Month: March 2016

Let’s Talk About Yacht Surveys

There are a variety of reasons that may lead to you commissioning a survey on your vessel. From the decision to purchase a boat, when you want reassurance about what your buying and how much your spending, to the dreaded day of an incident leading to damage that needs to be assessed and costed. Between these two possibilities you may need a survey before a refit, during a warranty claim or if legal issues arise.

Yachtwork has over 100 years of experience in the form of our core-team of three marine surveyors, with a number of experienced, heavily-vetted and well-managed associate surveyors across the globe. We regularly assist with the following:

Pre-purchase survey:

The industry standard ‘condition and value’ survey plays a vital role in the purchase process.  By inspecting the vessel, Yachtwork will ascertain if any major or structural issues are present and also advise on whether an engine surveyor should be called upon. After the inspection you will receive a clear written report about the boat and its systems, including any concerns or recommendations. To assist you in the negotiation process, Yachtwork will also indicate an appropriate market value to ensure you don´t pay any more than the boat is worth.

 

Accident repair:

You (as an owner or insurer) may require an accident repair survey after a vessel has been subject to damage. As an insurer, you would need an investigation of the incident and a repair cost. As a private boat owner, you may need a survey to prove or confirm the cause or estimate costs; you may also be disappointed with the quality of the repair, Yachtwork surveyors have all worked extensively in this sector. An in-depth, thorough survey is necessary in all these situations. Yachtwork are established and respected in the marine insurance industry and can advise the best route to repair.

Warranty:

If your yacht is under warranty and needs repair work, it might require assessment before it´s returned to the manufacturer. A survey to examine and confirm issues can save both parties time, money and a lot of anxiety. Yachtwork have good relations with many boatyards around the world; even if we’re not on a first name basis, we can help communicate the issues that need to be addressed under your warranty.

Refit survey:

Before any work is undertaken on your yacht, having a pre-project survey carried out is always sensible, since it will point out possible complications that might arise during the process. Work breakdown structure, Gantt charts can be produced, specifications clearly understood, and by using Yachtwork you can also take advantage of our extensive project management experience of refits and other projects.

If you would like to know more about Yachtwork’s Marine Surveys, head over to our Yacht Surveys Page.

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Ships Cook Assessment – Comments From Candidates

What the Chefs had to say…

A Challenging day. The Chef assessor was fair and made good comments.  Great kitchen to work in for the day.

– Anton Escalera 

Course gave me a better insight of maritime regulations.  The Practical assessment was great  fun but challenging,  Good Feedback from the Chef Assessor. Very Enjoyable!

– Rachel Perham

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NEWS: Yachtwork Receive Seal of Approval for Ship’s Cook Assessment from MCA!

We are extremely proud to announce that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have formally approved Yachtwork to deliver the Assessment in Marine Cookery!

Also known as the Ship’s Cook Assessment, this course leads to the Ship’s Cook Certificate which must be held by at least one crew member on any vessel operating more than 60 miles from a safe-haven, with 10 or more seafarers on board.

Being approved by the MCA allows Yachtwork to deliver the Ship’s Cook Assessment from our superb kitchen facilities in Portsmouth; no more travelling abroad to take this important assessment! Have a look at our course calendar and book early to avoid disappointment.

If you would like more information about the Ship’s Cook Assessment, check out our Training Page. For more information on the Ship’s Cook Certificate, read our blog ‘Ship’s Cook Certificate Explained!’.

To book your place on the Assessment in Marine Cookery, get in touch with Georgie. Email Georgie or call on +44 (0) 7701 009392.

Ships Cook Certificate MCA Approval

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Do I Need A Yacht Project Manager?

Let’s start with the basics, you are going to make some major upgrades, undertake a refit of your yacht or place an order for a new yacht to be built for you. Should you invest in a Yacht Project Manager? In a word; yes. And we will give you four good reasons why you should:

Time:

Yacht build, refit, repairs, painting or retro-fitting are all time-consuming projects and making time for all that owning a yacht involves, can be very difficult. Unless you´re blessed with lots of free time on your hands, we suggest you invest in a PM who will look after your interests for you.

