ISSA Instructor Certification
Turn Your Sailing Experience Into a Globally Recognized Instructor Career
Get certified. Teach worldwide. Join the ISSA instructor network.
✔ Recognized in 40+ countries
✔ Used by sailing schools worldwide
✔ No prior teaching experience required
✔ Used by sailing schools worldwide
✔ No prior teaching experience required
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ISSA Instructor Training
The training program follows established global benchmarks, combining practical on-water instruction with essential theory in seamanship, safety, and teaching techniques.
Upon completion, you earn a certification recognized worldwide, opening opportunities with sailing schools, charter companies, and maritime organizations.
Upon completion, you earn a certification recognized worldwide, opening opportunities with sailing schools, charter companies, and maritime organizations.
Instructor role definition
• Teaching competence, not demonstrations
• Responsibility for safety and assessment
• Instructors guide students as they gain skills and confidence on the water
Being asailing instructor is more than a job — it imparts knowledge, builds community,and celebrates the world of sailing.
• Responsibility for safety and assessment
• Instructors guide students as they gain skills and confidence on the water
Being asailing instructor is more than a job — it imparts knowledge, builds community,and celebrates the world of sailing.
Who can apply?
• Active sailing instructors
• Commercial skippers
• Coaches from other systems
• Commercial skippers
• Coaches from other systems
Instructor responsibilities
• Student safety
• Skill progression
• Objective assessment
• Skill progression
• Objective assessment
Benefits of ISSA certification
Internationally recognized qualifications
Meet global training and safetystandards; teach confidently worldwide
Meet global training and safetystandards; teach confidently worldwide
Work in any ISSA Accredited School
Access to a global network oftraining centers
Access to a global network oftraining centers
Experience to run your own school
Skills for management,instruction, and business operations
Skills for management,instruction, and business operations
Versatile skills
Enhance professional adaptability; opportunities in teaching, coaching, and maritime careers
Enhance professional adaptability; opportunities in teaching, coaching, and maritime careers
Professional qualifications for the yachting industry
Credibility and skills to operate safely and lead crews
Credibility and skills to operate safely and lead crews
Instructor certification framework
Single, coherent system for qualification, certification, and maintenance across ISSA.
All pathways lead into the same certification level structure and validity/renewal rules.
All pathways lead into the same certification level structure and validity/renewal rules.
Full Training Pathway
New instructors with no prior ISSA-equivalent certification.
Complete program: teaching methodology, safety management, ISSA standards, on-water instructional skills.
Outcome: certification at the appropriate ISSA Instructor Level.
New instructors with no prior ISSA-equivalent certification.
Complete program: teaching methodology, safety management, ISSA standards, on-water instructional skills.
Outcome: certification at the appropriate ISSA Instructor Level.
1-Day Conversion Assessment
Highly experienced instructors with strong, verifiable teaching records. Prerequisites: valid external instructor certification, documented teaching experience, approval for assessment-only entry.
One-day assessment: knowledge/standards review, practical teaching evaluation, safety and decision-making.
Outcome: direct certification at equivalent level or conditional approval with follow-up.
Highly experienced instructors with strong, verifiable teaching records. Prerequisites: valid external instructor certification, documented teaching experience, approval for assessment-only entry.
One-day assessment: knowledge/standards review, practical teaching evaluation, safety and decision-making.
Outcome: direct certification at equivalent level or conditional approval with follow-up.
Validity and renewal
✔ All ISSA Instructor certifications issued with a fixed validity period of 5 years.
✔ To maintain active certification: complete required teaching days/courses, comply with safety and reporting, participate in refresher/reassessment when required.
✔ Failure may result in temporary suspension, conditional extension, or certification expiry.
Pricing
Full Training
€ 1,500 – 2,000
5-7 days intensive
For instructors new to ISSA standards. Certificate conversion required for non-ISSA credentials
Assessment Only
€ 200 – 300
1day evaluation
For highly experienced professionals and existing certified instructors. Certificate conversion required for non-ISSA credentials
Most Popular Instructor Courses
ISSA Instructor Training Courses
Learn the instructor course requirments and standards
Inshore Sailing Instructor
A qualified ISSA Inshore Sailing Instructor can teach Yacht Crew and Inshore Skipper courses.
