The ISSA Inshore Sail Skipper course provides the knowledge, confidence and practical skills required to safely skipper a sailing yacht. Designed for ages 16 and over, every subject is taught through a unique combination of classroom instruction and immediate practical application onboard — a truly hands-on learning experience from day one.
The international inshore sailing license awarded upon completion (including an auxiliary engine endorsement) authorizes you to operate sailing vessels up to 24 meters in length, up to 20 nautical miles from the coastline, during both day and night.
Course Highlights
Comprehensive training: a minimum of 60 instructional hours covering yacht systems, seamanship, navigation, meteorology, safety procedures and crew management.
Integrated radio certification: the course fully incorporates the official SRC/VHF marine communication training and assessment.
Small groups, maximum helm time: up to 4 students per boat, ensuring dedicated personal attention.
Premium location: all training takes place in our classroom and onboard our training yacht at Larnaca Marina, depending on weather conditions.
Payment structure: the course fee is paid upon registration, while the certificate and exam fees are settled on the day of the exam.
Passing both the theoretical final assessment and the SRC assessment is a mandatory condition for receiving your skipper license and VHF certificate.
Suitable from age 16 and up — our foundational sailing-yacht skipper course, covering sail handling, seamanship, navigation and crew management.
A minimum of 60 instructional hours. Available as an intensive 6-day course (Sunday to Friday), spread over weekends across roughly two months, or as 14 separate lessons for local students.
A sailing yacht with an auxiliary engine, up to 24 metres in length.
An ISSA international skipper licence (Inshore Sail), including the SRC/VHF marine radio operator course built into the program.
The licence permits sailing day and night, up to 20 nautical miles from the coast. It meets the requirements of the ICC standard (International Certificate of Competence), established under Resolution No. 40 of the UNECE Inland Transport Committee and officially recognised in some 22 countries, most of them in Europe. In practice the licence is also accepted by yacht charter companies, marinas and port authorities across the Mediterranean basin (including Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Italy and Spain), in the Caribbean and in South-East Asia — including countries that are not formal parties to the agreement. Actual recognition also depends on the licence level (Inshore / Offshore / Master) and the sailing range it grants, so we recommend checking with the specific charter company at your destination. Read more in our article What is a skipper license.
Sail handling and seamanship, yacht systems and structure, meteorology, navigation with instruments and charts, crew management and correct conduct with a vessel at sea — plus the SRC/VHF marine radio course.
Up to 20 nautical miles from the coast, day and night, on a sailing yacht with an auxiliary engine up to 24 metres in length.
Yes. Besides the intensive 6-day course, you can study over weekends across roughly two months, or as 14 separate lessons for local students.
Yes. To also earn the Inshore Power Boat Skipper licence you can add 6 hours of practical training on a motorboat, for an additional fee (minimum 4 participants for the upgrade).
