vhf licence.

dunmor

dunmor

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 Jul 2009
Messages
600
Location
sovereign harbour east bourne
Visit site
have been invited to go to france with a group of boats in 2 wks. have never taken my boat across the channel before so its a good chance to do it in company.but i havent got a vhf license and wont have time to do it before the trip. are they likely to ask for it when i arrive and what are the consequence's ??
 
dunmor said:
have been invited to go to france with a group of boats in 2 wks. have never taken my boat across the channel before so its a good chance to do it in company.but i havent got a vhf license and wont have time to do it before the trip. are they likely to ask for it when i arrive and what are the consequence's ??
Click to expand...

Which one do you not have???? You need one for the radio in the boat which is available on line and one for operating. You can probably escape the one for operating so long as one of the crew have one!
 
Awkward, isn't it? I know where you're going with this, but if it's a legal requirement, isn't it a bit like saying, "I'm going to have a go at tax evasion - what are the consequences..?"

Most folks probably will take a dim view of it, as they're the folks who stumped up to do the course in the first place, and whilst you might use it perfectly safely, it is, still, against the law.

Sorry. I know that's going to come across as a bit 'holier than thou'...

My folks and bro are tootling round France (and the rest of Europe) for the next three years, and they've made it clear that it simply wouldn't be possible without the VHF...
 
dunmor said:
what are the consequence's ??
Click to expand...


From Ofcoms website the consequences in the UK are ....
''An unlicensed user of radio, or someone who contravenes the terms of their licence could expect a fine of up to £5000 or a custodial sentence of up to six months''
 
Half the reason of doing the course is so that you know what to do and what not to do when responding to an emergency. I or anyone else on here may one day rely on your actions if something goes wrong and we have to make a mayday call. What are the consequences of getting that wrong?
 
I went on to the Ofcom site, registered and applied. What a pain in the backside. Longwinded and slow. Filled all the required fields and after almost 30 mins it came back and told me there was a problem and to contract them by phone.......

Is it possible to do it the old way, Its a lot less hassle!
 
vhf licence is quite a long way down the list of must haves.
Passport, SSR reg and insurance (a marina requirement) are more important as they will be the first things requested IF checked.
Note the IF because in 25 years of sailing to France, some years 3 or 4 times, I have only been checked once and that was because the guy was interested in the boat and fancied one like it :D
I qualify this with the following provisos:
I mainly sail Cherbourg and west, I understand that checks are more frequent at the east end of the channel.
If you are checked and fail on the preliminaries, they will dig deeper :eek:

Don't forget to buy a flag when you get there ;)
 
BarryH said:
I went on to the Ofcom site, registered and applied. What a pain in the backside. Longwinded and slow. Filled all the required fields and after almost 30 mins it came back and told me there was a problem and to contract them by phone.......

Is it possible to do it the old way, Its a lot less hassle!
Click to expand...

It is possible but you pay an admin fee (£20 ??) but if you phone them having had difficulty they will probably sort it out for free. They usually get good reports when contacted by phone for help.

If you think the current Ofcom site is difficult you should have tried the first one they had after introducing the new scheme.. :eek:
 
No guarantees Dunmor, but I'd be amazed if you got asked for the operators licence. Since the boat licence is both free and on line you would be daft to go without it.

On a different point, its in your own interest to get the operators licence when you get back - your safety not a legal reason.
 
duncan99210 said:
I know I shouldn't say this but we've been cruising for 3 years now and no one has ever asked to see our ICCs or Radio Certificates. So the chances are that on going to France you won't be asked either. However, you should do the course and get the Ofcom licence for the boat.
Click to expand...

Only once been asked for ICC. Which had expired. Case of bier sorted that one. Nver been asked for anything else. Fiends say I was very unlucky.
If in convoy no problem.
 
Checked last week about the ICC by phoning port offices in Ouistreham and Cherbourg. Both responded by saying not necessary, unless you want to go on the rivers. Same response from a maritime government office.

Now that you have your boat's radio licence then I'm sure you can find a course near you to get an operator's licence.

Edit: Perhaps here?
 
Last edited:
Again, this is going to sound a bit rightous, but I did mine yesterday with some mates, it was a full day in the classroom on the nicest day of the year (!!!) when we would all much rather have been jobbing on the boats but we all came away saying how good it was and how much we had learned. Also we would never have worked it all out in a month of Sundays (some will berate me for being thick after that comment). As mentioned above the protocols and regulations exist for the benefit of all other boaters as well as for yourself and do have a very definite place as part of your boating preparations. Up to you if you do it or not but it gets a very strong thumbs up from me.

Andy
 
As others have said, you really should have had the instruction that comes with a course. Failing that, if you have a ship's licence, you are entitled to keep a listening watch without an operator's licence and one compromise might be to do this and use a mobile phone to communicate with other craft if you are keeping company with them, as this should work in coastal waters.
 
Someone said you have to take a course to get the operator's licence. Not true. You have to take and pass a test to get the licence. The moneymaking fact is that most tests are appended to a course, so you have to take the course to take the test (doncha just luv RYA Capitalism). However, it should be possible if you're bloody-minded enough, just to take the test. Check it out. You can bone up for it online or with a real book.

These people have offered exam-only in the past. Dunno if they still do it.
 
johnalison said:
As others have said, you really should have had the instruction that comes with a course. Failing that, if you have a ship's licence, you are entitled to keep a listening watch without an operator's licence and one compromise might be to do this and use a mobile phone to communicate with other craft if you are keeping company with them, as this should work in coastal waters.
Click to expand...
Operation without a license in emergency situation is also allowed by OFCOM. Do our EU "partners" also allow listening only though?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

P
Suggest a Yacht please
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
2K
Greenheart
Greenheart
East Cardinal
Solent to Channel Is
2
Replies
23
Views
1K
Piers
Piers

Share this page

Top