Recreational Boating Safety Course
Online 300-hour course in recreational boating safety. 6 modules covering Ministerial Order FOM/1144/2003 on safety, rescue, firefighting, navigation and pollution prevention equipment on recreational craft, Royal Decree 875/2014 regulating nautical qualifications for operating recreational craft, and Navionics. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Recreational Boating Safety Course — studying from New Zealand
Maritime engineering is significant for New Zealand, given its extensive coastline, large exclusive economic zone and a strong sailing and boatbuilding tradition. Auckland, often called the City of Sails, hosts boatbuilders, marine service providers and offshore engineering firms, while Maritime New Zealand regulates safety at sea. Opportunities include naval architecture, offshore energy and aquaculture, and the New Zealand Defence Force's naval fleet supports further demand.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,580 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Which New Zealand bodies regulate marine and offshore engineering?
Maritime New Zealand regulates maritime safety and the operation of vessels, and Engineering New Zealand is the professional body for engineers. Marine surveying and certain roles require recognised certificates issued by official bodies. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so they do not replace these requirements.
Do marine and offshore employers in New Zealand value private qualifications?
New Zealand has active marine, boatbuilding, port and offshore sectors, particularly in Auckland and the Bay of Plenty. Employers usually prioritise recognised certificates, licences and practical experience. A SEIUM qualification may support an application, but whether it is valued is for each employer to decide.
Can I study this part-time from New Zealand?
Yes. The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so no student visa is needed to study from New Zealand. You are assigned a technical tutor and must complete a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Programme lengths range from 300 to 1,900 hours.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Identify the most common risks in recreational boating.
Apply equipment safety regulations according to navigation zone.
Select and maintain safety and survival equipment.
Plan safe passages using weather information.
Carry out emergency procedures on board.
Communicate with Spanish Maritime Rescue.
Draw up a safety plan for a recreational vessel.
Who it's for
- Recreational boat skipper wishing to specialise in Recreational Boating Safety.
- Naval school instructor wishing to specialise in Recreational Boating Safety.
- Yacht club safety officer wishing to specialise in Recreational Boating Safety.
- Boat hire technician wishing to specialise in Recreational Boating Safety.
- Recreational craft inspector wishing to specialise in Recreational Boating Safety.
- Lifeguard wishing to specialise in Recreational Boating Safety.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter nautical schools.
What you'll work with
- Ministerial Order FOM/1144/2003 on safety, rescue, firefighting, navigation and pollution prevention equipment on recreational craft
- Royal Decree 875/2014 regulating nautical qualifications for operating recreational craft
- Directive 2013/53/EU on recreational craft and personal watercraft
- International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (RIPA/COLREG 1972)
- ISO 12402 Personal flotation devices
- ISO 9650 Small craft. Inflatable liferafts
- Royal Decree 98/2016 on safety requirements for recreational craft
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Accident statistics for recreational craft1.2Falls overboard and drowning1.3Groundings and collisions1.4Fires and explosions on board1.5Carbon monoxide poisoning1.6Coastal weather hazards1.7Personal watercraft risks1.8Human factors and alcohol consumption1.9CIAIM investigations1.10Case study: analysis of a personal watercraft accident
2.1Design categories and navigation zones2.2Mandatory safety equipment by zone2.3Recreational nautical qualifications2.4Vessel clearance and documentation2.5Construction requirements and CE marking2.6International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea2.7Buoyage and maritime signage2.8Periodic inspections and surveys2.9Penalty regime in recreational boating2.10Practice: equipment checklist for Zone 3 navigation
3.1Lifejackets and their selection3.2Liferafts and their inspection3.3Flares and visual signals3.4VHF radio with digital selective calling3.5Emergency beacons and personal locators3.6Fire extinguishers and gas detection3.7Bilge pumping and control of water ingress3.8Navigation lights and marks3.9First-aid kit according to navigation zone3.10Workshop: safety equipment inspection on a sailing yacht
4.1Passage planning4.2Consulting the weather forecast4.3Use of nautical charts and plotters4.4Night and fog navigation4.5Safe anchoring and choice of anchorage4.6Navigation in bathing areas4.7Manoeuvres in port4.8Safety communications with Maritime Rescue4.9Passage tracking applications4.10Laboratory: coastal passage planning
5.1Man overboard: recovery and manoeuvres5.2Engine or galley fire5.3Water ingress and grounding5.4Engine failure and towing5.5Nautical first aid5.6Hypothermia and heat stroke5.7Abandoning the vessel5.8Distress and urgency calls5.9Coordination with rescue assets5.10Case study: man overboard drill
6.1Vessel and study use6.2Risk assessment6.3Equipment inventory6.4Safe navigation plan6.5Emergency procedures6.6Crew training plan6.7Pre-departure checklist6.8Equipment maintenance plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Navionics, OpenCPN, SafeTrx, Windy, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practicals are based on real procedures: inspecting a vessel's safety equipment, planning a safe coastal passage and running a man-overboard recovery drill. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Identify the most common risks in recreational boating.
Apply equipment safety regulations according to navigation zone.
Select and maintain safety and survival equipment.
Plan safe passages using weather information.
Carry out emergency procedures on board.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with full-time work.
You will work with Navionics, OpenCPN, SafeTrx, Windy. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An institutional diploma from SEIUM Institute upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. This is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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