Search on page

Webinars View all the webinars we've hosted Read more Employment contracts Learn about contracts for seafarers and use our template Read more Ship Cooks Certificate You are a Chef? Learn everything you need to know about the MCA's Ships' Cook Certificate Read more French Anchorage Regulations France has introduced anchorage regulations (enforced in March 2021) which prevent yachts over 24m (78ft) from anchoring within areas containing protected Posidonia seagrass beds. Read more Seaman Discharge Book (SDB) and others What is a Seaman Discharge Book (SDB), how to obtain one and what makes it different Read more Verification Forms & Guidelines Learn everything you need to know about these essential forms for Deck, Engineering, Interior. (sea service testimonial, sea service record, seatime, logs, log forms, logbook, watchkeeping, miles) Read more Knowledge Base Explore the world of yachting and its regulations

​ Training - How to spice up fire drills onboard To All news 25 June 2020 Now that the Covid-19 lockdowns have been eased in Europe and some Caribbean yachting centres, most yachts are focused on returning to some type of “normality”. Whilst some boats might already be cruising, or due to depart in the next few days, others might not see such an immediate return to active yachting. There are two considerations to bear in mind. Globally, we have not seen an instant return to the pre-pandemic world as we knew it. The hospitality industry, of which we are a part, is in parlous straits, and no leading analysts are forecasting a full recovery in less than 18 to 24 months from now. International air travel continues to be restricted. St. Tropez with 50% capacity and social distancing in bars and cafes, with service staff wearing masks and gloves, might not feel like the old St. Tropez. The same dampening of destination ambience will apply all across the Mediterranean. So, we might experience some reduction in out-of-port cruising activity this summer. The other consideration is that the easings are tentative and come with a warning that a secondary spike in infection and mortality rates may mean a return to local or general lockdowns to try to contain the second wave. So some planning is advisable in case we might see more of the same lockdowns in the year ahead. This does not have to be a glum prospect. There is an opportunity here to develop a culture of mentoring on board by encouraging the creative talents among crew members. The same creativity and artistic skills which make theme nights a charter success can be applied to training in disaster preparedness. To illustrate, while basic drills are fundamental to effective emergency responses, embodying some drill aspects into a theatrical scenario that could actually happen adds a new level of teamwork. For example, fire drills tend to be repetitive and do not recreate the experience of the mandatory fire fighting courses. But a surprise themed drill can go a long way towards sharpening the edge of responders. How to run a surprise themed fire drill One tried and proven example is for the captain to conspire with the chief engineer to set up a realistic morning fire drill for the crew. Here are the simple steps: Captain and Engineer on standby to isolate and shut off power to all lighting, including emergency lighting, in the crew area. In the early morning darkness before their normal wake-up times, block all exits except for the emergency exit with chairs and set up strobe lights wrapped in red rags. On a couple of laptops have YouTube running with clips of burning buildings. Load up the toaster, burn the toast, call the chief on the radio to shut off power, and retire to a dark corner as the fire alarm sounds. As half-asleep and half-dressed figures emerge and smell burning, yell “Move! Move! Get out!”. The unreal lighting is disorientating. Is it real or a drill, but the captain is urging them to get out fast. Observe. Who are the quick thinkers? Who leads the way out? Who thinks to check all the cabins for anybody left behind? When everybody reaches the assembly point the exercise is over. Later in the morning, conduct a debriefing to bring up lessons learned, and suggestions about ways to improve future fire drills. For a change it will be the crew, not the captain, doing all the talking. Endless variations can be played on this theme. By giving crew (single or in pairs) the opportunity to create, write and direct any type of scenario which can be worked into routine drill schedules, it will help get further buy-in from them. They will become more capable and confident in their safety roles and will start to develop their own leadership skills. This example is intended to stimulate crew to produce their own scenarios so as to maintain a high level of interest and involvement in safety drills. We will follow up next week with some ideas on preparing engaging first aid drills and preparing for annual audits/surveys, including specific chart exercises. Rodney A. Hatch - Director for Deck Training Rod hails from Southampton. His connection to the sea goes back to early memories of the city skyline being dominated by the last generation of the great trans-Atlantic liners, and when the only yachts on the River Hamble were wooden ones, sympathetic neighbours of one of the last wooden hulks from the Royal Navy's Napoleonic wars. After graduating from Sheffield University, and prior to actually running away to sea, he was a Lecturer in Economics and Liberal Studies at South Bank Polytechnic, London. His yachting career and commercial sea time span over fifty years, and he is still active as a Relief Captain. From its shores to its inland hills, Rod embraces the Mediterranean littoral, with special affection for the ancient magic of the Greek islands, the glories of Renaissance Italy, France for the historic ties with England, and every vineyard along the way. Rod can be reached at deck@pya.org More news Kickstart Your Yachting Career: Next Generation in Yachting Forum on May 3rd, 2024 This is the first forum ever created for the next generation of yacht crew. Representatives from top recruitment agencies and other yacht professionals, will be joining to answer your questions and guide you on your yachting journey. Read more PYA to Address Crew Concerns at Palma Boat Show Panel The PYA is excited to announce their participation in a panel discussion on “Crew Careers, Retention, Health and Wellbeing” at the upcoming Superyacht Breakfast Seminars by Estela Superyacht Agency during the Palma Boat Show. Read more YARE 2024: Captains Brainstorm Solutions for Finding the Right People The recent Yachting Aftersales and Refit Experience (YARE) event in Italy brought captains, yacht managers and other stakeholders, together for a lively discussion on a critical topic: The Human Capital – Finding the Right People. Read more

​ Our Guide to Yacht Rating Certificates To All news 15 June 2021 As we head into the start of the Mediterranean summer season for 2021, many deck crew will require a yacht rating certificate (YRC) in order to work onboard larger vessels. The PYA is an authorised issuing body of yacht rating certificates on behalf of the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) and has been providing this certification to crew for many years. We interviewed our Certification and Membership Administrator, Bianca Grosu, who provides some more information about how to apply for your yachting rating certificate with the PYA. Why are Yacht Rating Certificates required? The YRC is required by vessels as part of their safe manning requirements, usually yachts that are over 200GT. In addition to this requirement, YRC are commonly required when applying for experienced/senior deck roles as they provide an assurance to Captains/recruitment agents that a seafarer has advanced deck skills and can deal with greater responsibilities. It is therefore recommended for deck crew to obtain this certification in order to grow within their rank onboard. Which crew are required to have them? All crew working on deck on yachts over 200GT are required to have a yacht rating certificate. This includes Captains, Officers, Mates, Bosuns, Engineers, Deckhands and in some cases they might be required for interior crew who also undertake deck duties or those who want to move into deck positions. Is the certificate issued to the crew member or the vessel? Yacht Rating Certificates are issued to the crew member, not the vessel and are valid for life. When a crew member moves to a new vessel they don’t need to reapply for a new YRC and can use their existing YRC. How to get your Yacht Rating Certificate? You can apply online for your Yacht Rating Certificate. Read our step-by-step guide , including all the requirements and documents needed to get your certificate. Our team should be able to issue your YRC within 2 weeks. If you have a specific question about YRC’s or would like additional information, please email certficates@pya.org . How much does it cost? The great news is that if you’re a PYA member, you can apply for your yacht rating certificate with no additional cost. For all other crew, you can join the PYA now as a full member and get 20% off the cost of your new membership, which is usually €185. You can enjoy all the benefits of being a full member, in addition to receiving your Yacht Rating Certificate. Alternatively, you can apply for your yacht rating certificate as a non-member for €80, or a shore-based member for €40. More news Kickstart Your Yachting Career: Next Generation in Yachting Forum on May 3rd, 2024 This is the first forum ever created for the next generation of yacht crew. Representatives from top recruitment agencies and other yacht professionals, will be joining to answer your questions and guide you on your yachting journey. Read more PYA to Address Crew Concerns at Palma Boat Show Panel The PYA is excited to announce their participation in a panel discussion on “Crew Careers, Retention, Health and Wellbeing” at the upcoming Superyacht Breakfast Seminars by Estela Superyacht Agency during the Palma Boat Show. Read more YARE 2024: Captains Brainstorm Solutions for Finding the Right People The recent Yachting Aftersales and Refit Experience (YARE) event in Italy brought captains, yacht managers and other stakeholders, together for a lively discussion on a critical topic: The Human Capital – Finding the Right People. Read more

