Recreational boating has experienced a remarkable boom, especially since the restructuring in the year 2015 of the licenses of navigation, which opened up the range of possibilities. However, this variety of options can create confusion.
We will attempt in this article to expose in a clear and concise way.
Is it possible to navigate without any title or sailing license?
Yes. It is possible, provided that they have attained the age of 18, but with quite a few limitations:
- Maximum of 5 meters in length (6 meters in sailing boats).
- Browse of day. It is not permitted to night-time navigation without a license (even in small sailing vessels, or pneumatic).
- In motor boats, you can't exceed the 15 HP of power.
- You can't cross the two nautical miles of distance with respect to the port that was left.
The “titulín” or boating License
What for many years was called “titulín” today is called the License of Navigation (although it is very common to hear the word “titulín” to refer to it).
In reality, the current License of Navigation extends the possibilities of the old “titulín”, as it expands, the square of length of the boat and eliminates the limitation of engine power.
With sailing license, you can carry:
- Boat category C, up to 6 meters in length (both motor and sail).
- Water bikes of category C.
Limitations:
- Can not surf by night.
- You can only get away from port, up to a maximum of 2 miles.
What you need to get a license:
You should go to a sailing school and perform 2 hours of lecture and 4 hours of practice.
Skipper Basic Navigation
The license of Skipper Basic Navigation should also be taken in a sailing school or in the corresponding sailing federation.
With this license you can take:
- Motor boats and sailing up to 8 meters in length.
- Watercraft without power limit.
Limitations:
You can get away up to 5 miles from the port.
With this license you can navigate at night.
PER: Recreational Boats Skipper
For this license it is necessary to pass a theoretical exam and practical. With this title you can carry motor boats and sailing up to 15 meters in length, although for the case of the sailing boats, requires the completion of some specific practices.
Allows navigation between the coast and a line parallel to the same, drawn 12 miles and, in the case of the Balearic islands and the Canary islands, it can be to navigate between islands. It also allows you to carry watercraft, with no limit on engine displacement.
If you performed a complementary practices (24 hours, with 4 hours of night-time navigation), can govern recreational boats up to 24 metres in length, as well as navigate between the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands.
Yacht Skipper
Allows you to govern motor boats and sailing up to 24 meters length (in the case of sailing vessels, are necessary specific practices), both day and night and walk away up to 150 miles from the coast.
