What licence do you need to hire a catamaran in the Seychelles?

The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, are among the most regulated bareboat destinations in the world. Unlike the Caribbean where experience often suffices, sailing without a skipper in the Seychelles imposes a strict administrative framework set by the Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority (SMSA), the national maritime authority. Here is what our charter partners (The Moorings, SunSail, Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare Yachting, VPM Bestsail, SAILOE, Top Catamaran, My Seychelles) and the port authorities at Eden Island Marina in Mahé and Praslin actually require. To find out whether a sailing licence is mandatory depending on the destination, consult our dedicated FAQ.

Licences accepted by Seychellois authorities

The SMSA does not issue licences itself to foreign nationals, but recognises a limited panel of international certifications. The licence must be presented in original at check-in at the base, accompanied by a certified translation in English if the document is written in another language. If you're unsure about the different boat licences available in France, our magazine article details the specifics of each qualification.

To help you identify the licence that matches your situation, here is the reference table of accepted certifications:

A note for UK and Irish clients: the RYA Day Skipper Practical is the most commonly held qualification in the British sailing community, and it is fully accepted by all our Seychelles charter partners (The Moorings and SunSail being the standard reference). The RYA Coastal Skipper and RYA Yachtmaster Offshore are obviously also accepted, with the Yachtmaster being the gold standard for skippered charters worldwide. Beware: the RYA Competent Crew alone is not sufficient for bareboat charter, as it does not certify command of the vessel. If you only hold the Competent Crew, two solutions: complete your Day Skipper before departure (typically 5 days of practical training plus theory), or book your catamaran with a professional skipper.

Having your licence translated into English: a step that has become essential

Since summer 2025, the Seychelles port authorities have updated their regulations: all sailing qualifications must be presented in English or French, without exception. Good news for UK and Irish clients: RYA qualifications are natively issued in English and require no translation. For continental European licences (French Permis Plaisance, German SBF/SKS, Italian patente nautica, Spanish PER, etc.) held by some crew members, a certified English translation becomes indispensable. The Moorings, SunSail and SAILOE, among the major charter companies operating in the Seychelles, have confirmed this formal requirement; The Moorings officially notified its partners by communication on 25 July 2025.

Here is the practical procedure recommended by Filovent to have your licence translated:

1.  Choice of certified translator: we recommend Alphatrad for French, German and Spanish licences (service used by our partners Paperwork EU / THL Marine). For Italian clients, Lexia is the preferred alternative.
2.  Documents to provide: colour scan, front and back, of your original licence, proof of identity, contact email address.
3.  Indicative rate: between £50 and £75 depending on source language and provider (to be checked with our concierge for negotiated rates).
4.  Lead time: approximately 5 working days for a standard certified translation, without urgency.
5.  Delivery format: translation in electronically signed PDF format, valid for submission to the charter company and presentation at the base.

Filovent handles this process for you: our concierge centralises the translation order, monitors the lead time and forwards the document directly to the charter company along with your scanned original licence. If you prefer to manage the process yourself, plan to initiate it at least 3 weeks before departure to accommodate the translation time (5 days) + charter company validation time (48 to 72 working hours).

The sailing CV: a requirement that varies by charter company

Contrary to a common misconception, the sailing CV is not systematically required in the Seychelles: it all depends on the charter company you sail with. This nuance is important as it determines the exact list of documents to prepare in advance.

Here is the documentary requirements matrix by Filovent partner charter company in the Seychelles:

In practical terms: if you charter with The Moorings, SunSail or SAILOE, your translated licence is sufficient (bearing in mind that SAILOE still requires a sailing CV in addition). Conversely, with Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare, VPM Bestsail or Top Catamaran, the sailing CV remains a central document and must be carefully prepared. In all cases, your Filovent contact will specify from the initial quote which charter company operates your boat and which set of documents to prepare.

Here is the information to include in your sailing CV (Dream Yacht, Navigare, VPM, SAILOE, Top Catamaran charter companies):

1.  Identity and licence: surname, first name, date of birth, type of licence held and number, date of issue.
2.  Years of experience: since when have you been sailing, how often, in what capacity (skipper or crew).
3.  Types of boats skippered: monohull or catamaran, length in feet, engine power, make and model. The 40-50 foot catamarans of the Seychelles do not handle like a 35-foot monohull in the Mediterranean.
4.  Sailing areas: Mediterranean, Atlantic, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, etc. Experience in tropical waters with reefs (Caribbean, Polynesia) is a strong asset.
5.  Recent voyages: list of the last 3 to 5 cruises undertaken as skipper, with dates, destinations and durations.
6.  Co-skipper: identity and experience of the second in command, who can take over if needed. The SMSA requires at least one competent adult crew member alongside the skipper.

