Small Vessel Operator Proficiency – SVOP

The SVOP is a Transport Canada certification to operate a Small non-pleasure (commercial) vessel less than 5 Tons for Passenger and Cargo boats such as Crew boats, Work boats, Sport-fishing boats, Whale-watching vessels and for Fishing Vessels less than 15 Gross Tons.

The SVOP is for operators of vessels 5 tons or less, for passenger vessels (less than 12 passengers – sport-fishing, crew boats, whale-watching, water taxi) for Cargo vessels and for Commercial Fishing vessels less than 15 tons. Regulations are changing, so please stay tuned to this website for updates or visit Transport Canada Marine Safety.

Our SVOP training involves navigation, vessel construction and stability, collision avoidance, navigation safety, rope lines and knots, anchoring and vessel maneuvering, Canada Shipping Act, pollution prevention regulations, geography and chart construction, electronic navigation (radar, GPS and chart plotter), meteorology, tides and currents and much more.

SVOP classes require a minimum of 26 hours of classroom instruction. We run our classes over a 4 day period. We provides all materials; this includes parallel rules, dividers, stationary and calculators for the navigation components and practice.
Lessons in SVOP syllabus include: Master’s Responsibility, Collision Regulations and Collision Avoidance, Geography and charts, Rope, lines and knots, Vessel Construction and Stability, Aids to Navigation, Electronic Navigation, Search and Rescue, Boat Handling, Meteorology and Weather Forecasting, and Tides and Currents.

Small Vessel Operator Proficiency is a requirement for crew on boats with 12 passengers or less, under 5 tons or cargo vessels/tugs under 5 tons, and Fishing Vessels under 15 tons operating not more than 25 Nautical Miles offshore.

Cost: $690.00 + Tax (GST 5%)