Bookings can be made by telephone, by filling the booking form or by sending an email to training@bluewateryachting.com

A booking will not be confirmed until a deposit of at least one third of the course fee has been paid. If a deposit is not paid a place will only be kept available as long as the course does not become full. Our team will endeavour to contact students in danger of losing their place in this way but this cannot be guaranteed. The only way to be sure of a place is to pay a deposit.

Students can pay by cash or credit card. If you call or email your credit card number through to our office we can hold it on our secure server and then debit the deposit and the balance of the fee when you give us authority. This is the best way as it is faster and you improve your chances of keeping a place on a course if you have not paid a deposit and we cannot contact you. If we have your credit card number in our system we will only remove you from a course after we have exhausted all avenues to contact you. We will give your reserved place away only when all those who have not given us a credit card have been replaced by deposit payers.

Ideally you will have paid the remaining course fee before attending the first day of the course. At the latest you can pay upon registration when you arrive but it delays the start of the course if everyone has to settle their fees on the first morning so please try to pay beforehand. This is much easier if you use your credit card. If a minimum of 50% of the course cost has not been paid by the first day of the course Blue Water reserve the right to not allow you to continue.

a) Candidates will be refunded without penalty if they cancel more than one month before the course is due to start.

b) After this time until one week before the course is due to start they have a choice : either Bluewater will refund half the deposit or we will transfer the whole deposit to a later course (Deposits can only be transferred once). Cancellation within 24 hours results in the loss of all monies without refund or transfer

c) Within 1 week of the start of the course we will retain 50% of the deposit and allow you to use the balance to reserve a place on a later course wthin 12 months (The remaining deposit can only be transferred once)

d) Cancellation within 24 hours results in the loss of all monies without refund or transfer.

If, for any reason, the School is unable to fulfil a booking or a vessel becomes unseaworthy for any reason whatsoever, the School will inform the Student immediately the knowledge is available. No liability shall attach itself to the School beyond the refund of the full fee paid by the student(s) or unused portions thereof.

Joining instructions for all courses will be emailed to the students prior to the start date of a course. For this reason, it is important that we have your correct contact details. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they arrive on the course with the correct materials.

12-16 year olds accepted when motor cruising with parent or guardian. Unaccompanied children accepted at 16-18 but all Booking Forms for children under 18 to be signed by parent or guardian, stating this fact after the signature.

Howsoever caused must be immediately notified to the Skipper or Principal for safety. Students shall be liable for any loss or damage to School equipment, vessel’s equipment, up to and including the first £100 per item

All conditions herein apply, plus the Student will be expected to reimburse any travelling or out-of-pocket expenses for the Instructor from the Portals base to wherever the vessel is lying, and the return journey plus salary on a pro-rata fee rate, if applicable.

a) The Student’s vessel will be expected to be equipped with the minimum RYA standards and provide the Instructor with all bedding, victualling whilst on board.

b) If the Student’s vessel is over 50 miles from Portals and it is not possible for the Instructor to get to the Student’s vessel within 2 hours, please allow pro-rata fees.

c) Insurances: The Student must notify his Insurance Company that our Instructor will be taking over as Skipper for the duration agreed and that the Students Insurance is Fully Comprehensive and covers all aspects of non marine insurancefor the area in which the Skipper is expected to sail. With additional days leeway to allow for adverse weather.

Please take your passport on any course in the event of calling into any foreign country, whether intended or not. A Student must seek permission from the Skipper for anything he brings on the School vessel whilst in a foreign port. He shall indemnify Bluewater, its employees and staff, against any actions that may result from breach of this rule.

In the event of a dispute not being settled by mutual agreement, it is agreed that the President of the British Law Society shall elect an Arbitrator whose decision shall be final. It is further agreed all agreements between customers, clients and Students and staff of Blue Water shall be governed by French Law.

We carry Stugeron onboard. It is advisable to check with your G.P. that you can take these. Students with special medical problems should also check that their G.P. considers them safe to sail and advise the School of the condition when booking, and both the Principal and Skipper when reporting for the course. Bring any personal medication necessary.

Every attempt will be made to give pupils maximum sea time. However, if in the Skipper’s opinion weather conditions, safety or any other consideration renders it imprudent, the Skipper’s decision is final.

If the School changes vessels, due to any vessel becoming unsuitable, for any reason whatsoever, or delay in this in no way affects the validity of the booking of the Terms and Conditions stated herein they remain good.

