Total Rib Novice with some Qs!

[gemca]

Hi,

I am about to purchase my first rib and I have some questions:

- What licence(s) do I need to use the boat in UK waters? (solent etc)
- What licence(s) do I need to use the boat in Spanish waters? (I have access to a house with a mooring in Spain)
- What licence(s) do I need to use Rivers in UK?

The boat in question is a 2003 Valiant 5.7m with a 115 Mercury 4 Stroke. Hardly used.

- What is the value of this boat?
- Anything to check in particular?

Insurance - any recommended sites/companies?

SSR - should I register the boat with the SSR? If so whats the process?

Many thanks for any advice.

Great site BTW.

[Jelly]

Gemca
I will try to answer some of your questions, you don't need a license to own or operate a boat used for pleasure in the UK but its highly recommended to do some formal training in fact a coastal RYA PowerBoat L2 can be use to get you an ICC which is recognized internationally. For the Spanish question I hope one of the forum members will give you a better answer.
There are loads of threads on insurance so if run a search there will be more than a few answers for you.
Hope this helps
JAmes

[Jon.esp]

There are a few threads relating to Spain with this I think being the most recent http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=29198 hope this helps.

[Jon.esp]

You might also want to look at this http://costadelsol.angloinfo.com/inf...23/sailing.asp

[havener]

As others have said, you don't (sadly) need any form of qualification to use the boat at sea. However, you also ask about inland waterways, and here it is slightly different. On canals or any other navigation managed by British Waterways, you will need a sticker for the boat, and need to have passed a safety inspection if you're on the water for more than 30 days. Check the BW website for further details.

The Thames is managed by Port of London Authority (tidal) and Environment Agency (fluvial). Again, details of appropriate schemes on the websites.

You do need a licence for a VHF radio, both for the operator and the radio. For operator, do a one day course via the RYA (www.rya.org.uk) and for the radio, apply online to Ofcom, which is free.

For SSR registration, it is advantageous if using the boat abroad. Go to https://mcanet.mcga.gov.uk/ssr/ssr/ for further info.

Loads of insurers about, but check very carefully any foreign usage limits.

[gemca]

Brilliant thanks for your help.

[SeaSkills]

Originally Posted by gemca

- What licence(s) do I need to use the boat in Spanish waters? (I have access to a house with a mooring in Spain)

Whereabouts in Spain? My experience has been that a) the authorities are more interested in big boats than little ones, and b) they get more excited about paperwork in the south than the north. However, sod's law they'll do what they are quite entitled to do and ask you for your papers. If you take the advice from others here and do your powerboat level 2, it would be quite a good idea to get an International Certificate of Competence as well. Join the RYA and get it for free when you present your L2 certificate. The school where you do your L2 should be able to help you with the forms, and would probably do a quick CEVNI test for you as well just in case you want to use the Inland Waterways in Europe sometime

[gemca]

Costa Brava, about 60 miles up the coast from Barcelona.

Ive booked the L2 powerboat course for next week, I think that will include the ICC as well.

Going out on the rib today for its first trial.

[Kernow Buoy]

If you have the option Gemca do the PB2 on your Rib.

[SeaSkills]

Originally Posted by gemca

Costa Brava, about 60 miles up the coast from Barcelona.

Ive booked the L2 powerboat course for next week, I think that will include the ICC as well.

Going out on the rib today for its first trial.

Hope it all goes well for you. I'm working in Barcelona next week (Port Forum), and I'll get an update on how interested in paperwork they are around there these days. I'll post a note on this site