ICC in Greece - Laws vs Reality

[Jacques2]

Hoppy,
I wish i were still in Samos.... I'll be there next april back now... Well, as many of us told you : "No skipper qualifications were asked for"....
Enjoy your stay... I suppose it is quite windy at this season...

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Jacques2

Hoppy,
Enjoy your stay... I suppose it is quite windy at this season...

rain, rain and more rain on the first two days. Today was mild, sunny and fairly calm allowing me to get some outside jobs done, like changing the name

[marius]

Originally Posted by hoppy

The Noonsite states that in Greece "The skipper must have an International Certificate of Competence"

Noonsite: Greece

But certainly there are many skippers cruising in Greece without the ICC.

I know there are plenty of Swedes chartering in Greece and there are quite a number of Swedish yachts there, and in all likelihood none of these Swedes have an ICC as Sweden does not issue them.

So what is the reality when you are there?

Do the Greeks just accept any official looking skipper document so they can stamp a few documents and get back to their afternoon nap?

We have only been asked to produce our icc certificate only once in greece when we went to pay our fees in Sami. Never having been asked to produce this before i left the certificate on the boat. I showed him the vhf licence instead and he took a photo copy of this instead.

[beneteau-500]

i have just received my RYA magazine and there is a interesting story on page 27 of those who are members who receive the mag but basically the RYA is working with the European boating association on pressing for an amendment to resolution 40 to be able to issue a icc certificate to non European countries

[OmerBarlas]

Originally Posted by yeloya

And yet I'm not sure if one can get away with every kind of documents, if you fall on one stupid officier somewhere in Greece or Datça !!!

Even if 3 sides of the country is circumfered with seas, the officers at the ports are mostly come from the land tradition, they are not very related to the sea. This causes most of the problems, on land you need a valid driver's license, so they think you should have one for boat also. If they are seeing your kind of license for the first time, and if the officer wants to be a pain in the ass, they assume that you are delivering fake or non-sea related documents to them.

Just in case you can ask for assistance from ADF (Amateur Maritime Federation, Amatör Denizcilik Federasyonu) for these kind of situations which are caused by confused officers. I think they'd gladly help about it.

[Sabbatical II]

In Australia it's not required to have a licence for a sailboat, but only for a powerboat that can exceed 10 knots. I obtained my boat licence many years ago by pushing my toy boat around the licencing officers desk to demonstrate my competence. I'm wondering what would happen in Greece if I pulled out my Australian boat licence. Would that suffice? Do they just want almost any bit of paper so they can tick their box?

Greg

[hoppy]

If the NSW licence is like the Victorian which is a plastic photo id card similar to a drivers licence, then I'm sure it would impress any official unless they are hell bent on seeing ICC on the licence

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by hoppy

If the NSW licence is like the Victorian which is a plastic photo id card similar to a drivers licence, then I'm sure it would impress any official unless they are hell bent on seeing ICC on the licence

If its an official looking document with your picture on it to verify identity your good to go... anything less is useless..

[goboatingnow]

Needs A photo the wuzzy fuzzies don't understand anything else

[swagman]

Quote:
Originally Posted by hoppy
If the NSW licence is like the Victorian which is a plastic photo id card similar to a drivers licence, then I'm sure it would impress any official unless they are hell bent on seeing ICC on the licence

If its an official looking document with your picture on it to verify identity your good to go... anything less is useless..
__________________

I agree. I believe the Turkish form said 'qualifications' not specifically ICC.

and

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Needs A photo the wuzzy fuzzies don't understand anything else

Dave, always good to see respect for others. Clearly a diplomat in the making:-)

JOHN

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow
Needs A photo the wuzzy fuzzies don't understand anything else


Dave, always good to see respect for others. Clearly a diplomat in the making:-)

Funny my wife says that too

dave

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by OmerBarlas

Even if 3 sides of the country is circumfered with seas, the officers at the ports are mostly come from the land tradition, they are not very related to the sea. This causes most of the problems, on land you need a valid driver's license, so they think you should have one for boat also. If they are seeing your kind of license for the first time, and if the officer wants to be a pain in the ass, they assume that you are delivering fake or non-sea related documents to them.

Just in case you can ask for assistance from ADF (Amateur Maritime Federation, Amatör Denizcilik Federasyonu) for these kind of situations which are caused by confused officers. I think they'd gladly help about it.

I have been to Turkey dozens of time, and spent some time cruising Turkish waters, too. I have not yet met one single Turkish official who was anything but perfectly friendly and perfectly efficient. I have never once encountered in Turkey, either on land or sea, the kind of officiousness which is epidemic in Southern Europe (officer being a "pain in the ass"; the petty tyranny of minor officials).

The traffic police in Turkey are kind of scary -- the random stops and the requirement of keeping your interior lights on at night (that was in the '90's, maybe not anymore). But I have been randomly stopped a few times driving rental cars, and again, experienced nothing but efficiency and friendliness.

[Pagan]

Originally Posted by swagman

Correction on that - the point is you do not need to have one one under maritime law in either Greece or Turkey.

But again back in the real world and despite you not requiring one, go often enough and you will one day meet up with some officious little chappie who insists he wants to see your proof of competence.

It happened to us perhaps the third time we wanted to clear out of Turkey - and the fact we'd cleared in / out at other ports meant nothing to this guy. We had to sail on and exit elsewhere (with no issues and still no ICC).

For that kind of situation alone it is worth getting something in print and ideally under plastic saying you are qualified.

If you can't be bothered or have no facility to get an ICC or similar then I suggest you test yourself, issue yourself with a nicely offical looking document in Swedish. Provided you are not forging a real document, you cannot be in the wrong.

Cheers
JOHN

I have the perfect solution:-

Just send me £19.99 and I will send you a very professional looking Certificate of Competence by return from the North East School of Sailing and Navigation, which has been serving the sailing community faithfully since - what time is it now?

[tao2]

Completely free and maybe fun to do:

123Certificates.com!

go to:
photo award certificates to print for free.

click "graduation 1"

fill in the open spaces:
Title: Certifacate of Sailing Competence
Students name: That's your name, Jo...
Sub-title: has earned this certifcate for
Student's Achievement: the Sailing Test Boats up to 20m.
Final Praise: International Sailing Institute Anquilla.
Your name: W.D. Fortyer
Date: 14 dec 1994
Class: Fall 94
Pick a border: Graduation1

Press: "make it!"

Than you can experiment with other forms and maybe change the name and/or place of the (your) school.
Print the document in a small (handy) format and plastificise it.

You will be surprised how it works in the unlikely event you need it.

P.S. Datca had very nice officials long time ago, but since several years I avoid this place for clearing in/out.

Happy clearing

[Filmitchell]

Is it true that if the boat is registered in the country your cruising in and flying their flag? The only requirement is the CEVNI?