Acting on behalf of yacht crew to ensure your opinions are heard The PYA has been the voice of international yacht crew since its inception in 1991. The PYA consults with policy makers who write legislation affecting the construction, operation and manning of large yachts. Over the years, PYA has participated in numerous workgroups and steering committees to ensure the point of view of those actually working on board is known and understood. As the yachting industry continues to grow, compulsory training requirements have been introduced so as to fall in line with other maritime sectors. These increased regulations serve an internationally-agreed purpose to increase safety and awareness, so unfortunately they're not going to go away! However the role of the PYA is to elbow out (when possible) or ameliorate training that is not relevant to yachting. For 30 years, the PYA has sat on the MCA Yacht Qualifying Panel as the representative of yacht crew. This annual meeting is attended by all the major yacht training providers worldwide, to discuss current yacht training issues, course syllabus, exam results and new exam procedures and new courses under MCA & STCW amendments. This is the annual chance to put the opinions of yacht crew on the table for discussion on these subjects. With the increased size of vessels in yachting, a few years ago the PYA fought and won to have “yacht service” recognized within the commercial sectors. With that came the “glass ceiling” project, where the MCA made clear that, whenever possible, they intended to ensure anything new introduced was “transferable training” so that our crew could more easily cross over to the commercial qualifications. The PYA works with other administrations to fight for the interests of yacht crew. Whilst we don't win every battle, we have triumphed in many areas over the years and have avoided legislation being put in place which would negatively affect the yachting industry and those working in it. You can read more about some of our successes here . The PYA has helped many members with issues such as non-payment of wages, unfair dismissal, lack of contracts etc. The power that the voice of the PYA has means that we are far better positioned to assist crew when things go wrong than if they tried to represent themselves. The people fighting these battles for you are all volunteers giving up huge amounts of their time to protect your futures in yachting. Whether you know it or not, you need the PYA! To About us Representation

​ Update from the Life is for Living team To All news 23 July 2020 Life is for Living is an organisation created by a community of yacht-related individuals who wanted to create awareness around the emotional and mental wellbeing support services available in the yachting industry. Due to addiction being incredibly prevalent within the yachting industry and a struggle for many crew, the organisation decided to partner with a specialist team, EMA, to provide accurate and informative guidance during their debut event earlier this year. EMA is run by a psychologist and counsellor duo, Enrique and Marta, who are based in Porto Portals, Mallorca, and specialise in addiction. Unfortunately, EMA already has many clients who are yacht crew. During the event, Enrique and Marta illustrated the workings of the mind through addiction, including how the prolonged use of substances can permanently alter the mind. Captains, crew and yacht managers were taught actionable skills to help recognise the signs of addiction and mental health issues. They were also given handouts of resources so they can accurately direct affected fellow crew. If you need support or would like access to some useful resources, head over to the Life is for Living Facebook page for a list of emotional health and wellbeing services and resources, or join the EMA support group in Mallorca for addiction-related matters. See the full details below. EMA Support Group Jeremy, Enrique and Marta have set up EMA Entorno de Soporte Terapeutico, a professional group therapy support network in English. They meet every Wednesday in Portals Nous and the sessions are open to anyone (in yachting or not) who is struggling with life, addiction, mental instability or can see themselves heading in that direction. Everything discussed within the group is completely confidential and all they ask is that you send them a WhatsApp message beforehand so that they have an idea of numbers. Meet with EMA When: Every Wednesday 6:45pm Where: Portals de Yoga Carretera Andratx 43 Local 12 Portals Nous Mallorca Contact: