Spain - minimum equipment

[Talmine]

Was in Gibralter last June and was refused diesel in any can. Main tank only.

 

[25931]

Pleasure vessels coast hopping are not counted as on innocent passage so, any country can impose whatever equipment rules they want for boats sailing in their waters but most don't.

We had the same problem in Portugal where visiting boats were being inspected at sea by the navy and policia maritima and were threatened with fines if they didn't comply. The RYA intervened and the agreement reached was that boats spending less than 6 months there don't have to comply but those based there or in waters for more than 6 months do. As far as I'm aware, the inspections have virtually died out.

The problem does seem to have gone away - one possible reason being that some officious types were trying to enforce non-existant rules. Portuguese law only requires equipment according to the distance off shore at the time of inspection so the idea quoted in the past that a foreign registered vessel must have been off shore and therefore required all the equipment is a nonsense.

 

[GrahamM376]

The problem does seem to have gone away - one possible reason being that some officious types were trying to enforce non-existant rules. Portuguese law only requires equipment according to the distance off shore at the time of inspection so the idea quoted in the past that a foreign registered vessel must have been off shore and therefore required all the equipment is a nonsense.

Yes, things have changed for the better, not that we've personally had any problems in 8 years anyway. When paying light dues at Faro, in past years we were always told that any "foreign" boat arriving by sea was treated as "ocean" category. Now they have allowed 2 boats that I know of to pay for a lower category but with a warning that they will be open to fines if further offshore than that category permits. In practice this means if classed as say "coastal", the safety equipment list is smaller (and cheaper) than "offshore" or "ocean".

 

[25931]

Yes, things have changed for the better, not that we've personally had any problems in 8 years anyway. When paying light dues at Faro, in past years we were always told that any "foreign" boat arriving by sea was treated as "ocean" category. Now they have allowed 2 boats that I know of to pay for a lower category but with a warning that they will be open to fines if further offshore than that category permits. In practice this means if classed as say "coastal", the safety equipment list is smaller (and cheaper) than "offshore" or "ocean".

Quite right but I haven't heard of any inspection taking place off shore.