A question regarding skippers licenses

[eitanwaks]

Hi,
first I better introduce myself. I'm a 26-year-old student of mechanical engineering in Israel. I have always fancied traveling aboard a yacht, and maybe even owning one when I can financially. About six years ago, I was involved in an accident which left me paralyzed from the chest down. To be more specific I am a C 4/5 quadriplegic. I can move my arms but cannot function my fingers.
Now that you know my physical disabilities I can ask the question.
Can I pass a skippers license? I know that I have no problem learning the material, and that I am capable of understanding and giving instructions to an assistant.

I'm asking this because tomorrow I have an appointment with a sailing school. I would like to give them as many examples as I can. The school itself are very enthusiastic and would like to help me as best they can. I feel that I might encounter some bureaucratic problems with the Department of Transportation here in Israel. In order to come better prepared to a future appointment with them I would like to give them as many examples as I can from other countries.

For those of you asking why I want a skippers license, and not just sail with someone else, it has a lot to do with self-fulfillment. I would also like to purchase a yacht sometime in the future and travel around the world for a about a year or two (maybe even more).

Even if I can not get a physical license I will take the courses in order to learn more about sailing. Something about the freedom of sailing is addictive.

Thanks for your help,
Eitan Waks

[safewalrus]

Eitan in the first place welcome to the forum, secondly and primarily here in England you would have no problem! It's the crew that does the work anyway (or it should be!) we actually have vessels modified to enable handicaped people learn to sail - both big and small, and yes they handicaped DO take part in the activities. Off hand I can't say more than that but if you use any search engine and look up handicapped sailing in the UK you'll get lots of information, more than I could give you! We even have courses for the blind (skippers courses at that!) Best of luck with your courses and your license when you finally take it - but you don't need luck because I know (as do you) that when your ready you will pass with flying colours!!

[eitanwaks]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have looked at many of the web sites. They all provide a great deal of inspiration. The thing is, I couldn't find any information regarding a skipper's license for handicapped people. All the web sites deal with the rehabilitation aspect, or the sports aspect. These are two good things however, I was wondering whether the handicapped actually get the license or whether they participate in the activity, recreationally or competitively, without a license.

Without a license I don't believe it is possible to charter a boat in many countries, including my own (Israel).

Thank you for your kind words,
Eitan Waks

[safewalrus]

Remember Eitan skippering is not just about brawn, theres a lot of brain needed to - navigation, radio, electronics etc. so why not have a handicapped skipper, he does the thinking and handles the wheel during manouvers, leaves the able bodied to do the jumping around and hauling on ropes (actually when you think about it it makes sense!)

[eitanwaks]

Your points you make my points exactly. These are the arguments I am coming with to the Department of Transportation. The reason I am pessimistic from the get-go is at a friend of mine tried to get a license for a speedboat and encountered quite a bit of resistance.

Because the skipper's license is an international license, if I could show some prior cases, similar to mine, it could help my case with the Department of Transportation (assuming all doesn't go well).

Anyway, thank you for all of your help. It's almost 1 o'clock in the morning so I'm going to sleep now. I will let you know what happened in the meeting tomorrow. Hopefully the good news.

Eitan Waks

[charmc]

Eitan,

Welcome aboard! Congratulations on your great attitude and desire to pursue your dream!

This article might give you some ideas and encouragement: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...pagewanted=all

Contact info:
NATIONAL OCEAN ACCESS PROJECT (NOAP)
33141 Farragut Station
Washington, DC 20003
301/217-9736



License requirements vary in different parts of the world. In the US and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, for example, there is no license requirement to charter a boat. The charter company asks for a statement of experience, does an evaluation during the familiarization run, and sends you off if they feel you and your crew know what you're doing. Some have a certificate you can get that is recognized by other companies, so you don't have to "re-prove" your knowledge each time you charter. Here is an exerpt from one charter company's literature:
"Qualifications
In order to qualify to skipper a bareboat charter, the operator must meet the following criteria:

Recent practical experience skippering aboard a similar size and type of vessel.
Experience in tidal waters.

On charter day you will receive a Check-Out of the yacht including a systems orientation and a chart review of your cruising area. Observation of your boat handling skills to confirm the skipper's ability to maneuver the vessel may also be required. It is not intended to teach boat handling skills.

If you would like additional training, AYC offers programs to sharpen your skills and/or completely train you and your crew for your cruising vacation.

Pre-Qualification
Under certain circumstances, AYC may request you arrange for private, prequalification time prior to your scheduled charter. Typically this is done when a charterer would benefit from "hands-on" time aboard the boat chosen for charter. Based on the Experience Resume, the skipper should only need a limited time aboard the boat to prepare for a safe cruise. Prequalification time is scheduled in the spring for an additional fee and usually takes 1-3 hours of time. We encourage the "crew" to join the skipper so that our staff can include reminders to those responsible to assist the skipper when arriving and departing moorages."

Final word: If you're turned down, keep learning, and when you've got a new source or a new approach, go back. If you're turned down again, repeat the process and go back. Keep repeating until they give in, if only to get rid of that stubborn bastard who keeps coming back over and over! You might remind them that your country was scheduled to be wiped out nearly 60 years ago, and several times since. You just want to do what the whole country does every day: prove the neighbors wrong!

Best wishes to you, Eitan, go for it!

yes welcome, there are cases of people sailing ALONE AROUND WORLD , IN A WHEELCHAIR, i DONT MEAN THE CHAIR HAS SAILS. BUT YOU GET MY DRIFT, THERE are aslo some blind skippers, so cheers
My son has a close friend, same age 17, been all like quad, only weighs 16 kg, great spirit

[Kay9]

If its a US Coast Guard master licenses your after no. You will not qualify.

Here is a link to the US Coast Guard quals http://www.captainbryan.com/images/uscg719k.pdf

[safewalrus]

Didn't realise the mighty USCG actually holds sway in Israel! They tend to do thier own thing in most other areas! Funnily enough from what I've seen of the USCG they aren't the arbiters of good seamanship you make them out to be - life is!! (mind you as good seamen they'd be the first to tell you - I hope [one good thing about the USCG - it was formed whilst the US was still British, so naturally they ARE the best service you have!!])

Originally Posted by safewalrus;

Didn't realise the mighty USCG actually holds sway in Israel! They tend to do thier own thing in most other areas! Funnily enough from what I've seen of the USCG they aren't the arbiters of good seamanship you make them out to be - life is!! (mind you as good seamen they'd be the first to tell you - I hope [one good thing about the USCG - it was formed whilst the US was still British, so naturally they ARE the best service you have!!])

to my way of understanding , you save up 100 coke bottlke tops and you get a USA 100 licence.
Where as the Brit YACHTMASTER, is very tough , involves going my night using only dr, and compass, , candidate sits below and relay courses to helm, at end of certain amount of hours. with comstant course changes you supposed to know where you are
most fail

[safewalrus]

Blind pilotage - great fun if rather specialised! And it's not just DR and compass, you need to understand (and apply) tides, currants and weather information and every other bit of info you have,including leeway and what the crew had for breakfast!

[Kay9]

He didnt say where he wanted a licenses.

I will put my licenses against your any day.

[safewalrus]

And you have? from where?

[Kay9]

1600 T Masters oceans, towing, gmdss, radar USCG,

[safewalrus]

K9 I take it the "T Masters" is TUG master?

Try Masters (foreign going), GMDSS general, Radiotelephone (restricted) Ship Captains Medical training, various radar and electronic nav, and thats just the civilian (all British of course) - Yep your good, but not that good!