Boat chartering German style!

Chartering a sailboat in Germany for a sailing vacation on the Baltic was a little more difficult than I thought it would be. 

We had written an email to Yachtbooker, listing my qualifications, and asking them if they would rent us a boat. They replied that chartering a boat from them would be no problem.  That was not really the case.

When we arrived at the agency chartering the boats (Goor Yacht Charters) in Wendtorf, the man behind the desk asked to see my passport and qualifications. I showed him my passport, and showed him my Canadian Yachting Association Logbook that indicates the courses I have completed, and lists the sailing I have done, all with very official looking slick tin stamps and signatures. The guy shook his head, gave it back, and said he wanted to  see my license. I showed him my Naval Bridgewatchkeeping Certificate of Competency, which has a feel of authority and government bureaucracy about it, and got a similar response. He glanced at it, shook his head and gave it back. "Vhere iss your licence?" he asked in heavily German accented English. I was getting a bit panicky, and I started to worry that I would not be able to charter a boat. I wracked my brain trying to think of a way to convince him of my competence and reliability.

In a last minute flash of brilliance, I whipped out my Pleasure Craft Operators Card (PCOC) and passed it across the desk. He broke into a friendly grin, nodded and immediately copied the number down onto the rental agreement. I was astonished. What years of naval training and at sea experience had earned got me nothing. The PCOC, available online, with no on-the-water experience at all, was the document that won the day.

I urge you all to take the 10 question PCOC test so you can assure charter agencies of your competence.

Next time Nancy is going to charter the boat with her licence.