IYT International Crew Certificate — Liquid Edge

The IYT International Crew course at Liquid Edge Sailing School in Balmain takes complete beginners to a recognised crew certificate in four days on Sydney Harbour. It runs over two consecutive weekends aboard the school's 37-foot Bavaria Cruiser, and it ends with the International Yacht Training (IYT) International Crew Certificate, a crew qualification recognised worldwide.

What you'll learn

An International Crew holder should be a genuinely useful member of a cruising crew: able to handle sails and lines, steer a course, keep a lookout and help keep the boat safe in both day and night conditions.

• Safety, ropework and teamwork. Moving safely on deck, handling loaded lines and working as a team during manoeuvres.
• Sail adjustment, steering and apparent wind. Understanding the wind you feel on a moving boat and trimming the sails to suit, so the boat is fast and easy to steer.
• Rules of the road and anchoring. Right of way on a busy harbour, and setting an anchor properly.
• Reefing and heavy weather. Reducing sail before it is needed, and keeping the boat under control when the wind builds.
• Night sailing. Keeping watch after dark, reading navigation lights and judging what other vessels are doing.
• Downwind sailing with a pole and preventer. Poling out a headsail and rigging a preventer to stop an accidental gybe, essential for safe downwind passages.
• Yacht systems, instruments and tides. Managing water, power and waste, using the autopilot and instruments, and understanding how tides and currents affect the boat.

How Liquid Edge runs it

The course runs over four days on two consecutive weekends. Each day is six hours with a half-hour break at anchor, sailing from the school's marina in Balmain and around Sydney Harbour's bays. A night sail is part of the program. Before the course, students complete a free online IYT theory session. Training is on the school's modern 37-foot Bavaria Cruiser, and staying aboard at the marina is an option.

Who it suits

No prior experience is needed. The course suits beginners who want a certificate from the start, sailors wanting to crew on cruising yachts or deliveries, and partners of boat owners who want to be confident on board.

Where it leads

The International Crew Certificate is the first step on the IYT pathway. The next step is the IYT International Bareboat Skipper and ICC course, once you have enough sea time. Students who prefer a shorter start can take Liquid Edge's two-day Competent Crew course instead and reach the same certificate through the Advanced course.

Full course guide

For the full standard, see the IYT International Crew (Sail) guide.