Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB) Course

The Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB) (Other than Fast Rescue Boats) (Restricted to Yachts)

MCA Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (Other than Fast Rescue Boats) (Restricted)

Length: 3 Days

Pre-requisites:
STCW A-VI/1-1 (Personal Survival Techniques)
At least 6-month seagoing service
Must be at least 16 years old

Course Contents

• Safe survival equipment
• Emergencies and drills
• Survival actions
• Survival craft
• First aid
• Distress communication
• Man Over Board procedures
• Search patterns
• Lifejackets and immersion suits
• The use of rescue boats
• Refresher – Updating of the MCA Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (Restricted to Yachts) must be repeated at intervals not exceeding five (5) years.

The PSCRB Refresher Course

PSCRB Refresher Course: What It Is and Why You Need It

The Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB) refresher course, is a mandatory revalidation of your original PSCRB certification. If you hold an MCA PSCRB (Restricted to Yachts) certificate, you are required to complete a refresher at intervals not exceeding five years to keep your qualification valid.

The original PSCRB course trains maritime professionals to take charge of survival craft and rescue boats during emergencies at sea. It covers survival equipment, emergency drills, man overboard procedures, search patterns, first aid, distress communications, liferaft and lifeboat handling, and the use of immersion suits and lifejackets. It is a critical competency for anyone progressing through yacht officer qualifications or working onboard vessels where crew safety responsibilities are assigned.

Why Is a PSCRB Refresher Required?

Emergency skills deteriorate without practice. The maritime industry recognises that a crew member who completed their PSCRB training years ago may not respond as effectively under pressure as someone who has recently trained. A PSCRB refresher course ensures that your knowledge of survival procedures, equipment operation, and rescue boat handling remains current and sharp.

The refresher also accounts for updates in safety regulations, equipment standards, and best practices that may have changed since your last certification. Maritime safety is not static – new protocols and technologies are introduced regularly, and the refresher keeps you aligned with the latest requirements.

From a regulatory standpoint, an expired PSCRB certificate can prevent you from serving onboard, block your progression to higher certifications, and create compliance issues during vessel inspections or flag state audits. Keeping it current is non-negotiable for working seafarers.

What Does the Refresher Cover?

The PSCRB refresher course revisits the core competencies of the original programme in a condensed format. You’ll refresh your practical and theoretical knowledge across survival craft operations, rescue boat deployment, emergency communication, first aid in a survival situation, and crew management during abandonment scenarios.

Who Needs It?

Any seafarer holding a PSCRB certificate that is approaching or has passed the five-year renewal window. This includes yacht officers, deckhands progressing through MCA qualifications, and crew members required to hold the certificate as part of their onboard role.

PSCRB Refresher Course in Cape Town

PYT Cape offers the PSCRB Refresher course in Cape Town at our Hout Bay training centre.

PSCRB Refresher Course Duration & Cost

This 1 day course fee is $190 and runs on scheduled dates throughout 2026.

PSCRB Refresher Course Prerequisites

Prerequisites is to hold a current valid (non-expired) PSCRB certificate still within it’s 5 year validity period.

To enquire for availability and to register for the PSCRB refresher course, please fill in the below form.