WhatsApp +34 608 418 863 The EMA Team Enrique Balasch Torres Therapist at EMA and Instituto Hipocrates Mallorca. Specialist in the treatment of addictions to substances. Experience: Former recovered addict with many years of experience conducting group therapy at Instituto Hipocrates. Marta de la Cruz Clinical psychologist Specialist in the treatment of addictions at the Instituto Hipocrates Specialist in floral therapy applied to emotional processes Psychosocial analyst in freelosophy Experience: Psychologist for EMA with 3 year's experience treating patients at Instituto Hippocrates Mallorca. More than 10 years of experience as a clinical psychologist in different areas and more than 20 years in the area of qualitative market research with a psychosocial approach. Jeremy Hance Engineer and Captain, recovered with Instituto Hipocrates a year and a half ago. Promoter of the group in Portals Nous. More news Kickstart Your Yachting Career: Next Generation in Yachting Forum on May 3rd, 2024 This is the first forum ever created for the next generation of yacht crew. Representatives from top recruitment agencies and other yacht professionals, will be joining to answer your questions and guide you on your yachting journey. Read more PYA to Address Crew Concerns at Palma Boat Show Panel The PYA is excited to announce their participation in a panel discussion on “Crew Careers, Retention, Health and Wellbeing” at the upcoming Superyacht Breakfast Seminars by Estela Superyacht Agency during the Palma Boat Show. Read more YARE 2024: Captains Brainstorm Solutions for Finding the Right People The recent Yachting Aftersales and Refit Experience (YARE) event in Italy brought captains, yacht managers and other stakeholders, together for a lively discussion on a critical topic: The Human Capital – Finding the Right People. Read more

Aquator Marine was founded based on the belief that the power of yacht software is becoming increasingly essential to yacht management. In business, people need to make informed decisions, we believe the same principles, methods, and applications apply to operating and managing a yacht. We think the availability of accurate, timely, and interpretive data is critical to a yacht’s safety, operability, and longevity. Our objective is to develop data-driven solutions, that improve productivity, are more cost-effective, and provide interactive ways to manage yacht-related activities. We are excited about building out the company, delivering on our product roadmap, and further developing our relationships across the yachting industry. In the next few years, we aim to become a leading company in the yacht management software space and be able to demonstrate product-led growth with a strong value proposition. We're excited to simplify Yacht Management for everyone through our software, education, and community. We are a dedicated team with diverse experiences, and nationalities and operate globally. Our company is headquartered in Singapore. Services Yacht Management (Basic, Premium & Pro) Shipyard & Refit Management Charter Fleet & Yacht Management Superyachts To know more Aquator Information-2023 .pdf Download PDF • 17.81MB Special offer for members 10% discount to all PYA members. Please quote your PYA member number and expiry date with your purchase. Contact Information Email: info@aquatormarine.com Phone: +48 728 546 100 Website: www.aquatormarine.com Aquator Marine Aquator Marine was founded based on the belief that the power of yacht management software is becoming increasingly more essential. Accurate, timely and available information is critical to the safety, operability, and longevity of a yacht. Visit website Back to All Partners 10% discount for all PYA members. Please quote your PYA membership number and expiry date with your purchase. Become a member and enjoy the exclusive offers from our partners. Become a member

​ Sexual harassment of seafarers To All news 14 October 2018 As part of its members' assistance service, the PYA has seen a marked increase in the number of incidents of sexual harassment reported by crew members. The PYA has therefore conducted an industry survey to give crew members a voice to bring forward their own experiences of sexual harassment in yachting. Our results were reported at the Sea Changes Forum at the Monaco Yacht Show and produced some shocking statistics and personal testimony. A huge thank you to all the people who bravely reported information in our survey. What's next? The PYA in conjunction with other partners in this sector of the maritime industry are joining forces to continue to highlight this subject and to campaign on behalf of crew in establishing improvements in their working environment and in promoting better understanding of the issues raised. If you want to get involved then let us know - possibly consider becoming a PYA Councillor and representing colleagues in future forum dealing with such issues? Contact us at welfare@pya.org More news Kickstart Your Yachting Career: Next