To see a google map showing the location of the Iberian Sea School's classroom at Olhos de Agua near Vilamoura click here

More detailed directions to find the classroom will be sent to you when you have booked a course

It is now necessary for British owners of Power Boats in Portugal & Spain to have a licence to operate their vessel. Marine Police in both countries are fining owners who do not have such a licence. The Iberian Sea School is authorised by the RYA to issue International Certificates of Competence for skippering Power Boats.

ICC certificates until very recently could only be issued to either British people or people who are resident in Britain, evidence of residence in the form of a fotocopy of an electricity bill or similar is required by the RYA.  HOWEVER new rules from March 2011 state that citizens of non UNEC countries plus citizens of the US and Canada do now qualify to have an ICC. For information on training and testing please email me, you will find the ICC syllabus at the bottom of this page in blue. Please note: All skippers of sailing and motor boats in Portugal and Spain are now required to have an ICC.

For information on ICC training and testing for sail cruising click here

For people who intend to skipper vessels of up to 10 metres and with just one engine I offer a three day course, the first day will involve studying theory in my classroom at Olhos de Agua near Vilamoura learning both traditional navigation techniques and how to use a Raymarine Chart Plotter.  The next two days practical boat handling and navigation at sea using both a paper chart and a GPS chart plotter for navigation. The ICC Test will take the form of continuous assessment throughout the course. If you have completed an RYA theory course in the last 3 years then it is only necessary to do the 2 practical days of this 3 day course.

For people who wish to do the course in their own boat of up to 10 metres but with two engines I recommend a 4 day course, the first day will involve studying theory in my classroom at Olhos de Agua. The ICC Test will take the form of continuous assessment throughout the course.  If you have completed an RYA theory course in the last 3 years then it is only necessary to do the 3 practical days of this 4 day course.

If someone only wants to be tested and they do not require tuition, the test will take half a day. In addition to my fee for conducting the test there is an RYA test fee of £40 which can be paid by credit card or by cheque made out to 'The Royal Yachting Association'. It is also necessary for candidates to supply a passport size photograph.

Courses can be taken either on your own boat, or on a vessel supplied by The Iberian Sea School  

Three day courses (for an ICC for skippering a motor boat of up to 10 meters in length) on which I have a maximum of three people I use Sueste III a Quicksilver Commander 6.35 with a Mariner 115 HP outboard based at Lagos Marina, a photograph of her taken during an ICC course is shown below. This course covers marina boat handling, safety, man overboard, high speed exercises at sea, navigation at sea using both traditional navigation techniques as well the use of a GPS chart plotter during the two practical days. There is a Raymarine C70 chart plotter in the classroom which clients can use for learning how to use a GPS chart plotter.

During this 3 day course you make a coastal passage to Alvor where you will undertake the pilotage plan described in my article on Alvor and also to the Arade river where you will pilot the boat up to the railway bridge at Portimao. Lunch will be provided by the school in a restaurant on all 3 days.

Sueste III can be chartered by the day by visiting All Boat Trips in Lagos Marina or by going to:

http://www.all-boat-trips.com

Following a course in April 2010 with Dave Haydon and Paul Manfield shown in the photograph to the left, I received the following email from Dave:

"Thought I should drop you a line and thank you for the great 3 days myself and Paul spent with you last week learning the ropes. I was really worried that you wouldn't be able to teach this old dog new tricks, but you did and I can't believe it. The way in which you instructed was very easy to follow and the lessons learnt appear to have lodged in my packed out brain"

and then one from Paul: 

"I would like to echo Dave's comments and say that I really enjoyed the course and am now looking forward to spending some time on the water"

I replied that I too enjoyed the course very much and commented that they had both done very well. Martin.

For information on how to book an ICC course go to 'Booking Information' in the blue menu (above left).

A 3 day ICC course in a Power Boat of less than 10 metres with a couple on their own boat in Vilamoura Marina

Using exactly the same technique as the much larger boat in the photographs above. However this boat has only one engine with a stern drive so to bring it alongside a different system is used which involves having thrown a loop of rope round the cleat on the pontoon and motoring very gently backwards to get it tight (exactly as with the larger boat above) and then (this is the different part) turning the wheel whilst still in astern towards the pontoon and the stern drive will pull the boat alongside.

The engine should not be put into neutral until a stern line as been secured to a cleat on the pontoon. Again you will see five fenders ranged down the side of the boat to prevent any damage as the boat comes alongside the pontoon. Each of those fenders probably cost about 30 euros making a total investment of 150 euros which is less than a professional gel coat repair to a scratch about 18" long!

A 3 day ICC course from Ayemonte Marina (Spain) with Guy Hirst and Jo Watson in their 20 ft Hardy  

As can be seen from the photographs below taken in the Guadiana river we had lots of fun and had an excellent lunch at a restaurant at Foz de Odeleite (approximately 18 km from the sea) where we tied up their boat to a pontoon just 100 yards from the restaurant. That week in March 2007 being the equinox period there were the biggest tides of the year and so berthing in a very fast moving tide was extremely challenging!

The photographs below were taken on board a fishing boat during a 3 day course from Olhão

I enjoyed myself immensley chugging along the channels with Ted Murphy, Tony Ball and Jim Brown doing the pilotage and driving the boat round Ria Formosa.

