The NauticEd system uses Ranks and Levels to accurately summarize your competence.



You can not gain a Certification Rank with NauticEd without listing an appropriate amount of on-the-water experience as master of the vessel into your electronic logbook AND having completed the appropriate theory coursework.


The experience does NOT have to be with an instructor and is in your past history. You list your ALL past history experience in your free NauticEd electronic logbook. Don't list experience that is more than 20 years in the past.


Rank and Level go hand in hand. For example, someone might be a Skipper Large Powerboat Level II. See below how this works.


For Powerboat Ranks and Levels
(see sailboats here)


The Ranks are:


  • Skipper Small Powerboat (25 ft (7.6 m) or less)
  • Skipper Large Powerboat 26 ft (8 m)+)***
  • Bareboat Charter Master for Powerboats ****

The Rank is representative of the theory courses the student has passed. See below.


The Levels are calculated from your logbook of past history experience.

  • Level I = A minimum of 10 days of boating experience*
  • Level II = A minimum of 25 days of boating experience**
  • Level III = A minimum of 50 days of boating experience**
  • Level IV = A minimum of 100 days of boating experience**
  • Level V = A minimum of 200 days of boating experience**


* This may be short cut to 2 days if an instructor/assessor has deemed the student competent to the skills and knowledge associated to the Rank through an on the water assessment

** A minimum of 50 % of these days must be listed in the electronic logbook as master of the vessel. e.g. Level III would require at least 25 days as master of the vessel

*** For Skipper large powerboat, 50% of the days must be on a boat 26 ft (7.9 m) or greater. Plus all the days required for that level must be on a boat greater than 20 feet.

****  Bareboat Charter Master for Powerboats requires a minimum of Level III and also with a minimum of 50% of the days on a vessel equal or greater than 28 ft (8.3m). Plus all the days required for that level must be on a boat greater than 20 feet.


For the SLC license, you must be at least a Bareboat Charter Master for Powerboats Level III. See ** and **** above.


(If you are looking for information on Boating Licenses for the Mediterranean, go here)


The Courses associated to achieve a rank are:



Skipper Small Keelboat Rank

  • Skipper Small Powerboat Course


Skipper Rank (Bundle of courses)

  • Skipper Large Powerboat Course 


Bareboat Charter Master Rank (Bundle of courses)

  • Skipper Large Powerboat course
  • Navigation Rules for Powerboats course
  • Bareboat Charter course
  • Coastal Navigation course
  • Electronic Navigation course



A Rank can not be achieved without Level. Thus (logically) you must have experience to gain a certification rank. 

A few examples to help understand

  • You can not be Bareboat Charter Master Level II - you must be level III at least. If you have passed all the Bareboat Charter Master courses but have 49 days of experience you would be listed as Skipper Level II. Log one more day and you are instantly Bareboat Charter Master Level III
  • You can be Skipper Large Powerboat Level 1 with less than 10 days of experience if an instructor assessor has deemed you competent to the skills associated to being a skipper.


All of these Ranks and levels are calculated by the software and are awarded and reflected onto your certificate and resume in real-time.


Coming soon is an interactive infographic below.