Boat registration in the EU - as EU citizen

[Skipper Thomas]

Originally Posted by Elcid

I would go Dutch if I could. Especially as the prices seem really appealing for EU residents - but my understanding is their “light” registration is no longer recognized in certain EU countries. Worse of all - Spain is one of them it appears. And I will be looking to stay in Spain for a while after purchasing the boat.
My understanding (though I could be mistaken) is that I can stay in Spain for max. 6 months. Longer than that and I will be considered a resident and have to pay 12% of the value of the boat I believe. So I will probably want to avoid that
Otherwise I’d like to stay for at least 1 year - as I have friends and family in Madrid & Valencia.

I don't recommend so called Light Registration in Holland. This is not flag registry and is not accepted by several EU nautical authorities. I did this mistake last year and got problem at Italian border. I think, that Polish flag is now very attractive solution - no yearly fee, valid all over the world, valid for life. I am just finishing the procedure which can be made on line if you have cerified electronic signature(I have it). You can let such the person to be your representative by processing registry procedure. In the same way you can then receive radio licence.

[Stewie12]

Make sure that your insurer will accept a Polish registered yacht.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Elcid

I would go Dutch if I could. Especially as the prices seem really appealing for EU residents - but my understanding is their “light” registration is no longer recognized in certain EU countries. Worse of all - Spain is one of them it appears. And I will be looking to stay in Spain for a while after purchasing the boat.
My understanding (though I could be mistaken) is that I can stay in Spain for max. 6 months. Longer than that and I will be considered a resident and have to pay 12% of the value of the boat I believe. So I will probably want to avoid that
Otherwise I’d like to stay for at least 1 year - as I have friends and family in Madrid & Valencia.

The so called Dutch Light registry / International Certificate of Pleasure craft does not convey nationality to the vessel and the vessel is not allowed to fly a flag. It is merely an informal "quasi-legal" proof of ownership useful for limited internal waterways.

The Dutch ICP does not provide the privileges to the vessel under UNCLOS and a vessel with such is immediately subject to the registration regulations upon which waters the vessel resides. The Dutch ICP does not convey rights of innocent passage to the unflagged vessel. The Dutch ICP is almost worthless and vessels that have such commonly misinterpret its very limited purpose and usefulness.

Reference the self explanatory language of the Dutch ICP document, image attached.

In international waters and the high seas, the Dutch light registration is rather similar to say having a vessel registered with one of the States of the United States of America, instead of having the vessel documented with the US Coast Guard and thus properly flagged. A State of the USA can not convey nationality to a vessel, only the US Federal government can convey USA flagging to a vessel. Although the US recognises UNCLOS as a part of international customary law, it has not yet ratified it.

[goboatingnow]

I’m afraid the Dutch light registry is increasingly being rejected around the Med

Polish registry seems to becoming the “ go to “ for people who for various reasons can’t use their own registry.

17 euros if you speak polish

[Hahser]

Thanks for your reply GBN.

This is confirmed by other forumites.

Do you have a link for. the registration site?

All my searches come up with agencies wanting 700 euro.

Cheers

[goboatingnow]

This is the polish registration portal.


https://interesant.reja24.gov.pl/login

I’m not sure if there is a tonnage survey requirement

[greenlantern]

Originally Posted by Elcid

I am a citizen of Romania working in DK, but not yet a resident. Hence the issue with obtaining the ICC. If I were a resident here RYA could issue an ICC for me.

So it sounds like Poland could be an option, at 500 eur for the lifetime of the boat. But finding an insurer could be an issue.

