Gold Coast Boat Licensing & Training Specialist

Nautical Training & Marine Services has been successfully operating since 2006, providing the highest standard of Gold Coast boat licensing and jetski licensing services, as well as comprehensive training for beginners through to intermediate and advanced mariners. I am an owner/operator who has been working in the marine industry since 1989. I have seen a lot of changes in licensing and boat training on the Gold Coast and to vessel ownership which includes operator’s responsibility of handling, procedures and safety. Boating is all about enjoying the beauty and bounty of the ocean. Having procedures designed specifically for your vessel and operation is paramount to the safety of your vessel and crew.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority are constantly updating our National Commercial Vessel Safety Standards and most recently all small Commercial Vessels <12m are required to have their vessel operators complete a minimum Exemption 38 Coxswain 3 qualification dependant on the business Activity and Area of Operation. This is the first commercial qualification to operate small commercial vessels with limited duties and operations in specific areas.  Our courses on the Gold Coast attract new mariners keen to start businesses in the marine industry, also many experienced mariners required to attain understanding of their vessels safety management standards, risk assessments, procedures, skills and handling qualification for their current business.

In order to stay current, I like to keep my toe in the water and when opportunity presents I endeavour to take on vessel delivery work and fishing charters as often as I can fit in between nautical training courses. This ensures I have the capabilities to deliver superior boat training on the Gold Coast for all types of vessels.

Most recently I have been fortunate to Crew on several offshore international deliveries: 

Crewed onboard 57 metre yacht delivery Philippines to Palau to Madang using traditional chart plotting with minimal electronics.  Crewing alongside Master 1 Captain Steve Pelecanos with decades of foreign ship navigation and experience.

Respect to official titles, maritime communications, procedures of crew, officers on watch and fatigue management were closely followed. My favourite task being paper chart plotting navigation and my responsibility of the midnight watch.

Crewed onboard 34 metre yacht delivery from New Caledonia to Mackay practicing all electronics aids to navigational and getting some celestial tuition taking sights with a sextant from esteemed Master Mariner Peter Mitchell from Mitchell Maritime.

Crewed onboard 22 metre Riviera delivery from Gold Coast to Auckland enjoying the most up to date electronics from Ray Marine with Master Mariner Timothy Edwards.

Another seasonal getaway is fishing onboard the Millkraft with Bob and Tim Edwards 120 nm offshore from Mackay. These executive charters suit small groups of 5 persons keen to fish for the best eating fish our Pacific Ocean has to offer. Red Emperor and Coral Trout fish wings being the favourite lunch menu or fresh beer battered Mackerel caesar salad and chips. As fishermen and women know, we just can’t get enough when it comes to fresh fish!

At most we may see 2 other vessels in a week and we regularly see more whales breaching than we do other boats.  While these offshore fishing charters will always be governed by the weather, due regard is given to the sturdy seagoing vessels, Captain and Crews ability, maintaining procedures in order to navigate safely in these offshore waters.

As a passionate scuba diver, having recently returned from a liveaboard dive charter around Komodo Island in Indonesia it’s good to see by international standards our waters and reefs are so unpopulated.