SeaMemo
Proving sea miles for the German SSS: the 1,000 mile guide
The German offshore skipper licence (Sportseeschifferschein, SSS) takes you from coastal to offshore waters. The price: 1,000 sea miles as watch leader, or 700 if you already hold the SKS. Here is which miles count, what the official form asks for and how to document your trips so they hold up.
How many sea miles does the SSS require?
The Sportseeschifferschein (SSS) is the official German licence for offshore waters (up to 30 nm off the coast and in the North Sea, Baltic, Mediterranean and comparable waters). For admission you must prove 1,000 sea miles after obtaining the SBF See, as watch leader or deputy on yachts in offshore waters.
An important relief: if you already hold the SKS, you only need 700 sea miles. There is also an upfront hurdle: at least 500 of the sea miles must be sailed before the theory exam. The legal basis is the SportSeeSchiffV (see elwis.de); the exams are run by DSV and DMYV (dmyv.de).
Watch leader, what does it mean? As watch leader you are responsible for a watch: you run the boat on your own during your watch and make course and sail decisions. For the SSS, miles as watch leader or deputy count; just sailing along as crew without watch responsibility is no longer enough, unlike for the SKS.
The official form
Unlike the SKS, the SSS has a prescribed form, the annex to the application for the SSS and SHS, proof of sea miles. You get it from the exam portal sportbootfuehrerscheine.org. For each trip you enter:
- Vessel name and type (motor or sailing yacht)
- Flag and owner of the yacht
- Dates of the trip (from, to)
- Sailing area and route
- Number of sea miles
- Your role on board
- Confirmation by the skipper: name, address, skipper's own licence, signature, place and date
At the end come the total and your declaration of truth. False information can lead to the licence being withdrawn, so your mileage needs solid evidence. A GPS track is worth its weight in gold here.
SHS: the big brother with a stricter rule
For the Sporthochseeschifferschein (SHS) you first need the SSS. Then another 1,000 sea miles are added, but here they only count as watch leader, no longer as deputy. Again at least 500 nm must be done before the theory exam; the rest can follow. The same form is used. More at the DMYV.
With SeaMemo: every form field collected on board
The SSS form asks for more detail than an informal SKS confirmation: route, dates, role, vessel. SeaMemo records exactly this data for every trip anyway:
- Track every trip: route, legs, distance in sea miles and dates are recorded by GPS, offline and in the background.
- Record role and crew: who was aboard and in which role is stored with the trip, the basis for watch leader proof.
- Choose SSS as exam type: SeaMemo transfers your tracked trip data into the right form.
- Skipper confirms in the app: their stored signature and licence appear in the form, ready to submit.
There is no separate SHS export in SeaMemo, but your complete SeaMemo logbook gives you all the data to fill in the form correctly and back it up if in doubt.
Get SeaMemo for free
Logbook, travel journal and crew in one app. For iPhone and Android, works offline at sea.
Frequently asked questions
Are 700 sea miles enough if I have the SKS?
Yes. With an SKS the requirement for the SSS drops from 1,000 to 700 sea miles. At least 500 nm must still be sailed before the theory exam.
What counts as watch leader?
The watch leader is responsible for a watch and runs the boat independently. For the SSS, miles as watch leader or deputy count. Sailing purely as crew without watch responsibility is not credited, unlike for the SKS.
Do I need all 1,000 sea miles before the exam?
No. At least 500 sea miles must be done before the theory exam; the rest can be submitted later. All exam parts must be passed within 36 months.
What does the official form ask for?
Per trip: vessel name and type, flag, owner, dates, sailing area and route, sea miles and your role, plus the skipper's confirmation with name, address, licence and signature, and your declaration of truth.