Is there a minimum age to be solely in control of a sports/power boat?

B

Beyondhelp

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 May 2011
Messages
719
Location
Surrey
www.aboardmyboat.com
Just had a question I didn't know the answer to. Had a conversation via a facebook boat club group about attending small power boat rallys. Turns out the other chap is only 16, and I said I didn't know what the legal responsibility for someone under the age of 18 would to be in command of their own sports boat.

It may be as simple as whatever their insurance cover states, but say they are involved in an accident fault or not, I had no idea what the legal position on this would be. If anyone knows better than me I'd be interested to know.
 
Ok so no further forward really. U16 the RYA states they put an endorsement that must be with an adult, but they don't say that for 16-18.

I understand that some harbours/marinas require insurance? Or is that not the case? I've never really looked as I have it anyway.
 
It depends on the state. Some require a license or a boating safety certificate. Some age can only drive boats with specific horsepower.
 
I recall the harbourmaster at Torquay saying that there is a bye-law that the helmsman must be over 18. Then again there is another one that states you cant fill up with jerry cans on the pontoons.

Insurancewise we have a clause that states the skipper must be accompanied by at least one competent crew. Competence being defined as more than one years boating or an RYA qualification.
 
Whitelighter said:
I don't believe there is a minimum age or a requirement to have any insurance.
Click to expand...

+1 although local rules / requirements may apply e.g marina requiring insurance, etc.

Would the organiser of the rally, however, have an obligation to ensure participants have 3rd party insurance? Could they be sued if they allow a 16yo uninsured to join?
 
Anybody of any age with the wherewithall to buy a boat,can launch and use anywhere around coast of UK.
No need for insurance or a requirement to demonstrate competence or capability to operate it safely and responsibly.
The only barrier is financial and that the boat is for leisure purposes and under a certain length ?
In theory you could purchase a 55ft sports boat for your 10 year old daughter and let her loose :) on the high seas.
You might have trouble finding a marina prepared to let you in without insurance especially with all the other adjacent boat owners hiding behind their curtains watching your daughter perched on a pile of cushions trying to peer over the windscreen of your boat mooring up in a stiff breeze,
Still ,from observation,she might be better at it than most of them.:)
 
Last edited:
MartynG said:
The RYA say under age 16 should under supervision.
Click to expand...

..............and THAT (according to the chap who we did PB Level 2 with) is open to a wide interpretation.

At the time, Man Cub was 13: the instructor's interpretation (though he most certainly was not advocating it) of 'under supervision' was that the responsible adult could be stood on the hard/pontoon/whatever, supervising from the shore. Unless RYA have re-worded that line, there's nowt to say that the supervision has to be from the cockpit/onboard.
 
If there is indeed no law and there was a dispute then what is deemed reasonable such as the RYA precedent may well be held up. i.e. as a responsible adult if you let a u16 y/o child loose on the boat and an accident, particularly if harm occured, you'd be held accountable. There is no free for all despite there being an absense of legislation. If a parent was to say to there 14 y/o, sure take the power boat out to sea and that child got into serious difficulty far from shore you think there wouldn't be comeback? That would be unreasonable. However say to a 14 y/o sure take the sailing dingy out and dont leave the estuary / river / bay and the child got into difficulty this may be seen in a completely different light.
 
Beyondhelp said:
Just had a question I didn't know the answer to. Had a conversation via a facebook boat club group about attending small power boat rallys. Turns out the other chap is only 16, and I said I didn't know what the legal responsibility for someone under the age of 18 would to be in command of their own sports boat.

It may be as simple as whatever their insurance cover states, but say they are involved in an accident fault or not, I had no idea what the legal position on this would be. If anyone knows better than me I'd be interested to know.
Click to expand...

Not directly relevant but in Portugal for example all boats must carry 3rd party insurance and be in charge of someone with an appropriate ticket - these do depend on age amongst other factors.
 
What the RYA think is only advisory. They have no power to make law.

The simple fact is that in the UK our law does not have any age limit. Young or old
 
I am not a lawyer but it seems to me the RYA would be considered the leading experts . If they say under 16 should be supervised helming a power boat even after training it is pretty sure that would be a good measure of what is reasonable.

It would seem to me to mean reasonable for the supervisor is on board and keeping a watch .

Deliberate mis interpretation of a law or a sensible rule doesn't make it sensible or safe. For example I went to a Greek island and noted some motorcyclists wear crash helmets on their elbow rather than on their head . The law says they should wear a crash helmet but doesn't say on which part of the body it has to be worn !
 
We bought our then 13 yr old and then 16 year old a rinker 23 cuddy a few years back. It was theirs to use as they like ( but mine when to pay for fuel) they were given the responsibility of looking after the boat and could take out the boat as they pleased. We had for two years, they know all the speed limits and by laws of the Poole harbour and we never had one comment back and they were never questioned. They were insured on the boat as well. I do think if you give (some) kids responsibility they will rise to the challenge. I would have to say I could not park the dam thing in any puff of wind and top of tide,! Yet they would back into birth every time first time and a lot of which was single handed!
This is one of the great things about boating which allows this to happen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top