All commercial vessels regardless of size or propulsion are required to be surveyed annually by a SAMSA officer or a SAMSA appointed small vessel surveyor and issued a Local General Safety Certificate (LGSC).

A boat survey is like a car lisence. It must be done on a yearly basis.

You will need a current picture of your boat with its regestered number clearly visible; a buoyancy certificate; the completed Survey checklist and all the nessessary equipment as per the category you will be surveying for.

<h4 class="font_4">Category B</h4> Power Driven Vessels operating more than 15 nautical miles but not more than 40 nautical miles from shore. Approved life jacket per person – S.A.M.S.A approved. Four (4) hand-held red distress flares. Four (4) red rocket parachute flares. One (1) floating orange smoke marker. One (1) sound signalling device (other than a life jacket whistle). Only on vessels operating West of Port Alfred. Marine VHF Radio – Channel 16 and 1 other working channel OR 29MHZ Radio – channel A, B, and C Suitable magnetic compass (with which bearings can be taken). Vessels over 9m to have a table of deviations. Suitable approved fire extinguisher – 1 per engine – serviced annually. Capsize bottle and rope: rope to be minium 1.5 times length of vessel (unless life raft is carried). Two (2) space blankets. One (1) litre water per person. First Aid kit. Suitable air bellows and repair kit – only on inflatable vessels. Spares and tools. Marking of equipment and trailer. Emergency steering (to be demonstrated) – except when fitted with tiller arm. Suitable anchor, chain and ropeChain: vessels 6m and over – minimum 5 metres / vessels under 6m – minimum 3 metres.Rope: minimum 100 metres. ID sheet – where vessel is not of highly conspicuous colour – rectangular sheet at least 2m x width of vessel – orange/yellow. Life buoy only on non-planing hulls. Radar reflector minimum 400mm in diameter or equivalent – (vessel 9m or more permanently fitted) West of Port Alfred. Navigation chart for area of operation – corrected or renewed every six years. Approved self inflating life raft – only if insufficent buoyancy as per regulations for all persons aboard.

<h4 class="font_4">Category C</h4> Power Driven Vessels operating more than 5 nautical miles but not more that 15 nautical miles from shore. Approved life jacket per person – S.A.M.S.A approved. Two (2) hand-held red distress flares. Two (2) red rocket parachute flares. One (1) floating orange smoke marker. One (1) sound signalling device (other than a life-jacket whistle) – only on vessels operating West of Port Alfred. Marine VHF radio – channel 16 and 1 other working channel OR 29MHZ radio – channel A, B and C. Mounted radio only. Suitable magnetic compass (with which bearings can be taken) vessels over 9m to have a table of deviations. Suitable approved fire extinguisher – one (1) per engine – serviced annually. Capsize bottle and rope – rope to be minimum 1.5 times length of vessel (unless life-raft is carried). Two (2) space blankets. One (1) litre water per person. First Aid kit. Suitable air bellows – repair kit – only on inflatable vessels. Spares and tools. Marking of equipment and trailer. Emergency steering (to be demonstrated) – except when fitted with tiller arm. Suitable anchor, chain and ropeChain: vessels 6m and over – minimum 5 metres / vessels under 6m – minimum 3 metres.Rope: minimum 100 metres. ID sheet – where vessel is not of highly conspicuous colour – rectangular sheet at least 2m x width of vessel – orange / yellow. Radar reflector minimum 400mm in diameter or equivalent – (vessel 9m or more permanently fitted) West of Port Alfred. Approved self inflating life raft – only if insufficent buoyancy as per regulations for all persons aboard.

<h4 class="font_4">Category D</h4> Power Driven Vessels operating more than 1 nautical mile but not more than 5 nautical miles from shore. Approved life jacket per person – S.A.M.S.A approved. Two (2) hand-held red distress flares. Two (2) red rocket parachute flares. One (1) floating orange smoke marker. One (1) sound signalling device (other than a life-jacket whistle) – only on vessels operating West of Port Alfred. Marine VHF Radio – Channel 16 and 1 other working channelor 29MHZ Radio – channel A, B, and CVHF 5 watt handheld acceptable. Suitable magnetic compass (with which bearings can be taken). Vessels over 9m to have a table of deviations. Suitable approved fire extinguisher – one (1) per engine – serviced annually. Capsize bottle and rope: rope to be minium 1.5 times length of vessel. Two (2) space blankets. One (1) litre water per person. First Aid kit. Suitable air bellows and repair kit – only on inflatable vessels. Spares and tools. Marking of equipment and trailer. Emergency steering (to be demonstrated) – except when fitted with tiller arm. Two paddles or oars – required only on vessel with single petrol motor. Suitable anchor, chain and ropeChain: vessels 6m and over – minimum 5 metres / vessels under 6m – minimum 3 metres.Rope: minimum 100 metres. ID sheet – where vessel is not of highly conspicuous colour. Rectangular sheet at least 2m x width of vessel – orange / yellow. Suitable bailer or bucket – for non self-draining decks. Radar reflector: min. 400mm in diameter or equivalent (vessel 9m or more permanently fitted) west of Port Alfred.

