Swiss licence regulations

[packet]

Hi all,
I am newly resident in Switzerland having come from the UK.Does anybody know the licence requirements to sail in Switzerland?Do they have such requirements ?If so would my UK Day Skipper cert be enough ?Or do they insist on something else?
Can i get round things by re-registering any boat i acquire here in another country?
Thanks for any info..
David

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[Rohorn]

Hi.....I had a ski boat on lake Leman (Geneva) for 25 years. The rules are pretty strict, they have "permis" A ,B and C, which you can find all about from the Police du Lac, or the local club. I have a permis A, very basic stuff, at least when I got it years ago, but they've surely got it better organised now. You can get a provisional importation deal for a boat...this helps folk who come on short term contracts for a year or two, as per the inetrnational organisations etc.
The biggest problem is finding a place, either on the water or off, to keep the boat. You just about had to inherit an official place on Lake Leman a few years back, but you can often find through word of mouth someone who will rent their place out to earn a bit of cash (unofficially).
I don't know much about the Swiss-Allemagnic end, ie Lake Zurich or Thun but they'll be even stickier than the Romande end.
It won't be cheap.
Cheers....R

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[aran01]

Hi Packet,
I am also in CH. Looked in to it and I rem someone saying the only "foreign" one they will accept is a yacht master!! So if you want to sail anything over 15 square meters you better start studying!!! Rodorn is right, getting a boat is easy but parking it well nigh impossible..In the end I gave up, to much paperwork,to many boats (many lakes only allow x boats on the lake at any one time) , crap wind and the parking prob. Now I keep my boat in Ireland and pop back. If I really want to sail I go to Lake Maggi down south to the Italian side and rent a cat for the day, no paperwork needed!
What lake were you looking at ?

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[Pelican]

Hi David,
I too am resident in Switzerland and sailing on lake Geneva for 30 years or so...please give more information on which lake u intend to sail and where u live..I have a Scottish friend who arrived recently, bought a yacht on lake Geneva...with mooring place (only way to get one fast) but who lives in France. He does not need any licence being a EU citizen. Were he to live in Switzerland then he would have to have a licence. As Rohorn mentions any yacht over 15 sq mtres needs a sailing licence and any motor over 9.9hp a motor licence. I have other friends who have obtained their skipper licences abroad that have been accepted by the Geneva water police. (Swiss-German police may well be different!) As long as you keep your nose clean you are unlikely to ever get stopped for a check.
Fair winds and have fun
Pelican


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[packet]

Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply.
As you ask Pelican and yes i now see it may make a difference i actually live by Lake Leman near Vevey so that cuts out the swiss-german police!.How did your friends obtain the acceptance of the police?And what licence did they have?
Thanks again,
David

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[Pelican]

Hi David!
As the French do not need a sailing licence for inland waters - this applies for anyone living there as long as they are from a EU country. My Scottish friend has no licence! His boat is registered in the canton of Geneva. You don't need to show any licence to buy a boat. I would think your Day skipper cert would suffice.
Perhaps check it out with the water police at Clarens. If you want to jump the long waiting list for a mooring, buy a boat with a mooring....you can always swop moorings later if inconvenient to you. Many people do this. If you would like any further info pls PM me!
All the best
Pelican

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[sailorbaz]

Hello David and welcome to the forum and Switzerland,
I have just seen your post. I too sail on Lake Geneva and have lived in Canton Valais for the last 15 years.
We wanted to buy a boat when we first came here but were put off by the difficulty in finding a mooring and the need to take the tests, written and practical in French.
Anyway about ten years ago I put my name on the waiting list at Le Bouveret, which is the only port in Valais. We bought a second hand boat (Sunbeam 23) and the guy let us use his mooring in Villeneuve for that season. We then found a place in La Pichette which is quite expensive by Swiss standards as you have to pay a long term visitor price (CHF 2'400 per year). If you want to look at this option talk to the Garde-Port (Jean-Blaise Vacheron) at La Pichette. We have just moved to a permanent place in Le Bouveret after a 10 year wait. We now pay only CHF 625 a year.
The other option is to buy a boat and become what the Swiss refer to as a 'vagabond'. That is you put the boat on a visitor's mooring (orange buoys) at your nearest port, leave it there for 2 to 3 weeks, longer if you can get away with it, then move to the next nearest etc. !! The first 3 nights are usually free then 5 to 10 Francs a day.
So my advice is go for it.
I have still not got around to taking the tests but I do have an ICC with CEVNI endorsement. So if I ever get stopped I could show that and plead ignorance.
Also since the Swiss have now signed a bi-lateral accord with the EEC, the ICC should be valid.
Hope all this helps and if you want more info. PM me.
Sailorbaz

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