Your first step into yachting
Every crew member working aboard a commercial vessel over 24 metres must hold a valid STCW Basic Safety Training certificate. Mandated by the International Maritime Organization, it is the legal entry requirement to work at sea — and the first document every captain and recruiter asks to see.
Our course covers the five mandatory modules over five consecutive days, combining classroom theory with demanding hands-on drills. What sets it apart: where most schools stay in a lecture room and a swimming pool, we run the practical sessions on a real yacht, at sea. You practise in the exact conditions you’ll work in.
The five modules
1 · Personal Survival Techniques (PST) Causes of distress at sea, abandoning ship, and correct use of life-saving appliances. Practical work: donning an immersion suit and lifejacket, jumping from a height into the water, righting an inverted liferaft and boarding survival craft — practised in open water, not a training tank.
2 · Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting (FPFF) Fire hazards and prevention, detection and alarm systems, and the full range of fire-fighting equipment. You tackle real, live fires on our dedicated fire ground and learn to use breathing apparatus with confidence.
3 · Elementary First Aid (EFA) CPR, wound and shock management, and immediate casualty care — the skills to act decisively before professional help can reach the vessel.
4 · Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities (PSSR) Life and conduct aboard: crew hierarchy, communication, health and substance-abuse awareness, employment rights and working effectively in a close-knit multinational crew.
5 · Proficiency in Security Awareness (PSA) A half-day ISPS module on maritime security threats, onboard procedures and drills — now a compulsory part of Basic Training.
Course format
A typical week runs Monday to Friday: theory and assessments in the mornings, practical drills in the afternoons, with the survival and fire-fighting sessions taking you out of the classroom and onto the water and fire ground.
Requirements
- Minimum age 16
- A reasonable level of physical fitness and the ability to swim
- No prior experience needed — this is the entry point
What you leave with
An STCW Basic Safety Training certificate recognised worldwide — the passport to your first yacht contract. Note that the two perishable modules (survival and fire fighting) must be revalidated every five years with an STCW Refresher.
Who it’s for
New crew entering the industry, career-changers, and anyone who needs the baseline certification before their first season on the French Riviera.