate | The RYA certificate to be endorsed |
| PPR | Online Professional Practices and Responsibilities certificate |
| Medical | ML5 certificate of medical fitness, or ENG1 |
| Sea survival | RYA Basic Sea Survival, or STCW Personal Survival Techniques |
| Radio | RYA SRC, or another acceptable GMDSS certificate |
| Photo | Passport-style photograph |
The endorsement is valid for a maximum of 5 years from processing. To revalidate you need at least 150 days' sea service on appropriate vessels in the previous five years and a valid medical.
PPR itself
The RYA calls PPR "a compulsory online course for new and re-validating RYA Commercial Endorsement holders". It has been required since April 2012; people endorsed before then must complete it before their next revalidation. There are no prerequisites and no minimum age, and some centres offer classroom support. A PPR certificate counts towards either your first endorsement application or your next renewal.
The RYA lists the topics as:
- the professional maritime context and your role in it;
- vessel manning;
- continuing professional development;
- safety management on commercial vessels;
- carriage and upkeep of safety equipment;
- risk assessment and putting controls in place.
This xplor course teaches that ground in more depth, with the regulation behind it (L3.2 covers the online course itself).
Why yacht crew take it
On superyachts your deck certificate is an MCA CoC, not an RYA certificate. So why do yacht crew keep endorsements?
- Tenders and chase boats: owners and managers often want tender drivers to hold endorsed RYA qualifications, and some tenders are separately coded.
- Seasonal work skippering coded day boats, charter yachts under 24 m and sailing school vessels between yacht contracts.
- The route in: many crew enter yachting via Yachtmaster, and keep the endorsement current alongside their CoC.
TIP — Keep the endorsement in step Your endorsement lapses if its medical lapses. Diary the ML5/ENG1 expiry and the 5-year endorsement date together.
For the paperwork and application steps see Commercial Endorsement; for tender handling see Tender Driving: Powerboat Level 1 and 2.