License for sailing my own boat

[Oeanda]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

The situation is essentially identical in the US. It is a joke….

Aye it’s an embarrassment. Glad our two countries can bond on this issue though. Cheers to that.

[RaymondR]

Be aware that in some countries you don't need a license to sail a boat, only to motor one.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Be aware that in some countries you don't need a license to sail a boat, only to motor one.

Which ones ? , I’ve never heard of that other Canada

I think mandatory competency certification is a great idea. The more the merrier.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Which ones ? , I’ve never heard of that other Canada

I think mandatory competency certification is a great idea. The more the merrier.

Germany. If you don't have a motor over 15hp you can sail up to 21m without a license if I recall it correctly.
Motoring requires a license if over 15hp.

Norway does not require boating licenses at all afaik.

Might have changed in the last few years.

Regarding mandatory licensing, it's overregulation and unnecessary when it comes to sailing.
On fast powerboats and jetskis or the like its a different story.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Germany. If you don't have a motor over 15hp you can sail up to 21m without a license if I recall it correctly.
Motoring requires a license if over 15hp.

Norway does not require boating licenses at all afaik.

Might have changed in the last few years.

Regarding mandatory licensing, it's overregulation and unnecessary when it comes to sailing.
On fast powerboats and jetskis or the like its a different story.

I think every nation should require offshore competency

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Germany. If you don't have a motor over 15hp you can sail up to 21m without a license if I recall it correctly.
Motoring requires a license if over 15hp.

Norway does not require boating licenses at all afaik.

Might have changed in the last few years.

Regarding mandatory licensing, it's overregulation and unnecessary when it comes to sailing.
On fast powerboats and jetskis or the like its a different story.

Exactly.

And this is how licensing was introduced in Australian states.

"It will only apply to planing hull vessels"

and then two or three years later it was applied to all vessels which had engines over a certain horsepower.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by bgallinger

I just have to ask....Why oh why do so many people think you need a "license" to operate a private boat??

Well its been a requirement in Canada since 1999 for a start. And at least it provides a bare minimum of knowledge required! Would be nice if it was graduated in some way with additional levels with testing to go along with it.

There are far too many numpties out on the water now!

[pcmm]

[QUOTE=fxykty;3657186]

Originally Posted by paralog

You do however have to be properly registered with a radio operator’s certificate and your vessel needs a ship’s station licence. These are the responsibility of the flag state. The ship station also provides an MMSI.
.

This is only partially correct. You only need a station license if you plan on operating your VHF radio outside of Canada. The MMSI is not tied in any way to having a station license!

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Regarding mandatory licensing, it's overregulation and unnecessary when it comes to sailing.
On fast powerboats and jetskis or the like its a different story.

Well, you might say that, but then the CF maritime lawyers will drop by to tell us that the skipper of a sailboat run over by a speedboat on autopilot could be up to 50% responsible for not avoiding the collision. So then we need some assurance that all sailboat skippers have seen the colregs at least once.

And realistically, a sailboat under engine is at that moment, just another powerboat, often bigger than many other powerboats, and a much deeper draft. Some proof of competency for the skippers of keelboats seems a reasonable demand.

[Jolly Roger]

I just got sick of reading this thread, with all those acronyms. Maybe the experts know what they stand for, but it would be really nice and polite to at least spell it out once, before inundating a post with all the gibberish.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

I just got sick of reading this thread, with all those acronyms. Maybe the experts know what they stand for, but it would be really nice and polite to at least spell it out once, before inundating a post with all the gibberish.

such as?

PCOC = Pleasure Craft Operators Card
MMSI = Maritime Mobile Service Identity
VHF = (I really hope you know this one...)
CF = Cruisers Forum
RYA = Royal Yachting Association
ASA = American Sailing Association
CYA = Canadian Sailing Association
ICC = International Certificate Of Competency

What else?

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by sail sfbay

In the U.S. not aware of a boat license requirement for your own boat...

I think all states recognize the requirement of your home country or state, up to some maximum stay (30, 60, 90 days or whatever.) You don't have to go around getting certificates for every state you visit! Some recognize any NASBLA-approved certificate.

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

...and for the record, Canada's Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) isn't a licence, it's a "proof of competency", which, roughly translated, means that the holder was required to study and then write a brief test on the most basic of boating and boating-safety topics at least ONCE in their lives.

This is not just semantics. It's very important that the requirement to pass an exam not be confused with a "license." Requiring some minimum exposure to boating laws is not really a bad idea, and is easy enough to satisfy.

A boater licensing program, complete with renewal fees, would be an opportunity for governments to develop a new annual revenue stream from "those rich boaters." Once started, that stream would never end, only increase.

I urge everyone to resist the use of the word "license" when talking about education requirements.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I think all states recognize the requirement of your home country or state, up to some maximum stay (30, 60, 90 days or whatever.) You don't have to go around getting certificates for every state you visit! Some recognize any NASBLA-approved certificate.







This is not just semantics. It's very important that the requirement to pass an exam not be confused with a "license." Requiring some minimum exposure to boating laws is not really a bad idea, and is easy enough to satisfy.



A boater licensing program, complete with renewal fees, would be an opportunity for governments to develop a new annual revenue stream from "those rich boaters." Once started, that stream would never end, only increase.



I urge everyone to resist the use of the word "license" when talking about education requirements.

Competency certificate is probably a better term as in the very common ICC. The purpose being to demonstrate somebody “attempted “ to educate you with the basic rules and somehow you managed to pass a simple written exam as well as demonstrate some basic on water handling competency.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Norway does not require boating licenses at all afaik.

Those born after a certain date that I don't remember needs a license in Norway.
Sweden and UK does not require any boating license and I would be surprised if Finland requires any license.

[Oeanda]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Competency certificate is probably a better term as in the very common ICC. The purpose being to demonstrate somebody “attempted “ to educate you with the basic rules and somehow you managed to pass a simple written exam as well as demonstrate some basic on water handling competency.

All else aside- The Canadian PCOC exam sets the bar so low that it would take serious effort to fail to achieve the required 75% to pass, even if you don’t have the skills to simply google and then forget the answers to each question as you go. But - no need for googling, or actual knowledge. It’s set up in the format of four-part multiple choice questions- with 3 of the 4 options being so abjectly stupid as to leave only one possible real answer. It is insulting, no proof of any worthwhile kind of competency, and leaves the subject with a lingering feeling of complete disgust at whatever idiots were paid by our tax dollars to dream up and write that drivel.
Basically you’re paying $50 to get your cynicism card.
End rant, lol.