Generation in Yachting Forum on May 3rd, 2024 This is the first forum ever created for the next generation of yacht crew. Representatives from top recruitment agencies and other yacht professionals, will be joining to answer your questions and guide you on your yachting journey. Read more PYA to Address Crew Concerns at Palma Boat Show Panel The PYA is excited to announce their participation in a panel discussion on “Crew Careers, Retention, Health and Wellbeing” at the upcoming Superyacht Breakfast Seminars by Estela Superyacht Agency during the Palma Boat Show. Read more YARE 2024: Captains Brainstorm Solutions for Finding the Right People The recent Yachting Aftersales and Refit Experience (YARE) event in Italy brought captains, yacht managers and other stakeholders, together for a lively discussion on a critical topic: The Human Capital – Finding the Right People. Read more

​ PYA attends Engineering Sub Group Meeting in Southampton with the MCA To All news 29 February 2024 The PYA recently took part in this year’s first Engineering Sub Group meeting at the Warsash Maritime Academy in Southampton, UK to discuss recent developments. The meeting served as a platform for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), PYA, and IAMI training providers to exchange information, address current issues, and raise concerns. “We received important feedback from the industry which was discussed during our latest meeting with all parties. The PYA is in regular contact with yacht crew to understand issues affecting certification and training and we want to thank our members for their valuable contributions,” said Kim Llorente, Operations Manager for the PYA. Below are a number of key areas discussed in the latest meeting and the updates we received: Oral Exam Booking System : The MCA acknowledged the challenges faced with booking oral exam dates. They are exploring alternative software solutions which will also prevent unauthorized individuals from booking exams on behalf of others. E-TR(B) Pilot: A pilot program for the E-TR(B) will soon involve 50 cadets. This mobile app will allow for completing tasks with the additional ability to include photos, videos, and other phone-generated information. Video guides will also be available, making the overall TR completion experience smoother. After the pilot, the app will be rolled out to all cadets and eventually to SV Engineers. Watchkeeping Service for CoC: The MCA may consider including watchkeeping service, beyond traditional seagoing service, towards the Certificate of Competency (CoC) requirements. However, comprehensive documentation of onboard activities is crucial in such cases. It is recommended to consistently follow this practice to avoid any complications with sea service verification. AEPC1 Course Update: The working group on the Approved Electric Propulsion Course (AEPC1) has held several meetings, with another one scheduled for early March. While the MCA confirmed that this course will not be mandatory for obtaining a CoC, it might become a requirement for working on vessels utilizing future fuels. SV Alternative Route and Exemptions: The MCA reiterated that IAMI holds the delegated authority to assess exemption requests for MCA exams. The MCA regularly audits IAMI to ensure that this process is conducted with strict adherence to established criteria, ensuring exemption is granted only to individuals with demonstrably relevant knowledge. To access the latest guidance from the PYA, you can subscribe to our newsletter or become a registered member to get the very latest industry insights. More news Kickstart Your Yachting Career: Next Generation in Yachting Forum on May 3rd, 2024 This is the first forum ever created for the next generation of yacht crew. Representatives from top recruitment agencies and other yacht professionals, will be joining to answer your questions and guide you on your yachting journey. Read more PYA to Address Crew Concerns at Palma Boat Show Panel The PYA is excited to announce their participation in a panel discussion on “Crew Careers, Retention, Health and Wellbeing” at the upcoming Superyacht Breakfast Seminars by Estela Superyacht Agency during the Palma Boat Show. Read more YARE 2024: Captains Brainstorm Solutions for Finding the Right People The recent Yachting Aftersales and Refit Experience (YARE) event in Italy brought captains, yacht managers and other stakeholders, together for a lively discussion on a critical topic: The Human Capital – Finding the Right People. Read more

