One of the biggest factors of missing out on the adventurous life of a South African skipper could be vague course pricing. So, in this article, we will be breaking down our skipper’s license prices in South Africa. So, manage your budget and spend wisely as you get the course from one of the best marine institutions in South Africa.

Getting Skipper’s License in South Africa

We recently have covered about requirements for getting a skipper’s license in South Africa. A skipper’s license is indeed a safe and legal way to experience South African waters, be it inland or ocean. You have to fulfil some basic requirements along with sea hours, and then pass the exam.

Whether you want to take the course for a skipper’s license is up to you. However, these courses are definitely advantageous as you methodically learn about the safety and technicality of skipping. Of course, it does cost more than just taking an exam. Now, if you are fairly confident with your abilities and/or have a personal guardian/supervisor that can teach you the ropes, then feel free to take the exam

But, if you are someone who’s a complete novice and may feel anxious about beginning this journey, then we guarantee you, you are investing in the right place. This is why we find it important to be aware of the skipper’s license prices in South Africa.

The skipper’s exam consists of a practical and theoretical examination. Make sure you study the SAMSA manual well before you appear for the exam.

The Skipper’s License Prices in South Africa

Before we delve into our packages, please note that Skipper’s Training SA only provides training for up to Category C license. If you are looking for a category B license, feel free to contact us and we will see what we can do.

The more experience you have, the less you will be paying for these skipping courses. Based on our candidates’ expected experiences, we have made three different packages.

a. Experienced boater with sufficient knowledge

If you are a regular boater (boating under an experienced, certified skipper) and have sea time of 100 hours or more, then you qualify for this package. In this course, we mainly cover the SRC Radio course and the Theory Course (1 day each). The theory course is more of a refresher that is not suitable for novice candidates. Also, if you are a category C license applicant, then we will also cover charts and navigations in theory.

The course fees for a Category E or R license are R2500 and R3200 for a Category C license. Besides that, the skipper’s license exam and SRC radio exam fees will cost R2500 extra. This will be constant across all our packages.

And yes, the radio course is a must if you are to sail or drive on South African waters. Know more about the SRC Radio Course here.

b. Somewhat experienced boater with basic knowledge

If you are an occasional boater with little to no knowledge of how actual boating works, then this course might be just for you. To enter this course, you must have 50 hours of seatime signed off by a certified skipper or 100 hours of self-signed seatime. No formal training.

In this course, we will cover 1-day practical boating to refresh your knowledge plus some theoretical knowledge whenever necessary. Besides that, we also cover the SRC radio course and 1-day theory course which is suitable for beginners as well. If you are a category C candidate, then you will have one additional day of training in navigation and charts.

The course fees for Category E or R skipper’s license will be R3700 plus R2500 for exam fees. For category C, it will be R4900 plus R2500 for exam fees.

c. Novice Boater

A course for truly a novice person. If you have less than 50 hours of sea time, this course is definitely for you. Novice boaters are those who do not drive or sail a boat regularly (or at all) and have little to no regular experience. Hence, this course is extensive in practical training that also gives you 25 hours of sea time.

This course includes 3 days of practical boating along with necessary theory. Then comes the SRC radio course and theory course (1 day each), and then 1 day will be for the exams. If you are a Category C, then you will also have 2 days of extra training in navigation and charts (with practical boating).

As an extensive course, this course is the most expensive on our list. For category R or E, you will be paying R6100 plus exam fees of R2500. For category C, the total course price will be R7300 with additional exam fees of R2500.

Conclusion

Getting a skipper’s license in South Africa can be exciting, yet an expensive leisure interest. We are well aware of that. However, if you can experience it, you will understand that it is definitely a unique experience.

Skipper’s Training SA believes in fair business. For our 30 years+ of experience and the invaluable knowledge we provide in this industry, These are our skipper’s license prices in South Africa. If you require more information, or if you have any special course requests, feel free to contact us today!

We have courses available in V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, and False Bay Yacht Club, Simons Town.

Skipper’s License Prices in South Africa