Dear readers,
MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY! - "Help! What was I thinking again? As if I didn't already have enough on my mind!" I thought to myself at the end of this weekend course. For two days on a bitterly cold November weekend, I sat in a small sports boat school together with four fellow participants and tried to fight my way through a jumble of new information. Because this winter, I decided to tackle the subject of sparks. My mission: SRC and UBI. Two licences that will not only give me access to the radio, but will hopefully make me more confident in dealing with emergency calls, locks and all the radio operations at sea and inland.
The exam I am preparing for as I write these lines consists of three parts: The SRC exam begins with the dictation of a marine radio text in English, which must be written down and translated into German. Including the international radio alphabet. - YANKEE, ALPHA, CHARLY, HOTEL, TANGO - check, I can do it.
Then a German maritime text with specialised vocabulary has to be translated into English. Doable for me, but a real challenge for some of my "classmates" who last spoke English at school 30 years ago. In the second part, 24 (SRC) or 22 (UBI) multiple-choice questions on radio rules, technology, channels and operating procedures have to be answered from a considerably large catalogue of questions (180 questions SRC, 130 questions UBI). Okay, that's doable too - if you can find the time to study for it.
What I find really helpful in my busy everyday life is the Delius Klasing learning app. Because I can cram with her spontaneously as soon as I have a free minute. For example, on the train on the way to work. I'm usually staring at my mobile phone anyway - so why not do something useful at the same time? The app works with the index card system. Questions that I'm not sure of are repeated until the answers are correct.
But what I still respect the most is the practical part of the test, for which I can't prepare myself one hundred per cent. I have to prove that I can navigate safely through the various programme points of a radio and then send a complete radio message. According to the standardised call schemes, in the correct sequence, without getting confused anywhere. And that's more difficult than I thought. As very few people have a radio at home, it is advisable to do a course where you practise speaking - as banal as that sounds.
If the worst comes to the worst, I also need to be able to differentiate: Is this an emergency? Urgency? Or just safety? When do I say what and in what order and what do I have to repeat and how often? Looking at the different call schemes makes my head spin. Especially when I try to recite the radio messages without the notepad in front of me. In my mind's eye, everything is whirring merrily around, I always forget something. Ship names three times, Calls Sign, MMSI, ship names again, once, Ah crap, I should have repeated the position. Then switching between sea and inland, English and German. Then all the routine traffic with its own channels and its own protocol: Harbours, locks, bridges, you name it. I just hope that the knot will come undone in the exam.
And suddenly I realise why a radio licence is more than just an annoying piece of paper for the on-board folder. In the end, everyone knows that nobody sits at the radio in an emergency in the same way as in the exam and, in case of doubt, still masters every call scheme down to the last detail years later. But the basics provide safety in an emergency and may make the difference at the crucial moment.
Winter is the best time to tackle something you've been putting off for a long time and learn something new. Before the next season starts, before other to-dos slip in between. And I can promise you: once you've started, it's even a bit of fun. And who knows - maybe we'll see you on channel 69 in the spring.
Silence Fini
Jill Grigoleit
YACHT editor
Umfrage beendet
*** Vote/click to see the result! ***
Recommended reading from the editorial team
New podcast episode
How women are taking the lead – with Annette Kilch
He at the helm, she at the sheets: on many yachts, this division of roles is still the norm. Not because women aren’t capable of it, but because they rarely have the confidence to do so. In episode 92 of YACHT – the sailing podcast, Annette Kilch talks to host Timm Kruse about what actually prevents women from taking on responsibility on board and how scepticism can turn into genuine enthusiasm at the helm.
Severe weather
Several yachts have sunk – storm wreaks havoc on ports in the US
On Sunday (27 September), a storm tore boats from their moorings in the harbour of Marblehead in the USA. Several boats ran aground or sank.
Oyster 36M
New flagship with Frers lines
Oyster Yachts is expanding its model range at the top end: the new Oyster 36M is a 36-metre sloop designed by Frers Naval Architecture. Designed to combine the comfort of a superyacht with the demands of long blue-water voyages, the flagship model offers owners plenty of flexibility in terms of layout, equipment and sail plan.
MOB at the Silverrudder 2026
Almost too late – what emerged after the rescue
During the Silverrudder 2026, a sailor went overboard at night. Here’s what has since emerged about the dramatic rescue: fellow sailors and sea rescue workers tell their stories.
Distress at sea
Steel sailing yacht runs aground off Skagen
Three nautical miles off Skagen, a steel sailing boat is stuck in the sand, with the surf crashing against its side. What follows is a race against time involving pumps, tow ropes and a helicopter.
Route du Rhum
A star-studded line-up and Herrmann’s first solo race on ‘Malizia 4’
The next countdown is underway for Boris Herrmann and the new “Malizia 4”. The Route du Rhum gets underway on 1 November, with many prominent figures from the offshore sailing world in attendance.
Electrics
Firmware update for the Victron Orion XS – it now charges in reverse in an emergency
Firmware 1.15 turns the Victron Orion XS into a stopgap solution when the starter battery is flat. What the recharge function can do and where its limitations lie.
First 36 Spirit
Sail fast, live more comfortably and save money
Beneteau is adding a third variant to the First 36 range: the new Spirit features a simpler interior layout and a lower entry-level price. The planing sailing yacht will make its world debut in January 2027 at the Düsseldorf Boat Show.
America’s Cup
Luna Rossa dominate – the Azzurri get into the Cup spirit
The Red Moon is shining brightly on the road to the America’s Cup: the Italian team Luna Rossa has also won the second pre-regatta, setting the standard in Naples.
Second-hand boat of the week
Regatta fever with the X-79
The X-79 is a lightweight racer with cult status. Fast on downwind legs, responsive at the helm and surprisingly practical below deck. What buyers should look out for, and whether it’s worth buying second-hand.
Newsletter: YACHT-Woche
Der Yacht Newsletter fasst die wichtigsten Themen der Woche zusammen, alle Top-Themen kompakt und direkt in deiner Mail-Box. Einfach anmelden: