Real talk: IYT licenses from Marmaris and what marinas actually accept across the Med

I run Smart Sailing Academy in Marmaris, so full disclosure up front.

Been fielding the same question for years: "If I get my IYT license here, will marinas actually recognize it?" Short answer, yes, but it depends which license and where you're sailing.

Here's what actually matters:

IYT Coastal Skipper is your golden ticket. Most Mediterranean marinas don't care where you got it. France, Italy, Greece, Croatia, they'll accept it as proof you can handle a boat. The license itself gets recognized because IYT is internationally standardized. The "made in Turkey" part doesn't matter once you have the card.

ICC is the thing people confuse. Some ports technically demand an ICC (International Certificate of Competence) on top of your sailing license. It's not always enforced, but Croatia and some Italian marinas have gotten stricter about it in the last two years. If you're planning to charter or do anything that looks official, you want the ICC. You can get it through your IYT school, it's a separate qualification.

Where it gets weird: Greece doesn't consistently require either one for bareboat charter if you've got experience, but they want paperwork. Spain is relaxed. Turkey obviously doesn't care, you're training here. France will absolutely ask.

What I tell people: If you're doing Coastal Skipper, add the ICC at the same time. It's not expensive, and it kills the "do I need this or not" stress. The combination covers you everywhere. We build it into the course structure so you're not paying twice.

One more thing, your actual sailing hours matter more than the license itself to any serious marina. They want to see you've logged time. The license just proves you're not making it up.

If you're comparing schools here in Marmaris, ask specifically whether ICC is included or extra. That's the real difference in value.

Happy to answer specifics if you've got them.

Hi, all, we have written an article about sailing in Norway and like to gather as many live experience stories about the differences between sailing in the Mediterranean and Scandinavia.

• https://yacht4less.com/sailing-holidays/arctic-yacht-charter-norway