Tender and radio
Governing: RYA commercial endorsement guidance; ICASA for SA radio licensing. Builds on: L1.2, L1.3. See also: GMDSS SRC/ROC/GOC, Tender Driving (Powerboat Level 1 & 2), South African Marine Radio.
What deck crew are expected to do from day one
On most yachts the junior deckhand drives the tender within the first week and answers the VHF on watch. Captains therefore look for two things on a green deck CV: a powerboat ticket and a radio ticket. The course content is in Tender Driving (Powerboat Level 1 & 2) and GMDSS SRC/ROC/GOC; this lesson is about choosing and sequencing them from South Africa.
Powerboat Level 2
RYA Powerboat Level 2 is the tender ticket the industry recognises. Several South African schools advertise it in Cape Town, Durban and elsewhere. It is a short practical course and cheap in rand relative to Europe. For work tenders on charter, captains may want it commercially endorsed.
The radio ticket
The Short Range Certificate (SRC) is the VHF/DSC operator certificate expected of deck crew. In South Africa radio operator licensing sits with ICASA, and local radio certificates are covered in South African Marine Radio. For the international yacht route, what matters is that your certificate is recognised by the flag and by the RYA if you will need a commercial endorsement: the RYA lists the RYA SRC or another approved GMDSS certificate.
Commercial endorsement: what it adds
If you are going to drive tenders or skipper small craft commercially under a UK-recognised ticket, you will need a commercial endorsement. The RYA's requirements:
| Requirement | Accepted |
|---|---|
| Medical | ENG1 or ML5 (current form version) |
| Professional Practices and Responsibilities | Online PPR course |
| Sea survival | RYA Basic Sea Survival or STCW PST |
| Radio | RYA SRC or other approved GMDSS certificate |
| Revalidation | Every 5 years, with at least 150 days' sea service |
The detail is in Commercial Endorsement. Note the medical line: the RYA names the ENG1 or ML5 (see L1.3).
Where the SAMSA skipper ticket fits
Many South Africans already hold a SAMSA small-vessel skipper certificate from ski-boat fishing, dive charters or sailing in Cape Town, Knysna or Durban. The categories and their limits are taught in SAMSA Skipper Categories R–B and SAMSA Coastal Skipper and Skipper Offshore.
Abroad, a SAMSA skipper ticket is a national certificate. Yachts on foreign flags do not accept it in place of RYA/MCA tickets. What it does give you:
- evidence of boat-handling experience and local sea time, which a captain reads with interest;
- a working licence at home, for charter, dive or tender work between seasons;
- a head start on the practical parts of RYA courses.
CAUTION - Do not oversell it Writing "SAMSA Skipper = Yachtmaster" on a CV irritates captains. List the ticket accurately with its category and area limits, and let the sea time speak.
A sensible sequence for deck crew
- STCW basic training and a medical (L1.2, L1.3).
- RYA Powerboat Level 2.
- SRC.
- If you already hold a SAMSA skipper ticket, list it as experience.
- Build sea time, then aim for Yachtmaster (L2.1).
TIP - One trip, several tickets Many SA schools bundle STCW, PB2 and SRC over two to three weeks. Bundling saves accommodation and travel if you live away from Cape Town or Durban.