New arrivals in Australian commercial sailing are often surprised to discover that the Yachtmaster, so respected everywhere else, is not itself a licence to work on an Australian commercial vessel. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority regulates domestic commercial vessels under the National Law, and Marine Order 505 sets out the certificates of competency their crews must hold. The Yachtmaster is the door to one of them. This guide matches the common jobs to the right certificate.
The AMSA domestic certificates, briefly
| Certificate | Command of | Where | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Purpose Hand (GPH) NC | None; deck crew | Any domestic vessel | Deckhand on charter boats, ferries, work boats |
| Coxswain Grade 2 NC | Vessels under 12 m, low power, restricted areas | Sheltered and inshore waters, limited | Small tenders, hire boats, aquaculture |
| Coxswain Grade 1 NC | Vessels under 12 m (outboard unlimited, inboard under 500 kW) | Inshore waters (about 15 nm from the coast), or within 3 nm of a parent vessel anywhere in the EEZ as a tender | Charter tenders, RIBs, dive boats, small charter yachts under 12 m |
| Sailing Master Offshore NC | Sailing vessels under 24 m with propulsion under 100 kW | Within the EEZ; 12 passengers maximum beyond inshore waters | Charter yachts, sail training vessels, commercial deliveries |
| Master under 24 m NC | Any vessel under 24 m | Within the EEZ | Motor charter, larger sailing vessels with big engines, work boats |
| Master under 45 m NC | Any vessel under 45 m | Within the EEZ | Expedition vessels, larger charter and passenger boats |
Match the job to the ticket
Skippered day charters on a sailing yacht (Sydney Harbour, Port Phillip, the Swan)
Sailing Master Offshore NC if the yacht is under 24 m with an engine under 100 kW, which describes nearly every charter yacht. If the yacht is under 12 m and stays inshore, Coxswain Grade 1 can also cover it, and it is quicker to obtain if you already have sea service on small vessels, but Sailing Master is the qualification that says "sailing skipper".
Live-aboard charter and sail training (Whitsundays, Tasmania, expedition voyages)
Sailing Master Offshore NC. Multi-day charters beyond inshore waters are limited to 12 passengers, which suits most yachts; sail training vessels over 24 m or with larger engines require Master under 24 m or Master under 45 m and an engineering certificate to match.
Yacht deliveries
Private deliveries of recreational yachts need no AMSA certificate, but owners and insurers increasingly want an endorsed Yachtmaster. Deliveries of commercially registered vessels are commercial operations and need the certificate appropriate to the vessel: usually Sailing Master for a yacht, Master under 24 m for a motor vessel.
Tenders and RIBs from a charter yacht or a superyacht
Coxswain Grade 1, which specifically covers tenders within 3 nm of a parent vessel in the EEZ. Sailing Master also allows operation of the sailing vessel's own tender under 100 kW.
Motor charter, dive boats, whale watching
Coxswain Grade 1 under 12 m inshore; Master under 24 m for larger or offshore vessels, plus a Marine Engine Driver certificate for the engine.
Instructing on a commercial training yacht
The RYA instructor qualification plus the AMSA certificate for the vessel and operation, which for a training yacht under 24 m is Sailing Master Offshore.
The engine problem, again
Every AMSA command certificate assumes you can run the engine. Sailing Master requires one of Coxswain Grade 1, Marine Engine Driver Grade 3, the AMSA-approved engineering unit, or the RYA Diesel course plus certain RYA powerboat certificates. Many Yachtmasters take Coxswain Grade 1 as their engine qualification because it is a useful certificate in its own right, and they end up with two tickets that between them cover almost every small-vessel job in the country.
Sea service for the AMSA certificates
AMSA certificates require documented sea service on commercial or, in some cases, recreational vessels, recorded in an AMSA task book or on an AMSA sea service form and signed by the master. The amounts vary by certificate and by whether a task book was completed; the current figures are on the AMSA website. Recreational sailing towards a Yachtmaster does not automatically count as AMSA sea service, so if you intend to work commercially, ask AMSA early which of your sailing can be recorded and start the task book.
A common route
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore with the Australia commercial endorsement (AMSA 1850 medical, sea survival, first aid, PPR).
- LROCP marine radio.
- Coxswain Grade 1 NC (Certificate II course plus sea service and task book).
- Apply for Sailing Master Offshore NC through myAMSA.
- Later, if the work demands it, Master under 24 m and a Marine Engine Driver certificate.
Questions people ask
Does a Yachtmaster give me any AMSA sea service?
Not directly. Sea service for AMSA certificates must be recorded in AMSA’s formats and signed by a master. Some recreational sea service can be counted for some certificates; check the current Marine Order 505 guidance and ask AMSA.
Is a Coxswain Grade 1 easier to get than a Yachtmaster?
They measure different things. Coxswain Grade 1 is a vocational course with a task book and a modest sea-service requirement; Yachtmaster Offshore is an examined seamanship qualification with a large experience requirement. Many people hold both.