<h4 class="font_4">Category E</h4> Power driven vessels operating not more than one (1) nautical mile from shore. One (1) approved flotation aid per person SABS 1417/1987 approved. One (1) projectile flare set. One (1) hand-held smoke marker. Suitable approved fire extinguisher – one (1) per engine – serviced annually. Two (2) oars or paddles single outboard petrol engine. Capsize bottle and rope – rope to be minium 1.5 times length of vessel. Spares and tools. One (1) sound signalling device (other than a life-jacket whistle). Only on vessels operating West of Port Alfred. Suitable anchor, chain and ropeChain: vessels 6m and over – minimum 5 metres / vessels under 6m – minimum 3 metres.Rope: minimum 50 metres. Marking of equipment and trailer. Emergency steering (to be demonstrated) – except when fitted with tiller arm. Suitable air bellows and repair kit – only on inflatable vessels. ID sheet – where vessel is not of highly conspicuous colour – rectangular sheet at least 2m x width of vessel – orange / yellow. Suitable bailer or bucket – for non self-draining decks. First aid kit – only on power-driven vessels exceeding 15hp.

Category R One (1) life jacket, with wistle attached, per person on board. One (1) x suitable approved fire extinguisher per motor (serviced annually). Suitable oars or paddles single outboard petrol engine. Capsize rope (plus snap ring) – minimum 1.5 times length of vessel. Tool kit (containing at least plug spanner, 2 screw drivers, pliers, water pump pliers, adjustable wrench, starter motor cord and tow rope). Minimum two (2) litres fresh water. Suitable anchor, chain and rope Chain: vessels 6m and over – minimum 5 metres galvanised / vessels under 6m – minimum 3 metres galvanised. Rope: minimum 50 metres braided nylon. Bow and stern eye. Emergency steering (to be demonstrated) – except when fitted with tiller arm. Suitable air bellows and repair kit – only on inflatable vessels. SAMSA approved petrol tanks. Fuel tanks and battery to be in separate compartments. First Aid Kit – only for vessels with engine power exceeding 15hp. Spares (set of spark plugs, jumper cables and engine fuses). Suitable baler – for non-self draining decks.

A Buoyancy certificate is issued by the person / company who installed the buoyancy in your boat. A Bouyancy certificate is valid as long as no modifications has been done to the boat and buoyancy should be inspected every 2 to 5 years.

Buoyancy must consist of either foam or approved plastic bottles, or a combination of both. Buoyant material may not be affected by oil or oil products. Foam should be of a suitable closed cell type (usually a polyurethane type) and until such time as “approved” bottles are identified the only plastic bottles used should be “H.D.P.E.(High Density Polyethylene) Grade 2” plastic bottles with secure watertight caps, or sealed six-sided “boat floats” manufactured of H.D.P.E, designed specifically for the purpose of providing buoyancy in small vessels. Sufficient hatches are to be provided for inspection of the bottles.

Currently your skippers is valid for life.

If you have qualified as a Cate R skipper, you may only skip boats that is of the same category. The higher you level of campetancy, however, it allows you to skippers boat of lower categories, eg: A Catgegory B skipper can drive any cat R, cat E, cat C or Cat D boat - much in the same way that a Code 18 motor licence allows you to drive everything smaller.

SAMSA skippers licences are valid to be used anywhere in South Africa and along the South African coast. Some countries do acknowledge and accept South African skippers licences when skipping a boat overseas, but its best to confirm with the local Maritime Authority.

Yes, we do. All information provided to us are processes and treated in accordance with the provisions set out inthe POPIA. SEE FILES BELOW