A three day course with Lee Sheldon from Vilamoura Marina in April 2007 in his beautifull Chris Craft Corsair 28 in April 2007

Following a day of theory in my classroom we had almost a full day of boat handling exercises in Vilamoura Marina the second day, the third day we went to Portimão where we anchored and had some excellent sandwiches for lunch, then a fast trip back to Vilamoura. In the photograph below to the left we were just picking up speed as we left Vilamoura with Lee driving and Sam and Amelia acting as crew. Below right a photograph that I took just after our return to Vilamoura when we joined by Davina, Zak & Lilli.
 

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A reference from John & Julia Bramah who did a 3 day ICC course in 2006

Dedicated to Martin Northey

It seems that many people
Have a dream to which they cling…
That one day they’ll own a cruiser,
…..‘cept they can’t drive the bloody thing!

So we bought this shiny Cranchi.
With its gleaming chrome and leather.
And we filled it up with diesel,
And waited for good weather.

So then you seek an expert.
One who knows each trick and rule.
And one name, it kept recurring….
The Iberian Sea School!

He starts you in the classroom.
With a load of stuff to do.
Are tides “neaps” or “springs” you wonder,
And is that compass bearing true?

There are bowlines, there are bowsprings,
There’s a cleat, and clove hitch too.
There are flares and there are fenders,
There are flags of white and blue!

There are buoys and there are black balls.
There is anchor chain and rope.
And there’s how to check position…..
it’s all now within our scope!

And whilst much of it’s important,
And there is merit to each bit,
With his humour and his patience,
He makes sense of all of it.

Our first turns amongst the moorings,
Were not in whole devoid of fear!
And we had to learn quite quickly,
When we’re “in” or “out” of gear!

And I guess like many couples,
I was cocky , she was scared!
But it took her just an hour,
To do spins I’d not have dared!

And at times we lacked in judgement,
And got our knickers in a tizz,
But despite his swift instructions,
He still claimed the fault was his!

I’m not sure about my colleagues,
Who say “a bigger boat’s the game”.
‘Cos the diesel pump attendant,
Already uses my first name!

So now we’re proud and confident,
To use the expertise he gave.
And we can join the scores of boaters,
Who all greet him with a wave!

John & Julia, Bumbelady, Albufeira, June 2006.

John & Julia having lunch at the restaurant at Boca do Rio during their course on their own boat

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International Certificate of Competence - Syllabus

Regulations

Should know responsibility for keeping a proper lookout.
Should be able to determine a 'safe speed'.
Can recognise a potential collision situation.
Can identify 'give way' vessel in a collision situation.
Should know what action to take as 'give way' and 'stand on' vessel.
Should know responsibility for a small vessel in a narrow channel.
Can recognise manoeuvring signals (1,2,3 & 5 short blasts).
Can make and recognise visual distress signals.
Should know rules relating to Traffic Separation Schemes.
Knows requirements for navigation lights and shapes to be displayed by own vessel.
Should be able to recognise the following from lights : - Power driven vessel, sailing vessel, vessel at anchor, tug and tow, fishing vessel, dredger.
Should know sound signals to be made by vessels.
Safety

Is able to use and instruct crew in the use of Lifejackets, Distress Flares, and Fire Extinguishers.
Can prepare a boat for use and take sensible precautions before setting out, including : - Engine checks, check fuel for range / duration of the trip, obtain a weather forecast.
Pilotage

Can recognise, by day and night, and understand significance of buoys of the IALA system.
Knows sources of information on : - local regulations, port entry and departure signals, VTS and Port Operations Radio.
Can plan a harbour entry / departure, taking into account possible presence of large vessels and avoiding navigational hazards.
Navigation (Chart & Plotting Instruments required).

Should be able to interpret a navigational chart, understand significance of charted depths, drying heights and can identify charted hazards.
Can plot by cross bearings and by Lat / Long.
Can determine a magnetic course to steer, making allowances for leeway and tidal stream.
Can use a tide table to find times and heights of high and low water at a standard port.
Can determine direction and rate of tidal stream from a tidal stream atlas or tidal diamonds on chart.

International Certificate of Competence - Test

CANDIDATES WILL BE TESTED ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THE NAVIGATION, PILOTAGE, SAFETY & COLLISION REGULATIONS AS SHOWN IN THE SYLLABUS ABOVE AND ON ALL THE MORE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF SEAMANSHIP COVERED AS FOLLOWS BELOW.

Give safety briefing including use of safety equipment.
Should have listened to weather forecast.
Should carry out pre start engine checks.
Start engine.
Check cooling.
Should know fuel range
Depart from Pontoon
Should understand use of Springs to depart from lee wall / pontoon.
Should have good communication with crew.
Fenders should be positioned correctly
Should be able to carry out 360º turn under engine in a confined space.

Securing to a buoy

Communicate effectively with the crew, prepare warps, choose correct angle of approach, control speed of approach, secure boat effectively, and depart from mooring safely.

Man Overboard

Observe man overboard or instruct crew to do so, demonstrate correct direction and speed of approach, and make suitable contact with MOB.

Coming alongside pontoon.

Effective communication with crew, show awareness of other water users, prepare warps & fenders, choose correct angle of approach, control speed of approach, stop boat in place required and secure to pontoon, stop engine.

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It is recommended that if candidates are not completely familiar with all of the above syllabus that they purchase 'The Skipper's Pocketbook by Basil Mosenthal and published by Fernhurst Books, it is also available from Amazon and Windward Marine. This one I strongly recommend as a book that will always be useful as it has in it everything you need to know all the way up to and including Yachtmaster standard. It should be available at any chandlery in Britain. Alternatively you can buy it through Amazon, or Windward Marine Ltd. Web Site: www.windward-marine.com Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by telephone on 0845 1300710 or by fax on 0845 1300720. I can supply copies of this publication at 15 euros each.