If the profile is deemed insufficient, the base may either refuse departure without a skipper, or impose a professional skipper for the first 24 hours to assess your on-water competence. Our concierge sends you a sailing CV template in Word format as soon as the booking is confirmed. For the full list of mandatory documents on board a boat, also consult our dedicated article.

The technical briefing on arrival

Regardless of your certification, the base imposes a technical and navigation briefing at check-in, generally between 5 pm and 6 pm on day 1 of the charter. This briefing lasts between 1 and 2 hours depending on the complexity of the boat and covers the following points: handling of the catamaran (winches, engines, sails, electronics), authorised sailing areas, recommended anchorages, ban on night sailing (a strict rule in the Seychelles), emergency procedures and base contact. If the skipper clearly does not master the manoeuvres, the briefing may be extended or a 24-hour skipper imposed at the renter's expense.

What if I don't have the required licence? The alternatives

Don't panic: in the Seychelles, the majority of cruises we sell are with a skipper, by choice or necessity. Here are the three alternatives to pure bareboat:

Comparison of sailing options in the Seychelles according to your profile:

The professional skipper remains the option most often chosen by our Filovent clientele. Beyond administrative compliance, they bring local knowledge (confidential anchorages, tides, archipelago weather) that transforms the experience. Our partners The Moorings, SunSail, Dream Yacht Charter, VPM Bestsail, Navigare Yachting and My Seychelles all have a pool of local English-speaking or French-speaking skippers. For travellers without sailing experience, a catamaran tour in the Seychelles with full crew is the simplest alternative: everything is included (meals, crew, itinerary), and you sail in a private cabin aboard a high-end catamaran.

Inner islands and outer islands: a distinction that matters

The Seychelles archipelago is divided into two distinct geographical groups: the inner islands (Mahé, Praslin, La Digue, Curieuse, Cousin, Cousine, Aride, Bird, Denis, Frégate, North Island) and the outer islands (Amirantes, Alphonse, Farquhar, Aldabra). 95% of bareboat charters take place in the inner islands, accessible from the bases of Eden Island Marina (Mahé) and Baie Sainte Anne (Praslin). To explore the unmissable ports of call and anchorages in detail, consult our selection of the most beautiful Seychelles islands.

Important: not all boats in the fleet are authorised to sail to the outer islands. Certain catamarans, due to their classification, are limited to the inner islands only. If your itinerary plans an excursion to the Amirantes or Alphonse, specify this from the quote request so we can select an authorised boat and a skipper experienced in ocean sailing. Note: night sailing is forbidden throughout Seychellois waters, which mechanically structures itineraries into short legs (15-25 nm per day). To explore typical routes from Mahé in detail, see our yacht charter Mahé page with anchorage suggestions.

How Filovent supports you with licence formalities

The official requirement from Seychellois authorities is documentary submission no later than 7 days before the departure date. On our side, we organise this at J-21 to accommodate licence translation time (5 working days) and charter company validation time. Our concierge centralises the entire process for you:

1.  Licence verification: from the moment you sign the booking confirmation, we validate your licence's compliance with SMSA requirements and those specific to the charter company (The Moorings, SunSail, Dream Yacht, Navigare, VPM, SAILOE, Top Catamaran).
2.  Certified translation: we order the English translation of your licence for you from Alphatrad or Lexia, monitor the lead time (~5 working days) and retrieve the signed PDF.
3.  Sailing CV template (if required): we send you a personalised Filovent Word template and proofread it before submission to the base. A weak CV is the leading cause of imposed skipper requests.
4.  Documentary submission: at J-21, we send your complete file (scanned licence + English translation, sailing CV if applicable, crew list, passport copies) to the local partner. For Dream Yacht Charter cruises, the crew list goes through their dedicated NauSYS platform.
5.  Charter company validation: the charter company generally responds within 48 to 72 working hours with their validation or any complementary requests (enriched sailing CV, tropical waters experience to clarify, etc.). Our concierge handles these exchanges without you having to step in directly.
6.  Skipper arbitration: if the profile is deemed borderline by the base, we negotiate for you either a reinforced briefing, or the addition of a skipper for the first 24 hours only (rather than a full week), which keeps the extra cost under control.
7.  Check-in coordination: we confirm boarding times, the list of documents to present in original and prepare your arrival at Eden Island Marina or Praslin.

