Everything you need to know about the Swiss sailing exam
Sailing licence cat. D
On this page, you will find information on the following topics:
Sailing abroad on inland waters
How much does the sailing exam cost?
The costs for the sailing exam in the overview
Sailing in Switzerland
If you are sailing a boat in Switzerland, you must have a category D sailing licence if the sail area is 15 m2 or more. On Lake Constance, the licence requirement already applies from a sail area of 12 m2. If the sailing boat has a higher motorisation than 6 kW (Lake Constance 4.4 kW), the motorboat examination cat. A or the special motorboat test for sailing vessels under motor is required. This special sailing examination under motor makes sense if you don't want to take on the somewhat more elaborate motorboat examination. However, you won't have the possibility to drive motorboats with a higher propulsion power.
To obtain the sailing licence, a theory exam and a practical sailing exam must be taken. The theory exam is identical for motorboats and sailing boats. The exam is taken on a computer or tablet. If you already have a category A motorboat licence, you only have to take the practical exam. Once you have passed the theory test, you must demonstrate your sailing skills in the practical exam. Approximately 15 to 20 sailing lessons are required for optimal preparation for the exam.
The Swiss boat master's licence does not come in credit card format. The boat master's licence is issued on paper in A5 format.
Sailing abroad on inland waters
If you want to sail abroad on inland waters, you should first clarify what the legal requirements are in the respective country. However, with the Swiss sailing certificate cat. D sailing certificate, you are in a good position and can sail on most lakes throughout Europe. Nevertheless, we recommend that you request an international skipper's licence from the shipping office in your canton of residence. These international skipper's licences are issued based on ECE Resolution No. 40. Countries that have signed ECE Resolution No. 40 recognise the international boat master's certificates issued by the cantons. All relevant information, in particular the list of countries that have signed ECE Resolution No. 40, can be found under the following link:ECE-Resolution Nr. 40
Sailing at sea
If you want to operate a motorised sailing vessel or a motorised sailing yacht at sea, then a , such as the German Sportbootführerschein See or the , is required.
How to get the licence cat. D
If you would like to obtain the sailing licence cat. D, an application must first be submitted. In addition, a theoretical and a practical examination must be passed. For holders of the category A motorboat licence, the theoretical examination is not required.
Application for a boat master's licence
To obtain a sailing licence, an application must be submitted to the shipping office of the canton of residence for the issue of a skipper's licence for sailing vessels.
If you wish to take the practical examination in a canton other than your canton of residence, you must submit a justified application to the shipping office in your canton of residence. The theory examination is always taken in the canton of residence. The application form can be found on the website of the relevant navigation office. A separate application must be submitted for each category of licence.
The application must be accompanied by the following:
- Copy of the residence permit (Niederlassungsbewilligung)
- Eye test (not older than 24 months, issued by an authorised optician or ophthalmologist)
- Coloured passport photo
- A medical certificate is mandatory for applicants over 65 years of age
After the application has been processed, you will receive a permit with a photo. This permit must be presented at the theory and practical examination. The application is valid for two years.
Theoretical examination
The theoretical motorboat examination for the cat. A licence is identical to the theoretical sailing exam cat. D and is taken on a computer or tablet and is taken at the responsible shipping office. In the exam, you have to answer a questionnaire with a total of 60 questions within 50 minutes. One or two answers can be correct. Each incorrect answer results in one demerit point.
If all three answers are ticked or if none of the three possible answers are ticked, three demerit points are awarded. To pass the theoretical motorboat exam, you must achieve at least 165 points out of a total of 180 points. We recommend that you use BoatDriver's tried and tested online course to prepare for the theory exam, as this will guarantee your success. We offer a money-back guarantee on your exam success!
Practical exam
The practical sailing examination can only be taken after passing the theory examination. The practical sailing examination determines whether the applicant can safely navigate a vessel according to the traffic regulations, as well as under special circumstances. The practical sailing examination usually lasts 60 minutes.
The following topics will be examined:
- To belay and to leave/push off
- Anchoring
- Knots
- Various sailing manoeuvres
- Course and location determination
- Man-over-board manoeuvre
In addition, the candidate can be questioned orally on the basics of ship handling at the practical sailing examination.
To be optimally prepared for the sailing exam, you need an experienced sailing school. As practical training requires about 15-20 hours of sailing lessons, we recommend that you choose a sailing school near you. Tips on how to find a suitable sailing school can be found on the page "Boat schools in Switzerland".
