Portuguese-Brazilian-Czech ...MESS!

[messias]

Hi there,

As the title above, I´m in the middle of a (big) mess, and would like some of your wise advices, since I´m kind of a newbee in these matters. So here goes:

-I´m Portuguese and I have a portuguese licence (basic skipper)
-Then I went to live in Brazil for 3 years and since I couldn´t be there for so long with my portuguese licence, I applied for the local one, got it, and eventually did some studying and ended up with the coastal licence.
-Now I´m living in the Czech Republic and...surprise... none is accepted!

Although expecting it about the Brazilian licence, It was rather strange for me to find out that even though I have a EU licence, I cannot obtain the "equivalent" for the Czech Republic...where the ICC rules.
The problem seems to be that as Portugal did not subscribe the "ICC" and the Czech Republic doesn´t have coastal waters... things do not match!

As I intend to buy a small (trailerable) boat to sail both in the czech inland waterways and some trips to the Baltic or Med, the way I see it I´m left with two options (if more, PLEASE advise):
-Either buy a portuguese flaged boat (but I´m not sure if I can have it "moored" in the Czech Republic for a couple of years)
-Forget Portugal and get the ICC Czech "licences"

This is really giving me a headache, because I would like to climb up on the learning steps and was determined to get it done in Portugal again, but if I have to take the ICC, I really and honestly think that to maintain the highest ICC "licence", is an extremely and pointless (but required!) accumulating of nonsense mileage...and a steady cashflow!

Confusing? Yep.. for me too!

[S/V Alchemy]

How difficult is it to "challenge" the ICC test? My understanding is that if you think you already know what is going to be asked (and I know the Portuguese "marinha" training is pretty good), you can just pay the fee and do the test, pass it and you are good for the Czech Republic.

For instance, I do not have RYC certifications, but I'm pretty sure I could sit the RYA Day Skipper and Coastal tests without formal instruction and acknowledging that European buoyage is on a different, reversed (to me) system. The Yachtmaster grade would require some class time to cover the intricacies of tidal waters, but if my goal was just to get the ICC, I believe the lowest grades of RYA certification give you that. Enough for the French canals should be enough for Czech rivers and lakes.

Or you could pretend to be American and shout about liberty and government meddling and infringement of rights until they push you back on your boat, maybe...

[barnakiel]

Not sure why you want a license on a trailer'able boat.

Anyways get the one applicable for the country where your boat is registered.

I think Portuguese license will be fine in Baltic waters. Insurance is often way more important than your licenses anyways.

b.

[messias]

The point is not whether I can or cannot take the test. Is of its applicability (?) later on. I intend to have the boat here and to do that any basic licence will do, but in order to take it up north/south, that basic thing won´t be enough... and I will be stuck with a czech flagged boat... and obliged to do all the other ICC "courses", because that´s the only "certificate" they recognize for their boats.
And that really means a whole lot of money! Why? Because as the Czech Republic doesn´t have Sea, all their courses are held in countries that do have it... and, of course, only some private companies teach them! So you can easily imagine what the costs would be just to get some real "SEA" ICC licence...

And if I have a Portuguese flagged boat... it can´t stay in CZ for too long without having to re-flag it.

See the dilema?
Think I´ll try the American pretending, hahahaha...!

[barnakiel]

There is no dilemma. A boat can be re-flagged.

You are only required to flag in Czech Republic if you spend more than X months there. Same applies to any other mean of transportation. In any EU country.

Flag the boat elsewhere, sail her in Czech Rep in the summer then store her for the winter in a neighbouring country. Not?

b.

[atoll]

just sail naked! nobody is going to want to check you pockets

[messias]

Hi Barnakiel...

I think that´s probably the only option (and a costly one ), but yes... I´ll trail the boat to Germany or Poland for the winter.
Any other foreign guy with similar problems in central europe? We could exchange boats in winter!

Hey Atoll,
That is a fine idea! (but I think you have a boat too many...can you spare one?)

[de0xyrib0se]

Originally Posted by messias

Hi there,

As the title above, I´m in the middle of a (big) mess, and would like some of your wise advices, since I´m kind of a newbee in these matters. So here goes:

-I´m Portuguese and I have a portuguese licence (basic skipper)
-Then I went to live in Brazil for 3 years and since I couldn´t be there for so long with my portuguese licence, I applied for the local one, got it, and eventually did some studying and ended up with the coastal licence.
-Now I´m living in the Czech Republic and...surprise... none is accepted!

Although expecting it about the Brazilian licence, It was rather strange for me to find out that even though I have a EU licence, I cannot obtain the "equivalent" for the Czech Republic...where the ICC rules.
The problem seems to be that as Portugal did not subscribe the "ICC" and the Czech Republic doesn´t have coastal waters... things do not match!

As I intend to buy a small (trailerable) boat to sail both in the czech inland waterways and some trips to the Baltic or Med, the way I see it I´m left with two options (if more, PLEASE advise):
-Either buy a portuguese flaged boat (but I´m not sure if I can have it "moored" in the Czech Republic for a couple of years)
-Forget Portugal and get the ICC Czech "licences"

This is really giving me a headache, because I would like to climb up on the learning steps and was determined to get it done in Portugal again, but if I have to take the ICC, I really and honestly think that to maintain the highest ICC "licence", is an extremely and pointless (but required!) accumulating of nonsense mileage...and a steady cashflow!

Confusing? Yep.. for me too!

Your problem stems not from your license so much as from the fact you want to buy a boat. Doing so and putting it under a Czech flag you undoubtedly fall under their regulations and bureaucracy. The one thing that I fail to understand with most countries in Europe is their red tape when it comes to non-commercial boating, they seem to require licenses for even the smallest craft.

That being said, I would not waste time on the ICC license. Put the boat under a Portuguese flag and don't even bother to watch how many months you did or did not spend in Czech territory. There is no trace of how long you have been in the Czech Republic, at least none that would be accessible to some water patrol...

I know this might not be the "legal" way, but sometimes you have to just go around the rules.

[messias]

Thanks for the inputs over this one.
I guess I really do not have a "normal" solution...so I´ll go with the "not-so-normal" one

Thanks again,
Messias.