The PYA was founded 25 years ago by a small group of yacht captains and has grown since into a powerful Association that has earned significant influence with the authorities that govern our industry and set the qualifications required to carry out our professional roles.

As your Association has grown, our staff and systems have evolved and expanded so as to meet the members’ needs.  We now find ourselves at a turning point.  In order to move effectively into the next stage of its development and modernisation, the PYA needs to increase its funding.

Although the Association is still run by a volunteer council, it now employs 4 to 5 staff in its Antibes office. They assist members daily with advice and information concerning their qualifications, careers, training and numerous employment issues, not to mention the SRB team which works tirelessly to keep on top of the sea time verification procedures demanded by the MCA. Recent developments in the MCA’s Sea Service Testimonial Verification procedures will result in an increased workload for the PYA team and accordingly we anticipate increased costs for the Association in 2017 and beyond.

After almost 5 years without an increase in membership fees, a new fee structure has been implemented which better relates to the value of the services members receive. We have also abolished the joining fee and simplified the membership categories.

You can find details of the new categories and membership fees below. Please take the time to read the notes, which explain important changes to SRB procedures!

We hope to see you soon in the PYA office as we continue to support you and your fellow members in your professional careers in the future.

Full Member – €175 per year

For those working towards, or serving at officer level, for engineers from MEOL or Y4 upwards, for interior crew applying for a GUEST CoC, and for anyone else who needs to submit verified Sea Service and qualifications to the MCA. For these members the PYA provides an MCA-approved Service Record Book in which the member’s Sea Service Testimonials will be recorded after being verified (at no extra charge) by the PYA to accurately prove time spent at sea. With the recent announcement by the MCA of its wish to shift the responsibility for verifying testimonials away from its own staff, the PYA’s service will enable Full Members to avoid the significant delays in issuing NoEs or CoCs which the MCA has said are likely to occur if they receive Sea Service Testimonials not verified by the PYA.

This category is also appropriate for formerly seagoing members who are now working ashore as managers, superintendents etc. and wish to keep their CoC valid.

Associate Member – €75 per year

This category is appropriate for those working at levels that do not require them to have a Service Record Book (SRB) or to have their Sea Service Testimonials (SSTs) verified by the PYA. Instead, they receive the PYA Crew Work Book, in which they can have their sea time stamped in by their captain. This can be used to show sea time for a Yacht Rating Certificate but cannot be submitted to the MCA.

Associate Members who upgrade their membership will receive a discount of EUR 100 on the fee for their first year as a Full Member. When upgrading, they may also have their accumulated SSTs verified and entered into their new SRB. (Note: This offer does not apply if membership as an Associate Member has already expired.)

Shorebased Member – €75 per year

For those who are working in the industry but are not (or are no longer) serving at sea and so do not need an SRB or verification of SSTs.

Summary of PYA membership benefits

Terms

• The Sea Service Testimonial verification process is available to paid-up, full members. Certificate entries are free, as are annual SST entries for those Full members staying on the same vessel or SST entries which are dated and submitted within 12 months of leaving the vessel. This is to assist the office in obtaining verification in a timely fashion.
• Due to the increased administrative burden, there will be a Late Submission Fee of EUR 25 payable for the verification of any SST submitted to the PYA more than 12 months after leaving the vessel.
• If the correct annual fee has not been received, membership will expire one month after the due renewal date.
• A member whose membership has lapsed because of non-payment may re-join by paying the appropriate annual fee. However, for Full Members there will be a ‘Late Submission Fee’ of EUR 25 per SST and EUR 15 per certificate payable in respect of any SST or certificate issued during the period when membership of the PYA had lapsed.
• At the request of the MCA, the PYA has agreed to carry out SST verification for non-members. The cost of this service will be EUR 50 per SST with a minimum charge of EUR 100.

PYA Partners (previously known as Corporate members)

The PYA do not just act on behalf of yacht crew. We represent the whole industry, from brokers to crew agents, to training providers and beyond.

Help us continue to do so by becoming a partner of the PYA. In exchange for your support, we are able to promote your brand to our members, a worldwide audience of over 90 nationalities.