How much does the sailing exam cost?
If you want to sail a boat with a sail area of more than 15 m² in Switzerland, you need a cat. D. On Lake Constance, you need a licence for boats with a sail area of 12 m² or more.
The sailing exam consists of a theoretical and a practical exam, whereby the theory test, as with the car test, must be passed before the practical test.
The question arises as to how much the complete sailing exam costs. We have compiled the costs for you using the example of the canton of Zurich.
The costs for registration and eye test
If you want to take the sailing exam, you must apply to the shipping office in your canton of residence for a category D boat master's licence and submit an eye test. The requirements for the eye test are included directly in the application form. In the canton of Zurich, no costs are due for processing the application. The cost for the eye test amount to approximately CHF 20.–.
The cost of the theory test
For the theory exam containing just under 500 questions, you can prepare yourself with various learning materials. We at BoatDriver have been offering learning materials for over 15 years. Thanks to years of experience, we have made exam preparation easier than any other provider. And because we are convinced of the solution, we guarantee exam success with the money-back guarantee. The cost of the online course for the theory exam is just under CHF 30.–. The examination fee for the theory exam at the shipping office is CHF 40.–.
If you already obtained a motorboat licence cat. A, it's not necessary to take the theory exam again, you can start with practical training right away. However, please note that you should still study the theory, as the theory may also be tested during the practical exam.
The costs for practical sailing training
For the practical sailing training, you usually need between 15 and 25 sailing lessons. One lesson costs on average about CHF 100.–. Thus, the entire practical training costs between CHF 1,500 and 2,000. For the boat rental at the practical exam, you still have to calculate about CHF 80.–. The exam fee for the practical sailing exam costs about CHF 140.–. The exam fee for the practical sailing exam is about CHF 140.–. Finally, you have to pay about CHF 50.– for the issuing of the skipper's licence.
The costs for the sailing exam in the overview
| Costs theoretical training | |
| Study materials |
CHF 30.–
|
| Costs practical training |
|
| 15 to 20 sailing lessons |
CHF 1'500 to 2'000
|
| Boat rental practical exam | CHF 80.– |
| Fees*/eye test | |
| Theory exam | CHF 40.– |
| Practical exam | CHF 140.– |
| Issue of boat master's certificate | CHF 50.– |
| Eye test | CHF 20.– |
| Total costs sailing licence cat. D | CHF 1'860 to 2'360 |
* Canton of Zurich
Please note that the costs for the motorboat examination can vary. Depending on the canton you take the exam in, there are different processing and examination fees. In addition, the costs for the practical training depend on the respective candidate and the corresponding boating school. The information is to be understood as an example.
Questions and answers: Sailing licence cat. D
What is the minimum age for the sailing licence cat. D?
How much does the boating exam cost?
How much horsepower is a sailing boat allowed to have without a licence in Switzerland?
Is the sailing exam difficult?
How does the sailing exam work?
Can I take the sailing licence exam online?
How long does the training for the boat licence (sailing) take?
How long does the boating exam take?
How many hours of boating do I need to pass the sailing exam?
From what age am I allowed to sail?
What does the practical sailing exam look like?
What knots do you need to know for the boat exam?
How do I prepare for the sailing exam?
Why do I need to take the sailing exam?
Where is the sailing licence valid?
Where do I have to take the boat exam?
What is the minimum age for the sailing licence cat. D?
To obtain the Cat. D sailing licence, you must be at least 14 years old. You can find more information about the sailing licence at the top of this page.
How much does the boating exam cost?
Information on the costs of the sailing exam can be found in the section "How much does the sailing exam cost?"?
How much horsepower is a sailing boat allowed to have without a licence in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, a sailing vessel under motor may be operated without a licence up to a maximum engine power of 6 kW (Lake Constance 4.4 kW). This corresponds to about 8 hp (Lake Constance approx. 6 hp). The minimum age is 14 years.
From an engine power of more than 6 kW (Lake Constance 4.4 kW), you need a category A motorboat licence or the special motorboat test for sailing boats under power. The minimum age is 18 years.
Is the sailing exam difficult?
The sailing test consists of a theory exam and a practical exam, like the driving exam.
