Cruising to France - do I need a yacht qualification of any kind?

W

West Coast

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 Aug 2009
Messages
1,201
Location
Clyde
Visit site
In previous posts I was asking advice re cruising to France in 2020. It was suggested to me (not on this forum) that I would need a RYA or similar sailing qualification and cert to cruise my own boat in France. Checking the RYA website, my understanding is this is not the case, but my friend is insistent I do need one.

Can anyone enlighten me on this? Do I need one or not?

Cheers
 
I have no sailing qualifications whatsoever, just experience. I have been sailing yachts to France since 1995, and my boat has been berthed permanently in La Rochelle since 2015. You definitely do not need any qualifications. Keep in mind that Brexit might change this.

However what you do need are documents to prove Ownership, Insurance and VAT paid status. Originals not photocopies (if they are available e.g. insurance is almost entirely online now). Having said that it's only the Douaniers and/or the Gendarmes who bother about such things. Marinas just want to see your credit card!

Keith
 
Depends on whether it's defined as a Sailboat or a boat with an engine exceeding 6hp (as of 2008) it appears. If it's a Sailboat nope nada (unless inland waters?), if it's a boat with an engine over 6hp then you're going to need a permit of one kind or another.

Disclaimer: No boat, little sailing experience, never been to france (water wise)

https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/france/lifestyle/sports-leisure/sailing-boat-permits
https://uk.france.fr/en/holiday-prep/boating-france
https://www.french-waterways.com/practicalities/regulations-fees/
https://anglophone-direct.com/boating-sailing-france/ << is the only source that I've found that includes "Unless it's British registered".... which is somewhat worrying.
 
Last edited:
Luminescent said:
Depends on whether it's defined as a Sailboat or a boat with an engine exceeding 6hp (as of 2008) it appears. If it's a Sailboat nope nada (unless inland waters?), if it's a boat with an engine over 6hp then you're going to need a permit of one kind or another.

Disclaimer: No boat, little sailing experience, never been to france (water wise)

https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/france/lifestyle/sports-leisure/sailing-boat-permits
https://uk.france.fr/en/holiday-prep/boating-france
https://www.french-waterways.com/practicalities/regulations-fees/
https://anglophone-direct.com/boating-sailing-france/ << is the only source that I've found that includes "Unless it's British registered".... which is somewhat worrying.
Click to expand...

Boat is a Jeanneau 439 sailing boat, with 54hp engine.
 
When we had a yacht we took the original insurance policy, proof of vat paid, vhf cert, Yachtmaster cert, RYA diesel course cert :cool: and the SSR.

Plus of course passports.

We were boarded 3 times in probably 10 years (2 x Douane, 1 x Gendarmes) and were ONLY ever asked for the SSR and passports.

It did seem to take them an inordinate amount of time to copy these details though :sleeping:

Be warned, I saw a post on here recently where someone had been heavily fined for having a SSR copy!
 
WalshamUK said:
I have no sailing qualifications whatsoever, just experience. I have been sailing yachts to France since 1995, and my boat has been berthed permanently in La Rochelle since 2015. You definitely do not need any qualifications. Keep in mind that Brexit might change this.

However what you do need are documents to prove Ownership, Insurance and VAT paid status. Originals not photocopies (if they are available e.g. insurance is almost entirely online now). Having said that it's only the Douaniers and/or the Gendarmes who bother about such things. Marinas just want to see your credit card!

Keith
Click to expand...

Plus SSR!
 
West Coast said:
It was suggested to me (not on this forum) that I would need a RYA or similar sailing qualification and cert to cruise my own boat in France.
Cheers
Click to expand...

I've just realised that this whole thread hinges on the word "in" (see above).

You definitely do not need any qualifications to sail a UK registered boat to/from/around France as long as you stay on the coast in tidal waters. You do need qualifications to sail the same boat through France, e.g. on navigable rivers and canals. So the answer depends on what you actually mean by "in".

