Dockhead
Active member
A cruising guide to Norway (this one: Norwegian Cruising Guide) says that the Norwegians require the ICC, even if the flag state does not. Anyone know if this has been a problem for British-flagged boats?
Norway -- ICC Required?
- Thread starter Dockhead
- Start date
Sumara of Weymouth
Member
I've sailed there six or seven times and have never been asked for one. Normally they just say "Welcome to Norway".
TrondS
Member
Copied from the webpage of Norwegian Maritime Authority (sdir.no)
"Boating licenses or other qualification documents issued in another EEA country are valid in accordance with the contents of the document. An International Certificate of Competence (ICC) issued in accordance with Resolution 40 must include coastal navigation in order to be valid in Norway. Other foreign boating licenses will be valid if they substantially satisfy the requirements of the Norwegian boating license, and are issued in English or a Scandinavian language.
Holders of recognised foreign boating licenses or qualification documents may upon application on the prescribed form be issued a Norwegian boating license, if the master's rights of their original boating license are at least equal to those of the Norwegian boating license. The foreign license must have been issued while the holder was a resident of the country in question, and he or she must have been resident there for more than one year.
If you are uncertain whether your foreign boating license is valid in Norway, please contact the Norwegian Maritime Authority"
"Boating licenses or other qualification documents issued in another EEA country are valid in accordance with the contents of the document. An International Certificate of Competence (ICC) issued in accordance with Resolution 40 must include coastal navigation in order to be valid in Norway. Other foreign boating licenses will be valid if they substantially satisfy the requirements of the Norwegian boating license, and are issued in English or a Scandinavian language.
Holders of recognised foreign boating licenses or qualification documents may upon application on the prescribed form be issued a Norwegian boating license, if the master's rights of their original boating license are at least equal to those of the Norwegian boating license. The foreign license must have been issued while the holder was a resident of the country in question, and he or she must have been resident there for more than one year.
If you are uncertain whether your foreign boating license is valid in Norway, please contact the Norwegian Maritime Authority"
jlavery
Well-known member
TrondS
Member
Useful info for boating in Norway:
We have a special / local colreg rule #44:
Pleasure crafts, including sailing vessels, shall "as far as possible stay away from commercial vessels in congested waters, harbor areas and in narrow waterways".
In practical life this means you must give way to all commercial vessels. Especially car ferries are known to take advantage of this rule.
The term "narrow waterways" (my translation) is in practical life interpreted to include all fjords, regardless of size.
We have a special / local colreg rule #44:
Pleasure crafts, including sailing vessels, shall "as far as possible stay away from commercial vessels in congested waters, harbor areas and in narrow waterways".
In practical life this means you must give way to all commercial vessels. Especially car ferries are known to take advantage of this rule.
The term "narrow waterways" (my translation) is in practical life interpreted to include all fjords, regardless of size.
TrondS
Member
The RYA Day Skipper is more worth than the equivalent Norwegian boating license, so the RYA license should be accepted in Norway.
MontyMariner
Active member
The system is a bit silly as the UK don't require us to hold a 'Boating Licenses' and an ICC issue in UK doesn't 'include coastal navigation'.
HenrikH
Active member
If your yacht is shorter than 50 feet and you are born before 1980 you do not need a boating licence in Norway
jlavery
Well-known member
Does this apply to foreigners too?
TrondS
Member
The Norwegian Maritime Authority does not mention anything about this for foreigners, so you should not count on it.
Dockhead
Active member
Unfortunately boat is 54' on deck. Waterline, however, is less than 50'. Most regulations are based on load line length, which is more or less waterline length. Hmm.
Dockhead
Active member
RYA also says this:
"On boats which are not registered in Norway, the skipper must comply with the rules of the flag state. If the flag state does not require evidence of competence for operating a recreational boat then this is acceptable in Norwegian waters."
Norway | boating abroad | RYA
So maybe the confusion is foreign-flagged boats operated by foreigners, vs. local boats or local operators.
TrondS
Member
The rules specify 15,00 meter, not 50 feet. Norwegian license regulations is based on "LOH - Length of hull", not the load line length.
Zing
Well-known member
You might want to just get it done. It’s a very easy and low standard to achieve. Emboldened by Covid the bloody bureaucrats and government rule making is growing relentlessly across the world and sooner or later some marine plod will decide to make your life a misery for the sadistic fun of it. So I got mine recently and it wasn’t as painful as I expected it to be. Took 2 hrs in my own boat and the instructor was quite nice and unofficious. He more or less wrote me up as soon as we left the dock.
Dockhead
Active member
Yes, why not just get the ICC.
I wouldn't mind, but the problem is I don't have a free weekend before our summer cruise starts.
Neeves
Well-known member
When someone has as many miles under his keel as Dockhead then there is little justification in demanding he has a guest on board, (at even a minor cost but maybe greater inconvenience) to verify his competence.
Jonathan
Jonathan
Zing
Well-known member
If it's on your own boat 1 to 1 then less time is needed. I was told 4 hours, but it took 2. Phone around, you'll surely find a school sympathetic to your plight, who are looking for a pile of your hard-earned in exchange for their easy-earned.
