VHF and un-necessary risk Takers

[TheBoatman]

As someone who generally b**gers about with boats a lot and as a RNLI Sea Check Advisor it never ceases to amaze me how many boat owners out there don’t have either a VHF operators licence or ships station licence.

Now before everyone starts jumping up and down about all the different scenarios regarding using VHF in an emergency situation, I AGREE. If there is a set aboard and you’re in the doo doo then use it! Licensed or not.
When I’m in sea check mode I would NEVER DREAM of telling someone off for not having the correct paperwork. I do however remind them of the regulations and “suggest” that they “might” like to do something about it.

BUT, that doesn’t take away from the fact that both the operator and the boat need a licence and the penalties for having neither are very high.
As far as I am aware, and I will stand corrected on this, the current possible penalties are.
1. £2000 fine
2. Confiscation of the equipment.
3. Confiscation of the vessel that the equipment is in.
4. 2-year jail sentence.
5. Or ALL of the above.

Why oh why would anyone risk their pride and joy, just because they won’t buy a 20 quid licence every year and go and do one course, which last a lifetime?

In the current climate of the Treasury telling all the other government depts that getting money from us minions and justifying that department’s existence is a standard requirement, it helps with the (stealth) tax situation don’t you know. It would be a foolish person that did not think that they would not come after us!
After all we are all rich boat owners and as such can easily afford to pay the fines.




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[steve_cronin]

Maybe it's the station "licence" that we object to? There is an arguement for the Operator's certificate but can you justify the boat licence which is just a tax that exists to fund it's own collection.Now don't tell me that it funds "keeping the airwaves free of interference" No it does not! Take it from one who has direct experience of this in that if you complain about interference, they want you to cough up for the cost of the investigation.

AS you suggest, I pay for my two licences (Ship & Tender) just to be a legal foreign vessel in overseas waters and that doesn't give me a penny's worth of value.

Like the radio receiving licence, ship's licences should be done away with.

Steve Cronin



<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[sailorman]

im with u steve. wot about a revolution

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[LadyInBed]

Yes, the annual station licence is ott, an initial registration fee for issuing a call sign would be much more in order.

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[ccscott49]

and that could be issued with your ssr or Part 1. I believe all boats should be registered. Makes it easier to tax them when the time comes, soon!

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[webcraft]

- N

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com>http://www.bluemoment.com</A></font size=1>

 

[chriscallender]

As someone who always gets caught whenever I am up to no good I pay the £20 every year and have op licence .... so not taking any risks.

However I wonder how many of the scary penalties 1-5 are ever applied - for instance I can't imagine there are too many people serving a 2 year sentance in our already overcrowded prisons for not having a licence, given for example that drunk drivers don't tend to get 2 years unless they kill someone and surely that is a worse crime. Similarly with the 2 grand fine or confiscation of the boat - confiscation of the radio, maybe.

I suspect that what happens if you get caught without one is that you get a warning letter (how do they trace you if you are not on the boat at the time and its not registered SSR/part1?). It will tell you about these scary penalties which "could" be applied and giving you X days to pay up the £20 or get an operator licence. My guess is that only people who completely refuse to comply after several reminders would find themselves in court - I'm sure the authorities would much rather that people just followed the regulations than have to go to the hassle/expense of convicting, unless in extreme circumstances. If thats true then the real risks are a lot smaller than the theoretical ones.


Is there anyone out there that has ever been caught for this, and what actually happens in practice?

Chris

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[claymore]

It never occured to me

to not pay it.
My problem year on year is that I pay it in November and then when the boat goes back in in March April, I've forgotten where I've put the blasted thing

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: another point

if the service was free and there were no fees or fines it might encourage every group of persons who would find it useful to take up vhf and clog the airwaves.

eg my scout group runs on pmr radios so we can let the kids roam free on camp but still keep in touch. we have a talk channel and a working channel that we change as the channells get busy. the kids split into to groups and natter incessantly, hence the twin channels so they can contact me but i donot have to hear them and they can use a dual monitoring mode so they hear me when i transmit. you would not want to hear that on the airwaves. we hear the local cycling groups puch and motor and numerous oither groups
if they all converted to vhf there would be chaos

plus the ra has statutory duties to perform and has to be funded somehow
best that it is from those who benefit. remove the lkicence fee the government will take the revenue in some way.

<hr width=100% size=1>Beer. Source of and answer to all life's problems.

 

[Sybarite]

Below is a repeat of my post of a few weeks back. Where would this leave me?

Re: Are they taking the P? [re: floatything]

I applied to both the UK and French authorities 14 years ago (for a VHF license) and got turned down by both; each said it was the other's responsibility. I sent a copy of each reply to the other party and said if they could sort it out between them I would be quite happy to pay. I'm still waiting for a reply.

John




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[DavidTocher]

See the RA site for details of prosecutions etc for the marine band year 2002/3 thre were 2 successful prosections with fines of £100 and costs £450.

A lot of money collected but little neforcement or perhaps everyone obeys the law?

David

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[robp]

Absolutely! I'm sure this is one that Mr Howard will be jumping right on, as a piece of useless bureaucracy. All we need do now is ask them how far up their erm.. agenda it is?

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[roger]

Re: It never occured to me

I forget mine too. The authorities are quite good about giving you a repalcement - quickly and without charge!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[LadyInBed]

But you don't HAVE to have a radio!
All this boat electricary is a relatively recent thing . . .
and before I get stoned as a Ludite, may it progress exponentially.

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[ccscott49]

I know, but have to have a TV licence, even if you can`t receive the BBC!
But I was extracting the urine!

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[LadyInBed]

Re: t the p

Ah! Don't we all /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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