© PYA PYA Sea Changes Forum 2023 Highlights To All news 4 October 2023 This year’s Sea Changes Forum at the Monaco Yacht Show was the largest gathering of industry professionals since the annual conference was launched in 2011. Taking place on September 28th, the PYA welcomed a host of international speakers from across the yachting world to discuss important industry issues. Areas including crew hiring, retention, welfare and exploration among others were discussed including new initiatives that have been set up to map the ocean floors - a scientific endeavor that demonstrates how our industry is making a difference to research among other things. With more than 150,000 people directly employed in the yachting industry and a global turnover exceeding 24 billion euros a year, there has never been a more exciting time for yachting with a booming maritime industry that is set to bring economic benefits to many countries. Christophe Bourillion, CEO for the PYA commented: “We want to say another big thank you to all our attending guests, partners and supporters that made this year’s event a big success for everyone involved. We had some great discussions and were introduced to insightful topics that have broadened our perspective about what is happening in the yachting industry today - and what is also to come. It is our hope that this year’s Sea Changes Forum can be the melting pot that helps our industry stay informed while advancing technological innovations. We hope to see you all again next year!” As part of this year’s Sea Changes Forum, the PYA welcomed the following guest speakers: Mr John Wyborn, IAMI Board member - who discussed the work IAMI does for yacht training including the Deck Certification Report. Miss Joey Meen, IAMI Guest Program Director - who shared insights on the importance of soft skill training & the CPD opportunities of bespoke (non-mandatory) education to support yachting careers – with the Yacht Owners Representative Program being provided as an example. Mr Richard Falk, Director of Training and Qualifications, Royal Yachting Association - who introduced “RYA Training and Qualifications, Rising to the Challenges of the Future”. Miss Angela Wallace, PYA Director of Interior Training, PYA Welfare Group - who discussed current issues in the industry regarding crew including recruitment and retention. Mr Jo Assael, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) Yacht Register, International Registries Inc - who introduced the RMI’s Master (Yachts) Unlimited Tonnage Certificate of Competency (CoC). Mr John Everett Nyberg, Technical Director, IHO - who discussed the IHO’s international mapping project. Guests in attendance included captains and seafarers from across the industry including representatives from various organisations in yachting. Following the forum, we took part in a cocktail gathering on the roof of the IHO HQ at the Monaco Yacht Show. See some of the gallery highlights below The PYA wants to say a big thank you to our supporting sponsors who made this year’s event possible including the IHO , Ocean Drive , IAMI , Guest Program , Bluewater , MYBA , YPI Crew , SeaScope . We look forward to seeing you all next September for the 2024 Sea Changes Forum! More news Kickstart Your Yachting Career: Next Generation in Yachting Forum on May 3rd, 2024 This is the first forum ever created for the next generation of yacht crew. Representatives from top recruitment agencies and other yacht professionals, will be joining to answer your questions and guide you on your yachting journey. Read more PYA to Address Crew Concerns at Palma Boat Show Panel The PYA is excited to announce their participation in a panel discussion on “Crew Careers, Retention, Health and Wellbeing” at the upcoming Superyacht Breakfast Seminars by Estela Superyacht Agency during the Palma Boat Show. Read more YARE 2024: Captains Brainstorm Solutions for Finding the Right People The recent Yachting Aftersales and Refit Experience (YARE) event in Italy brought captains, yacht managers and other stakeholders, together for a lively discussion on a critical topic: The Human Capital – Finding the Right People. Read more

AngloINFO provides a comprehensive Anglophone information website, including up to date guides, services and products across 30 countries to help you find exactly what you need, whether you’re thinking about moving or need help settling in (and every stage in between). Services Classifieds: Buy and sell (almost) anything with our local classifieds. Business Directory: Find English speaking and friendly local businesses and services. How-to Guides: Find unbiased, in-depth information to help you on your expat adventure. Forum & Chat: Angloinfo’s community can provide the answers you need. Jobs: Looking for work? Angloinfo jobs is a one-stop-shop for expat job hunters. Property: Whether you want to rent or buy, we can help you find your new home. Contact information www.angloinfo.com Tel: +1-630-489-2875 Koosh Media Group LLC dba Angloinfo 13400 S Route 59, Ste 116-167 Plainfield, IL 60585 United States of America AngloINFO Ltd AngloINFO provides a comprehensive Anglophone information website, including up to date guides, services and products across 30 countries to help you find exactly what you need, whether you’re thinking about moving or need help settling in (and every stage in between). Visit website Back to All Partners ​ Become a member and enjoy the exclusive offers from our partners. Become a member