Does the broker which intermediates the sale handle this stuff. Or is it an extra service that they might offer?

you can try
polishyachtflag.com

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Elcid View Post
I am a citizen of Romania working in DK, but not yet a resident. Hence the issue with obtaining the ICC. If I were a resident here RYA could issue an ICC for me.

no they can not , ICCs can only be issued to residents of the issuing country

[greenlantern]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

This is the polish registration portal.


https://interesant.reja24.gov.pl/login

I’m not sure if there is a tonnage survey requirement

No, there is no tonnage survey required

[sailr69]

I lived in the UK for 3 years and just for laughs I took the RYA offshore class ( ocean yacht master ) got my certificate , I am a USA citizen. never needed or used the certificate. That was in 1990. is it still good? I don't know. I sail a Corbin 39 offshore and anywhere else. I sailed of course in the UK but not on my boat. I am 78, ready to sell the corbin and do something else for pleasure. The rules and regulations overwhelm me anymore. BTW, I am a retired USA navy petty officer.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by sailr69

I lived in the UK for 3 years and just for laughs I took the RYA offshore class ( ocean yacht master ) got my certificate , I am a USA citizen. never needed or used the certificate. That was in 1990. is it still good? I don't know. I sail a Corbin 39 offshore and anywhere else. I sailed of course in the UK but not on my boat. I am 78, ready to sell the corbin and do something else for pleasure. The rules and regulations overwhelm me anymore. BTW, I am a retired USA navy petty officer.

Yup, still good - no expiry date.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by sailr69

I lived in the UK for 3 years and just for laughs I took the RYA offshore class ( ocean yacht master ) got my certificate , I am a USA citizen. never needed or used the certificate. That was in 1990. is it still good? I don't know. I sail a Corbin 39 offshore and anywhere else. I sailed of course in the UK but not on my boat. I am 78, ready to sell the corbin and do something else for pleasure. The rules and regulations overwhelm me anymore. BTW, I am a retired USA navy petty officer.

Did you do the actual on water exams , or sit the classroom exam ?

[sailr69]

yes the whole class sailed the (spirit of bodicea ) 70 foot sloop to Holland , shooting sun sites and star reductions using the Marc st. heliair method of reductions. the Class was daily for 3 months. still have my sexton. not sure if I can do all of that anymore.. GPS fixed that. Have my star finder also. and the Norris book, and my own sun navigation work sheets. That course was also more of a history lesson . and a refresher in spherical trig. cosigns, and log rhythms. took me back to high school. tropical revolving storms were on the menu also. also plotting and navigating ( still do that )

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by sailr69

yes the whole class sailed the (spirit of bodicea ) 70 foot sloop to Holland , shooting sun sites and star reductions using the Marc st. heliair method of reductions. the Class was daily for 3 months. still have my sexton. not sure if I can do all of that anymore.. GPS fixed that. Have my star finder also. and the Norris book, and my own sun navigation work sheets. That course was also more of a history lesson . and a refresher in spherical trig. cosigns, and log rhythms. took me back to high school. tropical revolving storms were on the menu also. also plotting and navigating ( still do that )

Err , that’s the ocean “ course “ what you have is a course completion certificate. It’s not a RUA yacht master

The actual RYA ocean ticket is only awarded to holders of a RYA or MCA Yachtmaster offshore certificate , and consists of a written exam and and ( these days ) a log of a journey of 600nM , at least 50nm from land where all navigation was celestial. ( I accept many years ago, you could do it in a ship journey )

There is no “ class “ for either the Yachtmaster offshore ( which is the biggie ) or the ocean , in the case of a Offshore it’s 1-2 days on a boat , under the examination of a RYA examiner and for the Ocean , which is an add on to the offshore , the exam as I laid out above

Many rya schools devise such a class to while away the winter months and bring in some income and the RYA facilitates that by offering course completion certs. These are not the actual qualifications

You can’t get a RYA ocean certificate without first having a RYA Offshore one.

Of course if the class was full of certified RYA Yachtmasters then at one time the RYA accepted sights done on large ship journeys. These days they don’t accept that anymore , the upside I believe is that you only need sun-sights

( of all of you were already Offshote certified I apologise of course )

[africanmarco]

Hi Skipper Thomas,


I am also interested in the Polish registration (I am Italian). Could you complete your registration? Is it valid for life or 30 months as some web sites claim? Would you have a company to suggest for the paper work?

Many thanks,
marco