Documents to present at check-in at the base

Here is the complete check-list of documents each crew member must have on arrival at the base:

Frequently asked questions

Is my RYA Competent Crew certificate valid for bareboat charter in the Seychelles?

No. The RYA Competent Crew alone is not accepted by Seychellois authorities for a bareboat charter, as it does not certify command of the vessel, only competence as crew. You must hold at minimum an RYA Day Skipper Practical (the standard reference for bareboat charter worldwide), or an ICC. The RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore are obviously also accepted. If you only have the Competent Crew at the time of booking, two options: complete your Day Skipper before departure (typically a 5-day intensive practical course plus theory, available with most RYA training centres), or book your catamaran with a professional skipper.

Is it compulsory to have your sailing licence translated into English?

Yes for certain charter companies since summer 2025, but only for non-English licences. RYA qualifications (Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper, Yachtmaster) are natively issued in English and require no translation. If you or a crew member hold a non-English licence (French Permis Plaisance, German SBF/SKS, Italian patente nautica, Spanish PER, etc.), The Moorings, SunSail and SAILOE require a certified English translation. With Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare, VPM Bestsail and Top Catamaran, the translation is not formally mandatory but remains strongly recommended to avoid any dispute at check-in. Our concierge orders the translation for you from Alphatrad (indicative rate £50-£75, lead time 5 working days).

What is the difference between the ICC and the RYA Day Skipper?

The ICC is an international document issued under UN Resolution 40, recognised in most countries worldwide and primarily used in the Mediterranean. The RYA Day Skipper Practical is a British qualification issued by the Royal Yachting Association, focused on practical command of a yacht in coastal waters. RYA qualification holders can obtain the ICC directly from the RYA without further examination, as the RYA is recognised as an issuing body for ICC. In the Seychelles, both are accepted; many British clients hold their RYA Day Skipper certificate and simply request an ICC from the RYA before departure for added flexibility internationally.

How much does a professional skipper cost in the Seychelles?

The standard rate charged by our partners is between £155 and £190/day, i.e. approximately £1,080 to £1,330 for a 7-day cruise. To this you add the skipper's meals (at your expense, count approximately £22/day). Some bases offer a "24-hour skipper" option for those wanting reinforced handover before continuing solo: count approximately £190. Local skippers are generally French-speaking or English-speaking, some also speak Italian or German.

Does the co-skipper need a licence too?

Not necessarily. The SMSA requires only one certified adult skipper (over 18) on the boat, accompanied by at least one competent crew member. The co-skipper must be able to take over if needed (fatigue, illness, emergency), but no official licence is required. Their experience must nonetheless be mentioned in the sailing CV submitted to the base (Dream Yacht, Navigare, VPM, SAILOE, Top Catamaran charter companies).

What happens if the base refuses to entrust me with the boat at check-in?

This situation is rare but possible. If the base estimates, after technical briefing and manoeuvring test, that your skills are insufficient to ensure crew and boat safety, it may impose a professional skipper. Depending on the contract, this extra cost may be at your expense (on average £1,030 to £1,290 for the week). This is why we insist on the quality of the sailing CV upstream and the proper translation of the licence: a solid file avoids unpleasant surprises at check-in.

Can my children be registered on the crew list?

Yes, all passengers, regardless of age, must appear on the crew list submitted to the base. Children must hold an individual valid passport for at least 6 months after the return date. No age limit is imposed for boarding, but we recommend children aged 5 or 6 and above, due to the crossing distances (up to 26 nautical miles between Mahé and Praslin) and the absence of hospital facilities on certain islands.

The instinct to have: anticipate documentary submission

Whether you embark in Mahé or Praslin, the golden rule for a smooth charter remains the same: respect the official requirement of at least 7 days before departure, ideally organising at J-21 to accommodate licence translation and charter company validation. An incomplete file, an untranslated licence into English or an unrecognised qualification detected on arrival can turn your check-in into an unpleasant surprise (imposed skipper, itinerary adjustment). Our concierge centralises all these procedures for you, validates documentary compliance and acts as the interface with our charter partners The Moorings, SunSail, Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare Yachting, VPM Bestsail, SAILOE, Top Catamaran and My Seychelles.

For any question about your file or to discuss the match between your sailing experience and bareboat in the Seychelles, contact your Filovent representative or our concierge on +33 1 70 80 97 35. To prepare your trip, also consult our resources dedicated to the destination: our catamaran charter in the Seychelles offers, our catamaran charter from Praslin selection, and our sailboat charter in the Seychelles for monohull options.