Buying Boat / Potential Liveaboard in Spain?

[ross84]

Hi all,

All my plans to buy a yacht fell through due to Covid/Brexit, I've since been living in Spain.

In another year, I should hopefully get permanent residency, so thinking more about buying a boat here potentially as a live aboard.

Spain is quite a regulated country, and it seems you might need a license to even sail a yacht here? Like in the UK, it seemed to be a relatively easy process of buying a yacht, getting insurance, and then that was it (unless I'm mistaken!).

I've got my RYA Day Skipper, so understand I can get my ICC, but just having some experience of doing paperwork here, the idea of having to get some additional license seems very stressful.

Do any members of the community have experience of this? Are the laws different if you sail a UK flagged boat down here?

Thanks!

 

[wallacebob]

UK resident can sail UK yacht without a problem. Uk Resident needs RYA DS /ICC or Spanish certificate to sail Spanish reg yacht. I got certificate from local Port Capitan rubber stamped that this satisfied Spanish regs. Saves Guardia confusions. Spanish resident needs appropriate Spanish qualification. Yachts are registered, insured and checked every 3 (?) years. Local varying enforcement and interpretation!

 

[ross84]

Right, so I think I'm technically a Spanish resident.

So just to confirm, my ICC won't be enough to own/sail a Spanish flagged vessel?

This seems quite a problem! Does anyone have any info on the Spanish qualification you need? (I speak Spanish but I'd probably struggle doing a technical sailing exam in the language!).

 

[Wansworth]

Right, so I think I'm technically a Spanish resident.

So just to confirm, my ICC won't be enough to own/sail a Spanish flagged vessel?

This seems quite a problem! Does anyone have any info on the Spanish qualification you need? (I speak Spanish but I'd probably struggle doing a technical sailing exam in the language!).

I have the Patron de Yacht…….nottoodifficult to get find a sailing school or night school over the winter.I gained mine a good few years back so I think there are some actual practical stuff …….on a boat

 

[ross84]

Thanks Wansworth — did you do it in English??

Everything seems so complicated now! So if I bought a non-Spanish flagged yacht, I still need to do this qualification because I'm technically a resident (and would be using my residency to take advantage of being able to stay here indefinitely)? It would basically be like doing my Day Skipper again but in Spanish (around 1000 euros).

Is there any way around this? What a drag.

 

[ross84]

RYA certificates now valid for Spanish registered vessels

"Following persistent and coordinated consultations by the RYA through the UK Government with Spain’s General Directorate for Merchant Marine (DGMM), they have received confirmation that its International Certificates of Competence (ICC) and several of its course completion certificates and other Certificates of Competence remain valid for skippering Spanish flagged boats."

... OK, does this make a difference to my situation?

 

[Wansworth]

Thanks Wansworth — did you do it in English??

Everything seems so complicated now! So if I bought a non-Spanish flagged yacht, I still need to do this qualification because I'm technically a resident (and would be using my residency to take advantage of being able to stay here indefinitely)? It would basically be like doing my Day Skipper again but in Spanish (around 1000 euros).

Is there any way around this? What a drag.

No in Spanish

 

[wallacebob]

My “Autorizacion Titulacion Extranjera” was free from main port Capitan Maritimo. Get it now before you are a resident and still a foreigner. Certifies ICC issued by RYA is accepted in Spain for boats upto 10metres in coastal waters. A Guardia will accept this as it has a rubber stamp!