If you want to work on a yacht, STCW Basic Safety Training is your first investment. Here’s what you’re paying for and why it matters.
The five modules
STCW Basic Safety Training bundles five mandatory units:
- Personal Survival Techniques — abandoning ship, liferafts, survival in the water
- Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting — using extinguishers, breathing apparatus, tackling real fires
- Elementary First Aid — CPR and immediate casualty care
- Personal Safety & Social Responsibility — living and working safely aboard
- Proficiency in Security Awareness (PSA) — ISPS basics every crew member needs
Together they form the legal minimum to sign onto a commercial vessel over 24 metres.
What it costs
Across established schools in Antibes, Palma and Fort Lauderdale, STCW Basic Safety Training typically runs €1,000–€1,400. Price varies with the number of practical sessions, class sizes and whether the security module is included.
At the lower end you’ll often find larger groups and pool-based survival drills. At the upper end you’re paying for smaller cohorts and, in our case, survival and fire fighting practised on a real yacht at sea rather than in a training tank.
Is it worth it?
Bluntly: you have no choice — no STCW, no job. But the quality of your training does matter. Recruiters and captains notice crew who are genuinely confident in an emergency versus those who ticked a box.
The cheapest course and the best course are rarely the same one. Train where you’ll actually retain it.
Ready to start? Our STCW Basic Safety Training covers all five modules over five days in Antibes, with practical sessions run in real conditions. It’s the strongest possible first line on a yachting CV.