Essential survival training for aspiring Boatmasters, commercial crew, and offshore operators.

Develop the practical skills and confidence needed to survive and respond effectively in emergency situations at sea. The ADOMS Sea Survival Course is a core safety component required when pursuing Caribbean Boatmaster licences and essential for anyone operating offshore or working commercially in Antigua & Barbuda waters.

What Will You Learn?

The ADOMS Sea Survival Course focuses on real-world survival skills applicable on small commercial vessels and offshore craft:

• Survival mindset & emergency priorities — understanding how to stay safe and support others
• Lifejacket use and self-rescue techniques — correct fitting and entry drills
• Liferaft deployment and boarding — safe use of survival craft in an emergency
• Survival routines in the water — body positions, buddy systems, and staying warm
• Use of survival equipment and signalling — flares, horns, mirrors and radios
• Search and Rescue (SAR) basics — how to maximise your chances of being located
• Team survival practices — morale and group safety in prolonged emergencies

Training includes practical drills and simulated scenarios so you gain hands-on experience, not just classroom theory.

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Read the full Second Star Sailing syllabus

Our student instructor ratio is a maximum of 6:1. This allows us to give you maximum individual attention and for our instructors to create a bespoke classroom experience for each and every one of our students.

Who Is This Course For?

The ADOMS Sea Survival Course is ideal if you are:

• Preparing to work on small commercial vessels under the ADOMS SCV Code
• Applying for a Caribbean Boatmaster licence (Grade 3, Grade 2, or Grade 1)
• A crew member seeking professional safety competence
• A skipper or operator planning offshore coastal and charter operations
• A recreational sailor or charter professional wanting high confidence in emergency response

Under Antigua & Barbuda law, seafarers on commercial vessels must provide evidence of competency in personal survival techniques as part of the licensing process.

Pre-Requisites

• Minimum age: 18 years
• No previous experience required, but you must be able to swim

Price and Availability

This is a one day, practical and classroom course in a shorebased format at our Antigua location.

Price: USD $250 per person

You can find the availability on our online booking platform here. If you don’t see the dates you want, contact us and we may be able to move course around or put you on the waiting list for your specific dates.

Classroom course availability varies by season—book early to secure your preferred dates.

What to Do Next?

Completing this course not only builds real safety competence — it moves you closer to your Caribbean Boatmaster licence, enhances your professional credibility, and gives peace of mind when operating offshore.

You can also enrol in the RYA Marine Radio (SRC) course to meet another one of the Boatmaster licensing requirements.