The why.
Well, we've been thinking about this whole boat stuff with a few people for some time. Thinking being the term I'm chosing for expressing that from time to time we come up with a discusison about how it would be nice to sail around the world with a boat.
- SBF Binnen (Sportbootführerschein Binnen)
- valid on inland waters
- SBF See (Sportbootführerschein See)
- valid for offshore up to 3 miles and the channels marked by lateral marks up to 12 miles from the coast
- SKS (Sportküstenschifferschein)
- valid for offshore up to 12 miles
- SSS (Sportseeschifferschein)
- valid for offshore up to 30 miles and North Sea, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and English Channel, Bristol Channel, Irish Sea, Scottisch Seas
- SHSS (Sporthochseeschifferschein)
- valid for offshore
An International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is a certificate, which may be issued to anyone who has successfully completed certain national boating licenses or has passed an examination to prove the necessary competence for pleasure craft operation. ICC is the only sailing license approved by United Nations as a legitimate recreational sailing license.[1]
Although only guaranteed to be accepted in countries that have adopted the relevant UN Resolution, the ICC is a useful document to carry and will generally be accepted where proof of competence is required.
In very general terms an ICC is required for the inland waterways of Europe and for inland and coastal waters of Mediterranean countries. For the coastal waters of Northern Europe the ICC is generally not required, however to all of these generalisations there are exceptions.