Even this distinction is a bit blurred. La Roche Bernard is on the River Vilaine, so technically it is 'in' France. But the marina there is about 1/4 UK boats, and I bet that a lot of the owners have no qualifications. My boat was moored there for a couple of years, and qualifications were never asked for, or even mentioned. A French friend argued that if the dam/lock were not in place at the mouth of the River Vilaine then La Roche Bernard would be tidal, so technically you are not 'in' France, you are on the coast. Very French that distinction. The reality is that they want the marina fees from boat owners.

Hope this helps.

Keith J.
 
We had to produce documents (can't remember whether to police or customs) at Roche Bernard one time and it was just the same as other places, they wanted passport and SSR, nothing else. Never been asked to produce a qualification certificate in France, Spain, Portugal or Morocco. A friend we were sailing in company with was however given a bollocking by marine police off La Turballe for not flying his ensign. Strange priorities.
 
WalshamUK said:
I've just realised that this whole thread hinges on the word "in" (see above).

You definitely do not need any qualifications to sail a UK registered boat to/from/around France as long as you stay on the coast in tidal waters. You do need qualifications to sail the same boat through France, e.g. on navigable rivers and canals. So the answer depends on what you actually mean by "in".

Even this distinction is a bit blurred. La Roche Bernard is on the River Vilaine, so technically it is 'in' France. But the marina there is about 1/4 UK boats, and I bet that a lot of the owners have no qualifications. My boat was moored there for a couple of years, and qualifications were never asked for, or even mentioned. A French friend argued that if the dam/lock were not in place at the mouth of the River Vilaine then La Roche Bernard would be tidal, so technically you are not 'in' France, you are on the coast. Very French that distinction. The reality is that they want the marina fees from boat owners.

Hope this helps.

Keith J.
Click to expand...
Even then, the qualification (ICC+CEVNI endorsement) is only required on VNF controlled waterways. The Rance and Vilaine are not controlled by the VNF.
 
Friend has just bought a Mobo for river use and tells me the upper limit for no license has gone from 6 to 9hp, as she is taking the license (20hp)

As above, if sails are the primary power, then no license in tidal waters. On our local river, the Charente, nobody I know has been asked for any paperwork. It is not a 'commercial' river or connected to any other canal or river.
Cors, if one bumped someone, a lack of papers might be a problem with the Ins lot.
 
Good to know! When I called up no one would insure me since I have little experience. I was told I would need a certificate of competency, which is gained through doing the RYA CC/Day Skipper...
 
ross84 said:
Good to know! When I called up no one would insure me since I have little experience. I was told I would need a certificate of competency, which is gained through doing the RYA CC/Day Skipper...
Click to expand...

Yachting 24 don't ask for anything. I've not claimed though..
 
in 2004, On a cruise to France, my wife & I had a total of 14 customs officers aboard at various times. One stroppy customs officer actually made the MOBO owner, berthed next to us, take his canister life raft out on to the pontoon & unfold part of it. He asked us for all our papers INCLUDING my ICC. I think that he was just having a bad hair day after the incident with the MOBO & wanted to find something wrong. My wife was very pleasant to him & handed the docs to him offered him coffee etc. & he calmed down.

I have also been asked if I had any qualifications in Ostend, but that was in a situation after I had been threatened with fines & they just wanted to look at everything.

Generally customs officers, across the channel, look at, insurance, VAT doc, SSR & passport . If they come on board they always seem to check the engine number & do a quick look round. They do want to see an ensign.
If it is immigration, or police, it is just passport, (which they usually photo on an Ipad, check with base) & then go.
In Belgium they will check that you have submitted the Schengan form as well
 
In Zeebrugge, the very fascistic port police made me paint a port of registry on my transom, at gunpoint.
Some Belgian and Dutch guys, crew off a big tug, came and poked fun at the red-faced, angry officials, surrounding them, mocking them, laughing and offering them puffs on huge spliffs :) if looks could kill..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top