Crew Training Courses

Embarking on a career in the yachting industry? Certain training courses are essential for newcomers, while others greatly enhance your employability and set you apart from the competition.

STCW safety training must be refreshed every 5 years to ensure readiness for any emergency at sea and comply with the requirements of the STCW Convention. Our refresher courses cover both basic and advanced modules, equipping you with the latest knowledge and techniques.

Bluewater is developing highly informative online yacht training courses with interactive exercises and exams. Our goal with online yacht training is to create pre-study courses which you can take at your own speed to familiarize and strengthen your knowledge of a course subject, as well as stand-alone courses. We are continually adding to our e-learning courses and are open to suggestions if you would like to see any other courses online.

The Officer of the Watch is qualified to be completely responsible for the safety of the yacht, the crew and the guests during the period of his or her watch. This is a considerable responsibility for which in-depth training is required. In our crew training centres in Antibes and Palma we have invested in navigation simulators to help our students gain the necessary skill levels for this role.

We have all the required MCA accredited RYA courses for those serious about their careers. Learn about charts, plotters, navigation and more with our excellent instructors. 

As master of a yacht you are responsible for the vessel and all those onboard, including crew, owners and guests. You must manage budgets, motivate your crew, understand the law in seafaring and much more. The main difference between achieving a Master 500 and 3000 is age and experience, the training modules, however, remain the same.

Bluewater’s comprehensive safety training programmes are designed to equip maritime professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate emergencies confidently, reduce onboard risks, and maintain a safe working environment.

Yachts often contain cutting edge equipment. The skills required behind the scenes to maintain the calm while the storm is happening below deck demands extremely qualified yacht engineers. The yacht engineering qualifications were introduced in February 2001 to provide an industry standard system of certification. The system allows all those who wish to pursue engineering careers to do so no matter what their previous training is. Understandably the courses to become a yacht engineer are tough, but at Bluewater we have an unrivalled record, ahead of the global average, in getting people through this process. We have also made a commitment this year to ensure that our engineering courses cost less than any others in Europe.

It’s summary. 

These courses are designed to promote the skills needed to lead an organisation, the different modules are mandatory depending on your career path. Using a combination of lectures, case studies, group table-top exercises and practical problem solving tasks, students will learn how to prioritise tasks, motivate individuals and foster an effective team ethic. The 2010 ’Manilla’ amendments to the STCW convention introduced, for the first time, a requirement for management and leadership training for all ships’ officers. This course has been mandatory since 1st September 2013.

Our summer school programme for English speaking teens aged 16-18 in Antibes and Palma, and aged 16-20 in Monaco, allows you to learn the basic skills needed for a career in yachting.

You will discover a wide range of skills, walk away with actual Maritime qualifications and make new friends. This fun and educational programme is available as a 1 week course in Palma and Monaco, and a 2-week course in Antibes. You will walk away with actual maritime qualifications, whilst growing your existing skills & helping your CV shine. RYA Powerboat Level 2 (not available in Palma) This certificate is recognised across Europe as a licence to operate small craft such as tenders and RIBS. You’ll learn how to drive and control a boat at speed, how to manoeuvre and park in marinas, how to avoid collisions, cope with a man overboard emergency and use charts to navigate. Jet ski licence (not available in Palma) This is an RYA Personal Watercraft certificate - feel the thrill of zooming across the water under the guidance of our experienced instructors. With this certificate you’ll be able to hire a jet ski, handle it with confidence and impress your friends with your new skill! STCW Basic Safety certificate With this 1 week yacht training course you will learn survival at sea, firefighting, basic first aid and more. This is the only certificate you need to begin a successful career in yachting.

Yachts with helipads face a whole range of safety and operational challenges. In partnership with superyacht helipad specialist HeliRiviera of Cannes, we offer essential training for any yacht with helicopter operations. These specialised firefighting and helipad procedure courses maximise safety standards. HeliRiviera courses have been fully audited and approved by the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) and are Large Yacht Code 2 (LY2) compliant. This accreditation means those courses include recognised crew certification. - The shore-based fire training course is held in the UK. - The onboard helideck training can take place anywhere in the world. If your yacht has a helipad and helicopter operations, we highly recommend these specialist courses. Please note: These are not Bluewater hosted courses, and are not be redeemable against your ONE Account vouchers. For details on the long list of courses which are redeemable against your ONE Account please email one@bluewateryachting.com.

Scuba diving is an extremely popular way to explore new depths in a calm controlled environment, with millions of recreational divers already certified worldwide. Should you invest yourself in scuba diving, a whole new world of opportunity can open up with divers needed for commercial, scientific and military purposes as well. Diving qualifications can help distinguish crew apart from the crowd when looking for another position and it is a great way to enjoy downtime that gels perfectly with the yachting lifestyle. The word "scuba" itself, is an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. Working with 2 of the most renowned dive training centres in yachting, we are able to provide a wealth of dive training either locally in Antibes, Palma or onboard. Our carefully selected partners, Ondine Escape & Diamond Diving, both provide a world class diving service combining the highest quality instructors, marine biologists, top of the range equipment, multi-media, safety procedures and eye for detail.

Bluewater partners with training providers who provide courses that are valuable to seafarers both onboard and back on land.