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Royal Yachting Association
Inland Waterways Helmsman Courses
Whether new to boating or experienced, boat handlers have
a duty to ensure the safety of their crew and craft.
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Inland Waterways
Helmsman Certificate (IWHC) will give that confidence and
make any holiday whether on your own or a hired boat much
more pleasurable. The certificate is also the first step for the
experienced boater to achieve the International Certificate of
Competence (ICC), an essential requirement for people
wishing to boat on European waterways.
Is a qualification necessary?
Many narrowboat hire companies will allow
you to take one of their boats without any
formal training or qualifications. Others
however, will refuse to let you take a boat
without either having a qualification or at
the very least a day of training as the first
day of your holiday
Whilst it is deemed OK by some to allow
novice boaters out on the canal with very
limited knowledge, it is common sense that
you should be able to keep everybody safe
and should be obvious that you will get
much more enjoyment from your time on
the water if you know what you are doing!