Surprise/J80/J70 (SU) Test
Eligibility
Any active YCC member who:
- holds a Yngling key and another key, and
- has sailed at least 4 times on a YCC Surprise, and
- has done 3 helper's sessions since the beginning of the season (the session can be done after taking the test, in which case the key will be validated after the last session has been performed).
Procedure
- Anyone wishing to use the YCC Surprises/J80/J70 as skipper must pass a YCC Surprise test, even when holding a Swiss D permit or equivalent.
- The Surprise test takes more than one outing, as a set of different skills will be tested (see below), therefore plan ahead and check your availability with the examiners schedule.
- We have established high standards for the SU test, which are appreciated by the harbour users, the police and overall have the goal of increasing the safety of sailing for all the YCC members involved and their sailing partners. Therefore we are happy to take candidates for the test who feel motivated and up-to-speed with their sailing skills.
The YCC Surprise test comprises a practical and, according to your situation, a theoretical part. In addition, obtaining a Swiss sailing permit is required for members living in Switzerland. Members living in France (or any other country) may be requested to take the YCC theory test (see below).
Practical Test
For the practical part, the candidate contacts the test coordinator responsible for the SU licence. There are then two ways of doing:
- the test coordinator appoints an examiner (if the test follows a Surprise course, the examiner cannot be the course instructor) and candidate and examiner agree on a date and time for the test. After the test, the examiner fills the test report and the test coordinator has the final word in the attribution of the licence;
- the candidate receives from the test coordinator a test sheet listing the exercises she has to perform. It is then up to her to sail the SU with authorised skippers and perform the exercises, which are then validated by the various skippers.
Sailing Permit
Surprises have a sail surface exceeding 15m2. This implies that candidates living in Switzerland must hold a Swiss D permit to sail them as skipper. This permit can be obtained by taking the Swiss official test or by exchanging their national license for a Swiss one. The exchange is compulsory after twelve months of residence in Switzerland (see circulaire 54). The Swiss D permit can be obtained either before or after the YCC test is passed. YCC Surprises may be used for the police test provided at least one person on board holds the YCC Surprise licence. The police will further require one person on board to hold a Swiss D permit.
The outboard engines of the Surprises have a motor power of 3.3 kW. A Swiss A permit, or national equivalent, is therefore not required.
Since sails are the main means of propulsion of the Surprises, and since currently no permit is required for sailing boats in France, members resident in France do not need a permit to use the Surprises. The YCC requires however that they pass either the YCC internal theory test or the Swiss official theory test to bring them at par with the Swiss residents in the knowledge of legal regulations.
The internal theory exam can be passed before or after the practical test. To prepare for this test, study the latest edition of the booklet Naviguez sur les eaux suisses! which is a summary of the Swiss legislation in the matter and can be obtained at the office cantonal des automobiles et de la navigation. Other references: the Loi Suisse sur la navigation dans les eaux intérieures (LNI) and the Ordonnance sur la navigation dans les eaux intérieures (ONI).
Members holding a national permit on the basis of which a Swiss D or A permit could be obtained if the member were to change their residence to Switzerland (see circulaire 54) do not have do not have to pass a YCC theory exam.
Members who are neither resident in Switzerland nor in France are required to pass a YCC internal theory exam which covers the same material as the theory part of the Swiss test. Depending on the requirements of their country of residence, they may be required to have an official sailing license.
Practical Test
Practical tests can take place provided:
- there is more than a light breeze or
2 Beaufort,
i.e. the wind speed exceeds 6 knots, 11.11 km/h or
3.09 m/sec;
- the boat is fully operational, engine included.
Contents
The test consists of the following items:
- knots (bowline, reefing knot, figure of eight, turning a cleat);
- rigging and unrigging the boat;
- choosing sails appropriate for the conditions and point of sailing;
- leaving and returning to the moorings;
- manoeuvring by engine (e.g. stop at the crane or at a jetty);
- sailing in all directions, going-about (tacking),
gybe (well controlled, with and without spinnaker);
- conditions permitting, hoisting a spinnaker, gybing and lowering the
spinnaker;
- taking a reef in the main and changing the foresail while sailing;
- making a 360° turn in restricted space such as a harbour
(using sails to accelerate the rotation);
- stopping at a buoy;
- man-overboard.
The candidate is invited to delegate tasks to
crew members, examiner included, by giving orders explaining
accurately and concisely what the crew is expected to do.
Norms
No person should be put into danger because of errors of the candidate.
Priority rules must be respected.
There should be no collisions with other boats as a result of errors
of the candidate, nor interventions by the examiner to avoid collisions.
Inside the Harbour:
- clear briefing of the crew before executing any harbour manoeuvre;
- manoeuvres by sail or by engine, at the choice of the candidate;
- courtesy towards other harbour users;
- the candidate checks the fastening of the mooring lines and verifies
that all fenders are in place before leaving the boat.
Buoy Stop:
- boat starts to drift backwards with the tip within 1 m from the buoy;
- arrival should be nose into the wind;
- moving the boom by hand is permitted;
- the choice of sails for the manoeuvre is free;
- 2 tries with at least 1 success.
Man-overboard:
- person remains for at least 15 sec within 50 cm from
the boat, anywhere between leeward shrouds and stern;
- person is not hit by the boat and is not at any time underneath the boat;
- technique as desired (going-about or gybe, heave-to or not,
slowing down by pushing the boom across);
- 4 tries with at least 2 successes.
Spinnaker:
- the spinnaker may be hoisted from the cabin or from the bow;
- the spinnaker has to be rigged correctly;
- correct choice of sail: gauge spinnaker or mast-head spinnaker,
depending on the conditions;
- appropriate actions must be taken in case of an imminent broach;
- gybing does not have to be fast, but must be done keeping control
over the boat at all times.
The remaining items have to be correct on the first try.
Last modified, November 2022 by AP.