RYA Professional Practices & Responsibilities

Whatever your job is on board, in the commercial world you are a professional seafarer. As such, you are no different from the captain of a cruise liner; you have a duty of care to crew, to passengers, and to other water users, and you will be held to account if things go wrong. The RYA PPR (Professional Practices & Responsibilities) Course will introduce you to these responsibilities.

From April 2012 this course is ESSENTIAL and COMPULSORY for those working in the maritime world and needed to commercially endorse your RYA/MCA Certificate of Competence.

To introduce seafarers to the relevant legislation applicable to them; including SOLAS, COSWoP, MARPOL, Flag State, Port State Authorities and the Code of Practice. Upon completion of the course you won't necessarily be able to quote all of these regulations by rote, but will be aware of them and know where to read more about them.

Course Structure

Commercial environment - how you fit into the professional maritime world.

•People – the importance of correct manning, keeping your skills up to date and the safe management of commercial vessels.

•Vessel – the compulsory carriage and maintenance of safety equipment and how to create and implement risk control and operating procedures.

•Purpose – making sure your vessel is suitable and legal for the work you are carrying out, your obligations in protecting the environment, appropriate planning and situational awareness.

Following the modules there is a mock assessment so you can check you are ready before moving on to the final graded online assessment.

We estimate users will take around 8 to 10 hours to work through the four course modules. The graded end of course assessment is split into two sections, totalling 2 ½ hours.

You will have 2 attempts at the final assessment. If you don’t pass at the 1st attempt you can retake again 8 hours after the first attempt.

Should you not pass at the 2 nd attempt, you will be advised to study further before any other attempts can be made.

There will be a £25 charge to retake after 2 attempts.

Useful Information

What Is Included?

•On line E Leaning PPR course

•PPR Certificate (you can print your own certificate)

•Email / skype support from your own Hercules Sailing Instructor

Price

£39

Optional Extra

RYA Commercial Regulations Support Book G105 – not required for the on line course, but recommended useful accompaniment.

Exemptions from this course

If you hold an MCA Deck Officer's Certificate of Competence as Officer of the Watch, Master 200*, Master 500 or above you do not need to take the PPR course. Please send a copy of your MCA certificate with your application or renewal form for your commercial endorsement.

* Please note the 'Master 200' referred to here is the MCA Master 200gt STCW qualification. This is not the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ qualification.

Updating your PPR certificate

Once you have taken your first PPR course, at subsequent renewals of your commercial endorsement you will need to take a reduced version of the course and a short test to make sure you are still up to speed with the subject.

Note: If you are over 65 and subject to more regular medical fitness examinations, you do not need to take the PPR course each time you renew your medical. You will simply need to take it when your commercial endorsement is due for renewal (normally every five years).

How To Apply

Hercules Sailing will create a user account on the RYA Interactive site to enrol you once a booking form and payment has been received. Further guidance will be provided.