Location:

You might be lucky enough to live in close proximity to your yacht, but lets face it, most owners do not. If you live and work far away from the yard handling your project, any issues that require immediate attention, such as costing, emergent works and overall quality control, will be very difficult. Again, investing in a PM will save you a lot of time and money as he or she would handle any of the above.

Experience:

Do you have experience in project management, boatbuilding, costings, industry best practice and a mass of connections? If the answer is yes, excellent! If not, with the right project manager, you will gain that experience, get someone to react on your behalf at a moment’s notice and someone who will always “fight your corner”.

Money:

This is perhaps the most significant aspect of a project.  An experienced project manager can accurately assess projected costs and will negotiate on your behalf to ensure you get the best value for money, whilst maintaining the level of quality you desire. And here´s a hint; as your PM will very likely know the boat yard involved in your project, he can keep a close eye on them and ensure they deliver on time.

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Ship’s Cook Certificate explained!

The Ship’s Cook Certificate has been a topic of discussion and debate for a long time, with stories varying, criteria for eligibility unclear and work-around rumours lose-on-deck. To set matters straight and help ensure you, your crew and your vessel are compliant and safe, Yachtwork are here to answer some important questions.

What is the Ship’s Cook Assessment?

The Ship’s Cook Certificate Assessment verifies that a candidate has been assessed by an accredited organisation and proves competency in the learning outcomes in Annexes 1 and 2 of MCA MSN 1846.

Key Facts:

– It replaces the Merchant Shipping (Certificate of Ship’s Cooks) Regulations 1981, which have been revoked.
– It sets out the minimum training requirements for all ship’s cooks and catering staff.
– New training prerequisites take religious requirements and practices into account as they pertain to food as well as duration and nature of the voyage.
– The requirements relating to ship’s cooks do not apply to ships which:
– only operate within 60 miles of a safe haven and,
– ordinarily operate with fewer than 10 seafarers on board.

Who needs a Ship’s Cook Certificate?

Any Commercial Vessel that operates more than 60 miles from a safe haven and has 10 or more seafarers on-board must have at least one Ship’s Cook Certificate of Competency holding chef.

How do I get a Ship’s Cook Certificate?

If you want your Ship’s Cook Certificate of Competency, you will need to:

– undergo the Ship’s Cook Assessment with Yachtwork or another MCA-approved training organisation.
– be 18 years old, or more.
– have completed a minimum of one-month sea going service.
– have completed the Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Firefighting, Elementary First Aid, Personal Safety as well as the Social Responsibility and Security Awareness STCW courses.
– hold a current Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate (ENG 1) or equivalent.

After completing all of the above you can apply for your certificate of competency from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

How can I avoid the Ship’s Cook Assessment

The simple answer is, you can’t.

Whilst the Maritime and Coastguard Agency will accept certain qualifications as accredited prior learning (see MSN 1846), these qualifications do not meet the required learning outcomes in their entirety. All chefs will have to be assessed to ensure all learning outcomes are met and that they meet the minimum standards.

In addition, the MCA do not accept any online qualifications (including Food Safety Level 2). Any chef and crew involved in the processing, preparation and handling of food for others need to hold a valid Level 2 Food Safety Certificate. At Yachtwork, the Level 2 Food Safety is incorporated within the Ships Cook Assessment.

To read more about what your prior Accredited Learning means about your Ship’s Cook Assesment, please click here.

Ship’s Cook Certificate Online

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency have come to the conclusion that kitchen-based skills and safety can only be assessed in person, in an appropriate setting. As such, the Ship’s Cook Certificate requires that all recipients are assessed in person at Yachtwork or another MCA-approved training facility.

For more information on the Ship’s Cook Certificate, head over to our training page.

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Ships Cook Certificate Course Calendar

Please follow this link to see our current training calendar.

 

Course Calendar

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