using a registered commercial boat for pleasure trip

[Neville]

Im planning on taking a large coded rib out to a well known outcrop of rock 200 miles north west of the uk. This is a pleasure trip only , the boat will also be outwith its maximum distance from land allowed for its coding. Has anyone experience of this situation ?

Normally the vessel is used for rescue / patrol purposes but this one is just a jolly.

Neville

[Searider]

If it's your own boat and a purely pleasure trip then no problems.

If it's not your boat and you're hiring it in then it's not permitted as it will be outside of its coding certification.

[C2 RIBS]

Worth remembering that when boat is coded all coding equipment should be on the crafy even when used privately. That means the number of lifejackets and water etc.

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by Searider

If it's not your boat and you're hiring it in then it's not permitted as it will be outside of its coding certification.

Duncan, am I right in thinking that bareboat charter for non commercial purposes doesn't have a "limit"?

[250kts]

The commercal limits apply when operating a commercial service, i.e providing a service for passengers/freight for reward.

If you and friends are taking a coded boat on a pleasure trip (even if you all share the running costs) you are showing that you are taking the correct precautions and I would take all the safety kit and more, on a journey such as this.

[Searider]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Duncan, am I right in thinking that bareboat charter for non commercial purposes doesn't have a "limit"?

No,

If a boat is chartered bareboat its Coding limits still apply - ie Category 2 60 miles from safe haven etc.

The only difference will be the qualifications of the charterers will be up to the Owner (in line with his insurers requirements).

[Searider]

Originally Posted by 250kts

The commercal limits apply when operating a commercial service, i.e providing a service for passengers/freight for reward.

If you and friends are taking a coded boat on a pleasure trip (even if you all share the running costs) you are showing that you are taking the correct precautions and I would take all the safety kit and more, on a journey such as this.

Not quite,

If the Owner (or managing agent) charters to boat to anyone, for any purpose, its coding limits still apply.

To the OP - if the Owner takes you out 200 miles in his boat for a jolly, all at his expense, then that, I think, should be OK.

[250kts]

Ok no arguement with that, I mis-understood the original question. I read it as not being a boat being hired/paid for, i.e. no money changing hands.

If I or someone I trusted wanted to take our boat over to the Channel Islands for a pleasure trip and just pay for any expenses, then whilst it would go beyond the 20 miles from the nearest safe harbour (by about 5 miles) the Cat 3 limit, it would not be illegle to do so.

The insurance would usually be linked into the boats commercial limitations, but ours does cover the French coast/Channel Islands. So if we ran a commercial trip across the Channel, we would have to travel upstream first, to where the crossing distance is no more than 40 miles.

[Doug Stormforce]

Originally Posted by 250kts

If I or someone I trusted wanted to take our boat over to the Channel Islands for a pleasure trip and just pay for any expenses, then whilst it would go beyond the 20 miles from the nearest safe harbour (by about 5 miles) the Cat 3 limit, it would not be illegle to do so.

Are you sure about that?

Surely when a boat operates privately it dow not fall under the code or category limit

[Neville]

THe vessel is not chartered, its owned by myself (and coded for commercial charter work) However my gut feeling is that since its registered we would need an exemption cert to do it legally.

Probably a grey area I know but would be good to know if im doing anything wrong.

Suppose a call to the MCA would sort it out.


Neville