Original report posted in October 2005.

In order to make it easier for cruising sailors from the U.S. to charter sailboats in the European Union, US SAILING has announced that it has created a simple certification program for cruising sailors seeking to charter sailboats in European Union waters. The newly created International Proficiency Certificate, an extension of US SAILING’s current Keelboat Certification System, allows sailors who have completed a US SAILING Bareboat Cruising course to charter sailboats without a captain in EU waters.

Looking very similar to a passport, the International Proficiency Certificate works much like a driver’s license for a car. The certificate must be presented to a charter company to obtain a boat, and then carried aboard at all times while sailing in EU waters.

“US SAILING wants to make sure that U.S. sailors can charter boats and enjoy sailing in all parts of the world,” said Hart Kelley, US SAILING’s Keelboat Program Manager. “By creating this new certificate, US SAILING has made it very easy for graduates of US SAILING’s Bareboat Cruising course to do that.”

Prior to the implementation of the International Proficiency Certificate, charterers were either denied the charter boat when they arrived at the dock or were forced to hire a charter company’s captain with the additional expense associated. According to the United Nation’s Economic Commission for Europe, Resolution 440, it is a legal requirement for all boat charterers to provide an International Proficiency Certificate from their home country in order to charter and operate a boat in the EU. Now, U.S. sailors have access to the proper EU documentation to charter boats without a Captain.

For more information about US SAILING’s International Proficiency Certificate and Bareboat Cruising program, please visit www.ussailing.org/training/keelboat  [BROKENLINK]