Paperwork 

A quick trip across the channel to France, Belgium or Holland might leave you thinking that you don't need anything extra to take your boat abroad, and having been a few times, you may even consider going without your passport, but what happens when you do meet the by the book official, who wants to see your paperwork in full. Do you have the correct papers ready to satisfy a foreign customs official or do you risk the possibility of your boat being impounded or you incurring significant fines?

When you are sailing a UK registered boat from the UK to any other country, you will require papers both for the boat and for the crew on board. There is a core set of paperwork - your ship's papers which, together with your passport, any other personal paperwork and any country specific documentation or publications you may required to carry on board, should enable you to satisfy a foreign customs official, if required.

Ship's Papers

Your Ship's Papers must all be original documents and are comprised of:

Registration Document

Registration of non-commercial pleasure craft is not compulsory for a UK Citizen who keeps their boat in the UK, but it is essential if you wish to take your boat outside of UK territorial waters. This applies both to boats which are sailed or driven to a foreign port and to dinghies, ribs, sports boats and PWC etc. which are trailered to other countries. You should be prepared to present the original registration document - photocopies are often not acceptable.

Carrying proof of ownership such as a bill of sale is also recommended, especially for vessels registered on the UK SSR (Part III of the register), which indicates the vessel's nationality, but does not prove the owner's title to the vessel.

If the owner of the vessel is not onboard, in some countries the skipper will need a letter authorising use of the vessel to ensure the loan is not seen as illegal chartering.

Ship Radio Licence

Under the International Radio Regulations a UK registered vessel must have a Ship Radio Licence if it is to install or use radio equipment (including a VHF or DSC radio, Radar, Active Radar Target Enhancer, EPIRB, PLB etc). This also applies to vessels predominantly moored in UK waters (including craft which are not registered). The licence, which details the equipment covered, must be carried onboard.

Insurance

Insurance for boats is more or less compulsory nowadays and many European countries will ask for evidence of insurance cover. Some countries specify minimum levels of cover and others require a translation which your insurer should be able to provide. It is important to check the territorial limits of your cover before undertaking any trip, as you may need to extend the cruising limits.

Proof of the VAT status of the vessel

EU residents may only use a boat within the EU if it is VAT paid or deemed to be VAT paid. HM Revenue and Customs notice 8 "Sailing your pleasure craft to and from the UK" in section 6.3 states:

EU residents should only use a vessel in the Community if it is VAT paid or 'deemed' VAT paid. Documentary evidence supporting this should be carried at all times as you may be asked by customs officials in other EU Member States to provide evidence of your vessel's VAT status.

Therefore, although proof of the VAT status of the vessel is not actually part of a ship's papers, it is needed to prove that the boat is entitled to free movement throughout the EU. A customs officer is entitled to ask you to prove the VAT status of your boat and your boat could be detained if its VAT status is in doubt.

The RYA however has little evidence of UK registered vessels being stopped, simply to ask them to prove their VAT status, whilst cruising within UK territorial waters and those of other EU Member States (this statement is based on the outcome of two surveys conducted by the RYA in 2006 and 2007). This does not however remove the need for the owner of a vessel permanently based in the EU to be able to prove the VAT status of their vessel should they be asked to do so.

Details of the paperwork required to prove the VAT status of a vessel can be found in HMRC Notice 8 (section 6.3). The RYA has also produced a set of frequently asked questions for which the answers have been prepared in conjunction with HMRC, which are available to RYA members. RYA members can also access leaflets on matters relating to VAT produced by the RYA Legal Team.

Recreational Craft Directive

If your vessel was built or imported into the EEA after 16th June 1998, you will also need proof that your vessel is RCD Compliant, such as the Builder's plate (CE Mark).

Personal papers

Passport

Every crew member on board requires a passport. If you are cruising outside the EU you may also need a visa. It is advisable to check well before you intend to leave the UK as these can take time to procure. Think about the possible duration of your stay as some countries permit short visits visa free, but require a visa for longer stays. 

Within the EU if you have a non-EU citizen onboard the vessel, you may need to clear them through immigration, even if the vessel itself is not required to clear customs. You should also check if they require a visa.

Certificate of Competence

A UK pleasure craft (a vessels that is not operating commercially or carrying passengers) which is either less than 24m load line length or less than 80GT is exempt from the Merchant Shipping Manning Regulations. This means that unless a UK pleasure craft exceeds both 24m and 80GT the UK Government does not require the skipper to have a certificate of competence or licence.

This is however not necessarily the case for the territorial or internal waters of another country. The requirements vary from country to country so you should establish what is required in advance. It is advisable to carry any certificates you hold (just in case) even if they are not a formal requirement. The International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is increasingly the certificate that is requested whist cruising abroad.

Proof of Authority to Operate Maritime Radio

The International Radio Regulations stipulate that a maritime radio may only be used by the holder of a Maritime Radio Operator's Certificate of Competence or by someone who is under the direct supervision of such a holder. The minimum certificate of competence required is the Short Range Certificate for VHF/DSC (or the old Restricted VHF Operator for the old style pre GMDSS VHF only sets). UK regulations permit you to monitor the radio for safety purposes or to use it to request assistance in an emergency without a Certificate of Competence and Authority to Operate.

EHIC

Since 1 January 2006 the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) has replaced the E111 as the "passport" to free or reduced-cost emergency medical treatment when visiting countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. The quickest and easiest way to apply for and EHIC is on-line.

The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and / or travel insurance, as it does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. 

Visitors to the Isle of Man should note the as of 1st April 2010, the UK Department of Heath will no longer have a reciprocal health agreement with the Isle of Man. This has been the case for visitors to the Channel Islands since 1st April 2009.

UK travellers are required to pay for all medical treatment they may need whilst visiting the Channel Islands (the same also applies to visitors from the Channel Islands to the UK).

For visitors to the Isle of Man charges do not apply in respect of treatment provided in an Accident and Emergency Department, a “walk-in” centre or immediately necessary treatment from an Isle of Man GP, but will apply if you are subsequently admitted into hospital as an in-patient after receiving emergency or immediately necessary care.

Consideration should be given to having insurance cover in case treatment is required whilst visiting the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. Existing policies should be checked carefully to ensure that the policy covers the areas you are intending to visit.

When selecting medical or travel insurance for a trip which is to include boating, care is needed as many policies either limit or exclude boating from the range of activities covered by the insurance. Some policies exclude boating if this is the main purpose of the trip, which might make such a policy unsuitable for example for a yacht charter holiday. If the policy includes limits on the extent to which it covers boating, you should check that the limits are clearly defined – for example, the term “coastal” is frequently used in insurance paperwork but has no common legal definition; clarification of such a limitation, if required, should be sought from the insurer.