Have recently stared thinking about buying a sail boat. Have been listening to people for years talking about the freedom of sailing off around the world, or up the coast for a day or two. It just hit me, "that could be me too!!"
I live in Nagoya, and have been looking at boats on this and various other sites. The "sailing life" just seems right there of the taking. The only point that I am not clear on is the licensing. I have done some looking into it, and have found out about the various levels of licensing. Unfortunately, the only "sailing people" that I know are from countries were you can buy a boat and away you go. I am looking for confirmation regarding a few points. 1) If I buy a boat and keep it moored in a rented marina space, could I just sail in and out even with no license? Is there someone making sure that every one on the water has a licence? 2) I am really looking forward to learning to sail, and then sailing to Okinawa, Korea, SE Asia, South Pacific, and the list goes on. When reading about boating licenses, I noticed that a level 1 license is required to sail over 150 NM from the coast. It also said (nice sales gimmic!)"with a level 1 license you can sail around the world." However, it also said in fine print, that some sore of level 6 engineer (not sure the proper translation) also need to be on board? I would like to just buy a boat, rent a space to keep, and sail anywere I feel like going. I was wondering if there was anyone that could fill me in on how the system works, or even just guide me in the right direction? Any info would be a great help! Thanks, Troy

Troy,
If you buy a boat with a motor (at least 2 hp), you will need a Japanese small vessel license to operate the boat legally. The license attempts to assure every other sailor on the water that you have minimal skills to operate the boat safely.
The license come at 2 levels. Level 2 is the required level. It allow you to sail up to 5 miles off a shoreline in a recreational boat. Level 1 allow you to sail beyond that 5 mile limit. If you boat is big and you sail beyond 5 miles, you need an engineer on board.
The Japanese license does not include sailing lessons, i.e. sailboat instruction. The license is about powerboat operations, safety, and rules of the road.
Please go to http://2nd-class-juku.info/ for complete information. The class 2 license is 50 questions written, a physical and a practical. Class 1 is 14 additional questions. Most people get Class 2 first and Class 1 at a later date if at all.
You do not need a license to sail a boat if it has no motor.
Bill

Hey Troy! I won't add anything to what Bill said, cause he knows the system better than me and is the 'license man' out here.
What I will say is welcome to the world of sailing! It's been the ruin of many a poor boy and the making of even more men. And before anyone jumps on me, same goes for girls/women too...
Assuming you're out here in Japan, you could have picked a worse place to get hooked on this life changing 'hobby' of ours. Islands abound, the weather is largely great for sailing (typhoons aside) and the facilities exist, if by and large a little run-down. Oh, and boats are cheap too.
Anyway, feel free to shout out with any questions. Bill or I like to answer when we can, and you never know, one of the other lurkers out there might chip in too

Bill, Crip

Thank you very much for the info! Very big help!

I am an aspiring airline pilot, just out of university, and into the bleakiest aviation job market in the developing world! So I thought to myself, if I cant fly, I am going to sail!!! Hoping to find a good sailboat and moore it in either Kansai or the Laguna Marina near Aichi.

I just had one last question. Bill mentioned that with a level 1 license you may sail beyond 5 miles from the coast, however, "If your boat is big and you sail beyond 5 miles, you need an engineer on board." How big of a boat exactly? Does this apply to a 25 - 35 foot sail boat? I cant seem to find that info.

Being limited to 5 miles of the coast would be a bit of a drag. Might then think about buying and regestering a boat overseas, then just keep it at the local marina inorder to bypass all the red tape.

Thanks agian for your help and advice!

Troy

A big boat is over 20 tonnes. The engineering license is not commonly offered in English. I doubt you will need to worry about this. We can sail 50' boats with a class 2. The engineer referred to here would be to handle the engine on a mega yacht.
If you sail a foreign registered boat in Japan, you may need to notify customs and/or immigration every time you want to move the boat, i.e. every time you want to go for a sail. Again, we have not had experience with this save for the sailors transiting through Japan.
The Juku has had only one person sit for both the 2 Kyu exam and the 1 Kyu at the same time. He did pass. He was a French trained, highly experienced diesel engineer. The rest of us took our 2 kyu and sailed several years before attempting the 1 kyu. As a novice, I recommend you follow suit.
I do not intend to discourage you. If you read the Saga on the Juku site. you'll see others have followed the same maze...

Thanks Bill!

Without a doubt I plan to start from the begining. 2kyu with a small boat in order to learn the neccessary skills. As tempting as it is to get exited and attempt the the most advanced license, while learning on a complex boat, I think this time I will take the path most travelled and learn to walk before trying to run.

Just to confirm though. It is possible to sail over 5 miles from the coast with an 1kyu license, and without an engineer onboard, provided the boat that you are sailing is under 20 tonnes?

Yes. My most recent passage was from Osaka to Okinawa delivering a 45', $1,000,000+/- boat. Nautica, as I recall. I hold a 1 Kyu. No engineer aboard. I was crew for another skipper.

Ohhh....Osaka to Okinawa!......I really cant wait to get started! Sounds great!

BTW......How long does that trip take on average one way?

4 or 5 days, as I recall. Very calm. All power.
Some Navy, probably U.S., pinged us North of the island.

Before you get too enthused, read very carefully day 672 of Saito-sans circumnavigation! http://www.saito8.blogspot.com/
Then plan on a long learning curve.

Wow!