The theory exam consists of just under 500 questions. Since up to two answers can be correct, you have to read the questions and answers carefully. As we know all the official exam questions, we recommend that you use BoatDriver's online course to prepare for the theory exam because then your exam success is guaranteed. We offer a money-back guarantee on your exam success. You can find more information about the theory exam in the section "How to get the licence cat. D".
The practical exam is demanding and takes a full hour. This is also the reason why 15 to 20 sailing hours are necessary until you are ready for the exam. To shorten the training time, it makes sense to study the knots and sailing manoeuvres before the practical training.
How does the sailing exam work?
The best place to start is with theory preparation. We recommend the proven BoatDriver online course. When you are ready to take the exam, you can register for an exam at the shipping office in your canton of residence. However, you must first submit an application for a boating licence to the shipping office.
Even if you have not yet taken the theory test, you can start with the practical lessons. You can find tips on how to choose a suitable boat driving school on the page "Boat driving schools in Switzerland".
Can I take the sailing licence exam online?
Preparation for the theory test can be done completely online. We recommend the tried and tested online course for the theory exam. However, the exam itself can only be taken on site at the shipping office of the canton of residence. Preparation for the practical exam can be done using the online course for sailing practice.
How long does the training for the boat licence (sailing) take?
For the preparation for the theory exam, you have to reckon with about 15 to 20 hours.
15 to 20 sailing lessons are usually needed to ready yourself for the practical exam. We recommend, if time permits, to complete the entire training within three months.
How long does the boating exam take?
The theory exam lasts 50 minutes, the practical exam lasts one hour.
You can find more information on this in the section "The way to the sailing certificate cat. D".
How many hours of boating do I need to pass the sailing exam?
15 to 20 sailing lessons are usually needed to ready yourself for the practical exam.
Which category is sailing?
Sailing boat is category D and entitles the holder to drive sailing boats with a sail area of up to 15 m2 (Lake Constance 12 m2 ). If the sailing vessel has more than 6 kW (Lake Constance 4.4 kW), the motorboat licence cat. A or the special licence for sailing vessels under motor is also required.
From what age am I allowed to sail?
There is no minimum age for sailing vessels of less than 15 m2 sail area (Lake Constance 12 m2). However, if you want to sail vessels of more than the sail area mentioned above, you must have a sailing certificate. The minimum age is 14 years.
What does the practical sailing exam look like?
The practical sailing test lasts one hour and the following can be tested:
- To belay and to leave/push off/
- Anchoring
- Knots
- Various sailing manoeuvres
- Course and location determination
- Man-over-board manoeuvre
In addition, the candidate can be questioned orally about the basics of ship handling.
What knots do you need to know for the boat exam?
What knots do you need to know for the boat exam? The following knots must be mastered at the practical examination:
- Reef knot
- Sheet bend
- Clove hitch
- Round turn with two half hitches
- Figure of eight knot
- Anchor bend
- Bowline
- Bitter/li>
We recommend that the knots are practised before the practical training. That way, you won't have to spend your sailing lessons practising knots.
The BoatDriver learning kit already includes a knot set that comes with ropes and a cleat.
How do I prepare for the sailing exam?
Preparing for the theory exam can be done in self-study, ideally with BoatDriver's proven online course. The course contains all the official theory questions and if you get stuck, a BoatDriver expert is available to help you free of charge.
When preparing for the practical sailing exam, it is recommended that you learn the nautical knots. Mastering these when you get on the boat will save you time and money. A knot set with detailed instructions is included in the sailing learning kit.
It can also be helpful if you familiarise yourself with the manoeuvres before the practical lesson, as this will make manoeuvring easier during the lesson. With the online sailing practice course, you can study the manoeuvres in advance.
Why do I need to take the sailing exam?
If you want to sail a vessel with a sail area of more than 15 m2 (Lake Constance 12 m2 ) in Switzerland, you need a cat. D boat licence.
Where is the sailing licence valid?
The category D sailing licence is valid in Switzerland on all waters authorised for navigation. Except for the stretch of the Rhine between Stein am Rhein and Schaffhausen, the licence is also valid on the border waters.
Where do I have to take the boat exam?
The theoretical examination must be taken at the shipping office in your canton of residence. The practical examination should also take place in your canton of residence. However, it is also possible to submit a justified request for the practical examination to be taken in another canton. The practical examination starts at the examination jetty of the respective body of water.
Stand 31.01.2023 (MN)
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