You will soon be retiring and want to devote some of your free time to sailing. You wish to acquire a motor boat and indulge in pleasure boating . On the other hand, you ask yourself a lot of questions about the boat license, because you don't know which one is best suited to your situation and your age. Here is some information that will be invaluable to start your next steps.
First of all, you should know that at 60, you can of course pass the pleasure boat license of your choice, because you must be at least 16 years old. Also note that if your choice of boat is a low-power sailboat, you do not need to pass a license, regardless of the size of the sailboat. If you buy a boat with an engine power of less than 6 horsepower or 4.5 kW, you also do not need to pass any license. On the other hand, the pleasure boat license is a single title if the engine is greater than 6 CV divided into two main categories:
Important :each of these permits has two options:
The first boating license at sea is the coastal boating license that it is possible to pass from the age of 16 with French nationality and when the engine power is greater than 6 CV. When you get it, you can then:
If you wish to go further than 6 nautical miles with your boat, you must pass the deep-sea license which is compulsory in this case, as soon as the engine of the boat is greater than 6 HP. You must be over 16; be of French nationality and already have your coastal licence. In this case, once you have obtained it, you can navigate day and night in the open sea, but also in closed lakes without limitation of power and distance.
The river or inland waterway pleasure boat license allows you to drive a boat with engine power greater than 6 HP or 4.5 kW, of which the length of the hull is less than 20 m and whose distance from shelter is limited. This license is also compulsory to drive a sailboat of less than 20 m and more than 6 HP as well as nautical vehicles such as jet-skis. If the length of the hull of the sailboat exceeds 20 m, you must then pass the extension for large yachts inland waters.
Good to know :in inland waters on lakes and closed bodies of water such as:
Maritime licenses allow you to drive a boat whose engine has a power greater than 6CV or 4.5 kW.
This pleasure boat license allows you to drive a pleasure boat with an engine greater than 6 hp regardless of its hull length (+ or – 20 meters) and on inland waters where the distance is unlimited from shelter. If you wish to take this permit, you must be of French nationality, be at least 18 years old and already hold the pleasure boat license option inland waters.
Good to know :all boat licenses issued before the 2008 reform are now valid and have no time limit. The reform of the 1 st January 2018, simplified the sea and river permits which are 4 now instead of 6 previously.
If the candidate is under 18 and over 16, he must have parental consent. You will follow the training in an approved center. You will then receive the learning booklet as well as all the training objectives. First, you follow a theoretical training in the presence of an approved trainer, then you will follow the practical training in driving the pleasure boat with a motor. For the theoretical training, it is necessary to count 5 hours to 12 hours minimum of course according to the license chosen except for the extension large yachting inland waters which does not require theoretical training. For practical training, it takes 3.5 hours, including 2 hours at the helm for coastal sea and inland waters permits. For the sea license offshore extension, there is no practical training and for the inland waters yachting extension, it takes a minimum of 9 hours, including 5 hours at the helm.
On the day of the exam, you will pass a theoretical part called code and a practical part which is broken down as follows:
Coastal permit; theory 30 multiple choice questions, 25 correct answers at least, valid for 18 months once obtained
Offshore extension; a map test, calculation of the tides, a weather test, a test on electronic aids to navigation, a safety test. It takes 10 to be received with 7 for the test on the card
Inland Waters Permit; 30 multiple choice questions, 25 correct answers at least, valid for 18 months once obtained
Extension of large yachting inland waters; no theoretical or practical exam, but evaluation of the skills acquired during practical training of at least 9 hours
If you pass all these tests, a certificate of successful completion of the training will be issued to you while waiting for your definitive pleasure craft licence.
The cost of the pleasure boat license differs depending on the license you choose to take, but also on the learning center you choose. On average, it takes around €350 for training and passing exams . Do not hesitate to compare the different structures that can offer you a cost going from simple to double for the same permit. At this price, you will have to add registration fees and tax stamps. Prices are:
Note :if you fail the theoretical exam, you will have to pay a tax stamp of 38 € on the second pass and the following ones, if necessary.
To withdraw your application for registration for the pleasure boat license, you must ask your boat school or acquire the Cerfa form corresponding to the license you have chosen. If you live in a coastal department, you can contact the delegation to the sea and the coast of the Departmental Directorates of Territories and the Sea or get closer to Voix navigable de France if you live in a non-coastal department. For:
For the examination fees, you must provide a tax stamp of 38 € or 19 € for Guyana or 70 € for offshore and inland water extensions and 35 € for Guyana.
The blue waves, the open sea or the many enchanting canals are now yours. Enjoy your navigation and fair winds!