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Inland Sailing Instructor
A qualified ISSA Inland Sailing Instructor can teach Yacht Crew and Inland Skipper courses.
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VHF Marine Radio Instructor
ISSA VHF Short Range Operators Instructor can teach VHF Short Range Operator Certificate course.
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Inshore Power Instructor
A qualified ISSA Inshore Power Instructor can teach Power Yacht Crew, Boat Master and Inshore Power Yacht Skipper courses.
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Inland Power Instructor
A qualified ISSA Inland Power Instructor can teach Power Yacht Crew and Inland Power Yacht Skipper courses.
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Catamaran Instructor
A qualified Catamaran Instructor can teach Yacht Crew, Inshore Skipper and Catamaran Skipper courses.
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ISSA Instructor Licenses
Teaching Scope of Pleasure Level
ISSA Instructor Assistant
Yacht Crew
Yacht Crew Instructor
Yacht Crew
Advanced Keelboat Instructor
Keelboat Level 1
Keelboat Level 2
Keelboat Level 3
Keelboat Crew
Keelboat Level 2
Keelboat Level 3
Keelboat Crew
Advanced Dinghy Instructor
Dinghy Level 1
Dinghy Level 2
Dinghy Level 3
Dinghy Level 2
Dinghy Level 3
Keelboat Instructor
Keelboat Level 1
Keelboat Crew
Keelboat Crew
Dinghy Instructor
Dinghy Level 1
Advanced Keelboat Junior Instructor
Keelboat Junior ≤ 16 Level 1
Keelboat Junior ≤ 16 Level 2
Keelboat Junior ≤ 16 Level 3
Keelboat Crew
Keelboat Junior ≤ 16 Level 2
Keelboat Junior ≤ 16 Level 3
Keelboat Crew
Advanced Dinghy Junior Instructor
Dinghy Junior ≤ 16 Level 1
Dinghy Junior ≤ 16 Level 2
Dinghy Junior ≤ 16 Level 3
Dinghy Junior ≤ 16 Level 2
Dinghy Junior ≤ 16 Level 3
Keelboat Junior Instructor
Keelboat Junior ≤ 16 Level 1
Keelboat Crew
Keelboat Crew
Dinghy Junior Instructor
Dinghy Junior ≤ 16 Level 1
Advanced Power Instructor
Master of Power Yacht
Offshore Power Yacht Skipper
Inshore Power Yacht Skipper
Boat Master
Power Yacht Crew
Offshore Power Yacht Skipper
Inshore Power Yacht Skipper
Boat Master
Power Yacht Crew
Advanced Sailing Instructor
Master of Yacht
Offshore Skipper
Inshore Skipper
Yacht Crew
Offshore Skipper
Inshore Skipper
Yacht Crew
Offshore Power Instructor
Offshore Power Yacht Skipper
Inshore Power Yacht Skipper
Boat Master
Power Yacht Crew
Inshore Power Yacht Skipper
Boat Master
Power Yacht Crew
Offshore Sailing Instructor
Offshore Skipper
Inshore Skipper
Yacht Crew
Inshore Skipper
Yacht Crew
Inshore Power Instructor
Inshore Power Yacht Skipper
Boat Master
Power Yacht Crew
Boat Master
Power Yacht Crew
Catamaran Instructor
Catamaran Skipper
Inshore Skipper
Yacht Crew
Inshore Skipper
Yacht Crew
Inland Power Instructor
Inland Power Yacht Skipper
Power Yacht Crew
Power Yacht Crew
Inshore Sailing Instructor
Inshore Skipper
Yacht Crew
Yacht Crew
VHF (Short Range Certificate) Instructor
Short Range Operators Certificate
Inland Sailing Instructor
Inland Skipper
Yacht Crew
Yacht Crew