For whatever reason beyond the date of the course. The Students can stay onboard at the company’s victualling expense or return home if they wish at their own expense. No liability shall extend beyond this.

The School is insured for Instruction. However Student’s needs vary. The School strongly advises that the Student obtain their own insurance for Sickness, Illness, School Fees, Illness or Accident onboard, or any other reason the Student considers prudent for his personal life style or well being. The Student agrees the School Insurance Policies are adequate and the Policy is available, on request, for inspection at the office of Bluewater in Antibes.

a) No liability is accepted for any Student’s vehicles parked in the vicinity of the school, or Student’s Possessions in the vehicle, on the pontoons or in the Schools vessels or accommodation.

b) No liability is accepted for Students whilst on School grounds, in any of the School properties, on ladders, pontoons or vessels and all Students participate in any aspect of any course at their own risk.

The Principal’s decision is final at all times, on any of the School’s property and the School’s vessels, until the Skipper takes over.

a) Skipper’s Decisions: From the moment the Skipper steps onboard the instruction vessel in accordance with marine practice, the Skipper’s decisions are final always.

b) All crew/students will accept all orders and decisions given to them by the Skipper at all times whilst onboard the School’s vessel or ashore, for the duration of the course until the course is complete and the Skipper is no longer onboard the vessel. The Skipper’s authority is total day and night in accordance with Marine Law.

c) If for any reason whatsoever a Student does not accept an order from the Skipper or his designated substitute, whether the Student considers it to be reasonable or not, the Student shall be considered to be in breach of his Articles of sailing. The Skipper shall take any action or decision he considers fit for the well-being of the vessel and crew. If The Student is placed ashore at the nearest port no liability whatsoever shall attach itself to the School and neither shall the Student have redress for any expenses or unused portion of the fee. Neither any redress against the Skipper or School as a result of actions taken by the Skipper.

The School’s standards of instruction are high and certificates will only be issued at the end of a course if, in the opinion of the School’s Instructors and Principal, the Student has reached the necessary standard. The School’s Principal and Instructor’s decision shall be final and accepted by all Students.

All Students will be expected to participate in cooking, cleaning vessel and routine maintenance as required by the Instructor. At the end of the course all Students will be expected to clean the vessel from stem to stern.

The vessel setting out on a 2, 4 or 5 day course will not wait beyond Monday 1000 hours, subject to the foregoing.

a) If a student cannot attend their course through illness or commitments elsewhere it is requested that the School is contacted as soon as possible. Every possible attempt will be made to mitigate the Student’s costs or to let the berth elsewhere. If successful the Student will only forfeit the deposit. If unsuccessful the Student will forfeit the full fee.

b) Any Student who fails to arrive, for any reason whatsoever including illness and has not notified the School, will automatically forfeit the total money paid and no liability by doing so shall attach to the School whatsoever.

c) The same penalties shall apply for a weekend course if the student fails to report by 1000hrs.

Course Completion Certificates will be issued at the end of the course once full attendance has been confirmed by the instructor. Pass certificates are issued by an external authority. You will be informed by e-mail or telephone call as soon as the exams results are received, please allow 3-4 weeks. The Crew Training Centre will not be liable for any delays in the receipt of results from this external authority.

Lost certificates may be replaced for a small administration charge. All duplicate certificates will have the word ’Duplicate’ written on them.

MCA regulations allow a 6 month time period to re-sit a written exam (MGN 195). Otherwise you are required to attend the course again. You will need to bring with you your course completion certificate when you book your re-sit exam and on the day of the exam. Students who fail written examinations for MCA courses, with the exception of GMDSS and Navigation and Radar, may sit in on a later course for a charge of 50 % of the course fee, plus the examination fee. This will be possible provided that the course in question is not full. For GMDSS, OOW & Master Navigation & Radar courses, the course re-sit fee is 80 % of the original course price plus the examination fee.

Some courses require pre course study. For these a self study guide will be provided from the office, when a course deposit is made. No allowance will be made for students who fails to carry out adequate pre course study.

Some courses are physically demanding. It is the responsibility of the student to draw to the attention of a member of Blue Water staff any medical condition which may affect their ability to complete the course safely. if medical disclaimers are required to be signed before a course, Bluewater will reserve the right to refuse admission to any student who fails to produce one.