Here are some examples of the sort of certificates I have used to educate and amuse the children, and thanks to Ruth Bonita for the idea. Obviously you can adapt them to your own boat and type of sailing. And of course you will have to make completed and signed certificates to pin to their bedroom walls at home.
Cabin boy — or girl — certificate
- Wipe snot off face, nose, shirt etc
- Do poo, wipe bottom and secure trousers at sea
- Flush heads
- Put sea boots on correct feet
- Point to port and starboard
- Clip harness to jack stay
- Turn engine on, and off
- Turn on mast instruments
- Turn on anchor winch
- Turn gas supply off and on
- Turn the batteries off and on
- Get a drink of water
Second ship's boy — or girl — certificate
- Put on and take off waterproofs
- Tie a reef knot
- Put on and take off life jacket/buoyancy aid
- Wipe the table after mealtime
- Point to the bows
- Point to the stern
- Turn on the radio
- Turn on the heater
- Clean the cabin floor
- Stow sleeping bag, pyjamas and pillow
- Read off wind speed and direction
- Read off boat speed through the water and over the ground
- Switch VHF channels as ordered by the skipper
- Steer a compass course for quarter of a mile reaching
First ship's girl — or boy — certificate
- Tie a rabbit knot ie a bowline
- Tie a clove hitch
- Row the dinghy around the yacht alone
- Secure the dinghy to a cleat
- Prepare the outboard motor for starting
- Stop the outboard motor
- Turn on chart plotter
- Pour the captain's whisky
- Read aloud the sailing directions to an anchorage
- Be hauled to the cross trees in the bosun's chair
- Sail the boat on a reach, and close-hauled
- Go about when close hauled
- Name the points of sailing
- Wash, dry and clear up after breakfast
- Pump the bilges
- Swim around the boat without a buoyancy aid
- Row inflatable from the mooring to the slipway
- Put out a (pretend!) mayday call
- Sail the boat on a compass course for a mile reaching
- Read off the boat's course from the compass
- Be hauled to the masthead in the bosun's chair
- Unfurl the jib
- Read off latitude and longitude from the GPS
- Point to north, east etc
- Recognise rocks on the chart, and chart plotter
- Coil the main halyard
- Read the atmospheric pressure
- Read off the details of a ship from the AIS
- Take down the coastal waters forecast
- Point to man overboard
- Point out port and starboard buoys
- Coil a mooring warp and throw it to person on the pontoon
- Secure fenders
- Swab the decks
- Tie one round turn and two half hitches
- Find and turn off and on all the sea cocks
Leading seaman certificate
- Plot position on the chart from the GPS
- Fix position on the chart from bearings
- Sail the inflatable around a course specified by the captain
- Change the gas cylinder
- Fill up the water tanks
- Secure warps
- Pick up mooring with boat hook
- Sail the ship around a course specified by the captain
- Plot course on the chart
- Tie a reef knot behind your back
- Sail the boat close hauled and tack ten times
- Look up time of high tide
- Tidy and tie up the mainsail
- Check the engine oil
- Weigh anchor and motor off
- Call the coastguard on the VHF
- Make morning tea for the skipper and his lady
- Pump up the inflatable, and deflate it
- Furl the jib