France - is registration absolutely necessary?

Drascomber

Drascomber

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My boat has long been on the Small Ships Registry as I often go foriegn but hopefully I shall be taking some other Drascombes on a short crossing in the summer, weather (don't laugh) permitting. I would generally advise anyone sailing to France to register at least on SSR as it costs only £25 and is so easy to do - but if you are only going the once in a small craft is it really essential? Or is it just another cost to add to what may be a small budget bearing in mind that you also have to buy the letters and numbers to stick on.

Why do you need to register a chattel that you are taking to another EU country - especially as SSR does not prove ownership - or anything else for that matter?

In fact why do you need anything other than your passport to get back into the UK with, your radio licence and certificate if you have a radio and the card entitling you to reduced cost health treatment?

What does the panel think?
 
The French just ask that we meet UK law, which requires all vessels that leave the UK waters to be Registered. Its UK Law. which is why the ssr was invented.

Also French will fine you 140? euro for not being able to produce docs when asked, and will helpfully take you to the cash machine so you can pay.
 
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The French just ask that we meet UK law, which requires all vessels that leave the UK waters to be Registered. Its UK Law

[/ QUOTE ]

I have never heard this before! Is it correct?
 
Your chances of being asked are fairly low for a trailed boat. I have not been asked in two years, BUT, what if you are? Could spoil the holiday. £25 is good insurance and as for the no., a bit of paint and a steady hand. Or Fablon and a craft knife. Local guy did my name and no., twice, for about €15, as I waited.
BTW, any body been asked by French Customs coming off a ferry? Don't think so.
What might be of interest is insurance. It is not compulsory here,but at €45/pa for a 15ft boat it looks good value. Third part only.
Any more questions, ask. There were several boats from the OGA Trailer/sailer section here two years ago and I am in contact with a couple. I could quizz them or forward the Qs.
Andrew
 
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Also French will fine you 140? euro for not being able to produce docs when asked, and will helpfully take you to the cash machine so you can pay.

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Note must be original not photocopies and have witnessed and after spoken with one skipper in Carteret who was kindly given a lift by the French Customs to the hole in the wall to collect his fine.

In 11 yrs of sailing to France I have never been inspected but have seen others inspected on 2 occassions.

Mine is a charter boat and I keep originals I have never heard of any problems with copies on board any charter boats.

The risk is probably similar to speeding in the small % of prosecutions v the number that do it at some time.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The French just ask that we meet UK law, which requires all vessels that leave the UK waters to be Registered. Its UK Law

[/ QUOTE ]

I have never heard this before! Is it correct?

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I believe so. But your ire should be directed at the UK govt that seems to believe £25 is a reasonable fee for a bit of useless paper sealed into plastic.
 
I don't knock the SSR knowing what some continentals (i.e.the Spanish) have to go through to satisfy their bur-o-kratik controllers - er sorry - government. Us Brits don't know how lucky we are with our current system. Get an SSR for your Drascombe and be proud of it.
 
Suggest you contact the RYA - or better still join, as they give extensive advice on this subject. It has also been done to death on these fora.

The simple answer is that if you do not wish to comply with French registration requirements you must demonstrate that your boat is a UK registered boat that is put it on the SSR. This applies to boats entering French territorial waters, but I understand the situation for trailed boats using inland waterways may be more complex. Save yourself the hassle of getting conflicting information by asking the RYA - they exist to represent the interests of UK boaters.
 
Almost every time I have ever berthed in a French marina I have been asked to show 'Ship's papers'. They expect either Part 1 or Part 3 registration documents and many of them will have their computerised database set up to take information from either in order, without having to search for it.

If not going into marinas then I agree it's unlikely that you will be approached by coastguards. However, it does happen and has to me twice.

Set against the overall cost of the trip it's a small amount to pay for reassurance that everything is correct.
 
Isn't it a case that you can go for years never having to show your Driving Licence - then one day POP - someone needs to check it.
Applying some peoples opinions from the many threads on this topic - don't bother with Driving Licence - you don't get asked for it unless you do something wrong.

Sorry but I work on the :

Better to have and not need ...

than to Need and not have.
 
Vyy,
My experience over the past 2 summers in Normandy and Brittany is the exact opposite of yours. We have never been asked by a marina for boat papers. We do not offer them as a matter of routine. We were boarded by Douane at Camaret who did ask for boat papers.
 
If sailor211 and matelot think that there is a UK legislation that requires UK (or all?) yachts leaving UK waters for foreign parts perhaps they will give the reference to the statute
 
I wondered about that when I wrote it. It's now some years since I cruised the French north Atlantic coast and I wasn't certain that they did ask for papers. I know they did in La Rochelle and Rochefort but you are probably correct they often don't further north.

On the Mediterranean coast they almost always do, and the same applies to Spain and Italy.

The most thorough grilling we ever had was in Nieuwpoort, Belgium. An official came on board for best part of an hour, checked everything including VHF licence and operator's licence. Have been boarded by customs in Calais and inland Holland, they were only interested in registration and passports.
 
I don't have the reference but it was certainly the reason that the SSR scheme was introduced. The French were concerned that their own countrymen were avoiding their own local regs by flying non-French flags and that loophole was closed by insisting that UK boats obeyed the existing UK rules which say if you go foreign you need to be registered. Part 1 (old Blue Book) registration was expensive and required a full trace of ownership, bills of sale etc from first owner upwards and on older boats previous owners were often dead making it even harder. You also needed a surveyor to do the official measurement bits. SSR (or Part3) registration was introduced as a simple way of providing Registration to those who didn't want or couldn't do Part 1 or Blue Book as was.

French marinas don't normally ask for papers but do occasionally ask for the registered number and port of registry on their forms. French Customs and occasionally French Police (doing Customs job) DO ask for papers and you can be boarded in a marina, at anchor or out at sea, we have had all examples of that, no hassle because we have them.

We were also towed last year (long story) by a French Lifeboat and they too asked for our registration papers, insurance certificate and even our MMSI number 'if we had one'. This was because we were charged for the tow (ouch!) and if they couldn't trace the owners they might have decided to impound the boat until the fee had been paid instead of allowing us to continue our cruise and pay on our return to the UK.

So why would anyone want to try and buck the system and risk fines or worse?
 
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The French just ask that we meet UK law, which requires all vessels that leave the UK waters to be Registered. Its UK Law

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I have never heard this before! Is it correct?
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This is advice; it is not the law. UK cannot prescribe behaviour outside its territory
 
Dont try to reason with it or second guess it, the answer is YES you need boat/ship registration papers when you go to France.

The next bit is NOT hearsay:

It WILL cost you 200 euros if the nice french man with a uniform on finds you dont have them.
 
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