Offshore Skipper

The Offshore Skipper Diploma from the International Sailing Schools Association (ISSA) is designed for individuals who seek to enhance their sailing skills and gain the ability to navigate and manage a sailing vessel in offshore and open sea conditions. This certification provides a more advanced level of training, enabling skippers to plan and execute longer voyages, including overnight passages, in more challenging environments.

The diploma covers areas such as advanced navigation techniques, weather interpretation, safety protocols in open water, and emergency procedures. Successful candidates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to confidently command a sailing vessel over greater distances, away from coastal areas.

This certification is ideal for those who wish to take their sailing experience to the next level and explore more remote and adventurous sailing destinations.

Course Requirements

Experience required prior training: 28 days at sea as skipper or watch leader in at least 2 voyages, at least in 2 sea areas
Certification required prior training: SRC and First Aid Certificate
Minimum age required: 18 years old
Suggested number of training hours: 40 hours
Who can run the training: ISSA Instructor
Who can do the examination: ISSA Instructor
Examination: 6 hours, including 2 at darkness. Maximum 3 candidates at a time
How to submit the application: To authorized ISSA school only

Scope of required knowledge and skills

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Yacht handling under Power

1. Unberthing/berthing (longside and stern-to)
2. Approaching a mooring buoy
3. Weighing an anchor
4. Recovery of Man Over Board
5. Practical skills

Yacht handling under sails

1. Tacking
2. Gybing
3. Recovery of Man Over Board
4. Practical skills

Dead Reckoning Navigation

1. Definition of DR navigation
2. Running of DR and plotting of DR position
3. Practical skills

Fixing lines

1. Sources of fixing lines (leading lights, bearings, depth contour)
2. Error analysis/ accuracy assessment
3. Practical skills

Magnetic compass

1. Consideration of variation. Change of variation in time and place
2. Siting of compass and reasons for deviation (impact of electronic devices)
3. Consideration of deviation
4. Stationary and hand bearing compasses
5. Determination of deviation

Tides

1. Reasons of Tides – Springs and Neaps
2. Tidal Tables
3. Tidal levels and chart datum
4. Time and height of tide in standard ports
5. Secondary ports
6. Anomalies

Tidal currents

1. Tidal current atlases
2. Tidal current diamonds
3. Information about tidal currents in navigation publications
4. Consideration of tidal currents when calculating courses and passage planning
5. Overfalls, tidal races

Buoys and Beacons

1. Navigation marks in IALA A and B
2. Limitation of navigational marks as navigational aid

Lights

1. Characteristics
2. Range – visual and nominal
3. List of lights

Pilotage

1. Harbour specific regulations and signalling systems
2. Planning and strategy to enter/leave a harbour
3. Practical skills to make a pilotage

Echo sounders

1. Operation of manual echosounder
2. Types of echosounders
3. Limitations of echosounders
4. Secondary echoes

Satellite systems

Basic knowledge of satellite systems, their abilities and limitations

Logs (measurement of speed and distance)

Different types and operation

Logbook

1. Logbook as an official document
2. Running of a logbook

Meteorology

1. Basic terms, Beaufort’s scale
2. Air masses
3. Types of clouds
4. Characteristics of weather in specific pressure and front systems
5. Sources of weather forecasts
6. Ability to interpret weather forecasts/ charts, weatherfax
7. Day/night breeze
8. Fog
9. Use of barometer

Anchoring

1. Types of anchors and operation
2. Selection of place to anchor

Collision Regulations

Good knowledge of International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

Safety at sea

1. Personal safety, use of lifejackets, harnesses, jackstays
2. Fire prevention and fighting
3. Distress signals
4. Role of coastguard
5. Preparation to heavy weather
6. Liferafts and recovery by helicopter

International Signalling Code

Rules of application

Navigating in restricted visibility

1. Restricted visibility procedures
2. Limitations for safe navigation

Passage planning

1. Preparation of charts and notes to plan a passage
2. Standard actions when navigating in inshore waters
3. Strategy to plan a passage
4. Use of weather information in passage planning
5. Sources of local and national regulations

Environment protection

Responsibility for environment pollution and sea environment protection

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