Offshore Sailing Licence Course
The offshore sailing licence course at Annje Bonnje is the most comprehensive route to obtaining a nautical licence on Lake Como.
It qualifies you to skipper dinghies and vessels up to 24 metres in length, with no engine power limit and no restriction on distance from the coast.
You will spend a full day sailing out of La Spezia on larger cabin boats — complete with wheel steering, inboard engine, cabins, heads, etc. — so you can try, learn, and simulate the practical exam on the same boat you'll be examined on.
The offshore course also includes an additional 4 weeks of chart plotting sessions.
Pricing
Choose the right course for you
Included in the course
Everything you need
The costs include
- Theory lessons
- Theory lessons at the Club premises.
- Study materials
- Textbook, nautical charts, set squares, bag, stationery.
- Dedicated website
- Access to a dedicated website to practise ministry quizzes and chart plotting problems.
- Revenue stamps
- Two €16 revenue stamps.
- Sailing course
- A sailing course (beginner or intermediate) on the lake.
- Certified sea hours
- The mandatory hours of certified experience on larger cabin boats.
- Certification & support
- Hour certification, assistance and exam presentation.
- Administrative duties
- All administrative and secretarial tasks.
- Fees & taxes
- All payment slips, remittances and exam fees.
- Administrative procedures
- Handling of all administrative procedures.
- Exam boat trial
- The exam boat trial (in Como for the inshore motor licence, in La Spezia for the others).
- Exam boat rental
- Rental of the exam boat.
Not included
The costs do not include
- Medical examination for exam registration
- Medical examination by the Health Officer at our premises (€40).
- Membership fee
- Membership fee and insurance for Circolo Velico Annje Bonnje asd (€50/year).
- Sports medical certificate
- Non-competitive sports medical certificate (with ECG) for practical outings (mandatory).
- Additional practical outings
- Additional practical outings (sailing or motor) from €45/day.
Frequently asked questions
If you can't find the answer you're looking for, contact us and we'll be happy to help.
- I have never been on a boat — can I still take part?
- Absolutely. Our sailing licence course and our beginner course (Corso Base) are designed for people who have never set foot on a sailing boat.
- What should I bring with me on board?
- A packed lunch is a good idea, and you should always bring plenty of water. Trainers, comfortable clothes in layers (with a waterproof outer layer), a windproof jacket, a hat and sunglasses (ideally with a retaining strap), and sunscreen. Bring a buoyancy aid if you have one — if not, we will provide one for you.
- Do I have to become a member to take part?
- Yes. As an association, all of our activities are for members: on top of the course or cruise price there is the membership card (€50 a year), which includes insurance. It is not a service fee but your membership of Annje Bonnje — it lasts the whole year and also gives you access to the other courses, the cruises and the events at our clubhouse.
- Do I need a medical certificate?
- Yes. For insurance reasons you must provide a medical certificate for non-competitive sporting activity — ask your doctor for a "certificato medico per attività sportiva non agonistica".
- Are you a company?
- No. Annje Bonnje is a non-profit amateur sports association (in Italian, an "associazione sportiva dilettantistica", or asd). Everything on this site is organised by members and for members, and the prices shown cover the costs incurred and the teaching itself — they are a sharing of expenses, not a margin.
- Should I start with the Corso Base or with the licence course?
- If you have never been on a boat, get on board before signing up for the licence course. The Corso Base runs over 4 days in Domaso, on Lake Como: you learn by doing, and by the end you will know whether life on the water is your thing.
- I live abroad — can I take the Italian "patente nautica"?
- Yes, but you must be fluent in Italian. If you are an Italian citizen resident abroad, you will also need to provide your AIRE registration certificate (certificato di iscrizione AIRE).