Vessels Registration Bill to be published in 2013.

[alanhorner]

An extract from Afloat Magazine

Registration - Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has surprised Ireland\'s sailing and boating community by announcing the passing of a Vessels Registration Bill as a priority for 2013.
The proposed legislation is among five transport bills included in the minister\'s priorities for the year ahead, as published by his department yesterday.
Stakeholders are currently awaiting confirmation from the minister as to the contents and scope of the bill, which would be put forward for public consultation before being published at some point this year.
Legislation for the registration of vessels has been in drafting stages for a number of years, and submissions have been received by previous Governments relating to areas the bill would likely cover such as insurance, VAT avoidance and identification of vessels for search and rescue purposes.
According to a source close to Afloat.ie, among the proposals for the bill is that any vessel entering UK and Ireland waters must inform the coastguard of the names of their passengers and the port of arrival.
\"Without boat registration, that is a near impossible task to manage,\" said the source.
Almost all other EU countries have boat registration legislation except for the UK and Ireland – and pressure is being applied in Britain to bring such registration into law through the UK Border Agency.
Among the stakeholders broadly in favour of vessel registration is the Irish Marine Federation (IMF), which has long called for a mandatory State scheme for identifying recreational vessels in Ireland.
At present all registration of vessels of all sizes, from small sailing boats to container ships, is conducted under the Register of Shipping Act 1955.
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I looked but could not find any other on-line info on this proposed Bill
so as yet the impact (if any) on Sea kayaks is unknown.
So a case of watch this space.

[etienne]

It is mandatory in some US states to register kayaks, and by all accounts it is an expensive pain in the ass. They actually issue fines to users of inland waterways in some states if a paddler is using an unregistered boat. I just can\'t see kayakers in this country complying on a wide enough scale to make it work.

Even if they made it free for kayaks I wouldn\'t comply. Kayaks? They don\'t need to know.

I also doubt that sea kayaks require registration in other parts of Europe, except perhaps Brussels and Switzerland. Really, what kind of sheep would we be turning into?

I wouldn\'t register my trimaran either. There is enough make-work red tape already. Life Is just too short to waste days form filling for one\'s sport.

Et

[conormurray]

From what I can see, in the US states where registering a kayak is mandatory, it is as cheap as $10 in Alaska, with a simple form to fill out.

If there is no representation on behalf of sea kayakers, it may become a law without our input. Who in ISKA wants to take that on???

Personally, when I kayak into UK waters from Ireland I inform the nearest UK coastguard, regardless!

Registering your kayak in Ireland costs €100 as a once off payment. For that you get a boat name and a call sign (EI number) on the official register and this goes on the Coast Guard data base, and relevant information such as boat details, emergency contacts etc., which I think are made available to CG\'s across Europe.
I find it reassuring to have my kayak registered and I don\'t feel like too much of a sheep.. hee hee! It is a safety issue for me.

But I see your point, would it work? Could it be enforced? And would it detract from the freedom of the sea that kayaking brings?

Conor

[alanhorner]

I don\'t think the government will enforce registration on vessels
of kayak size - (but you never know - they are looking for sources of extra revenue).

The Magazine article hints at other implications such as insurance cover
for rescue - which could have much more implication than any registration issues.

It is common practice in other parts of the world that in order to receive rescue the user pays - and then you will definiely need rescue insurance.
Ok The RNLI are unlikely to charge you - but the Coastguard co-ordinate all search & rescue and conrol the helicopters etc. so a bit like the Fire brigade call out charge - this could get expensive.

Of course at this stage - we are all speculating what might be
However it seems to be at a stage beyond where interested parties
might put their views forward.

[ciaran]

conormurray wrote:

Registering your kayak in Ireland costs €100 as a once off payment. For that you get a boat name and a call sign (EI number) on the official register and this goes on the Coast Guard data base, and relevant information such as boat details, emergency contacts etc., which I think are made available to CG\'s across Europe.

Conor

I think it\'s actually your VHF that is registered, Conor.

Ciaran (EI82227)

[conormurray]

Thanks Ciaran, I stand corrected, it is indeed a Ship Radio License. And the license is assigned to the vessel and owner.

[DaveWalsh]

Alan, is the attached anything like what you are talking about? The EI number reference put me in mind of it.
DWalsh [file name=Manannan_VHF_LIcence_EI6706.pdf size=146049]http://www.irishseakayakingassociation. ... EI6706.pdf[/file]

[alanhorner]

The answer is - I don\'t know..
That document is of course the VHF Licence - which registers your \"vessel\" for communications with the coastguard.

Until the government\'s Bill is published we won\'t know if this type of registration might become mandatory or indeed if they insist that \"every Vessel\" should notify the coastgoard with a \"TR\" ...
(Practically I\'m sure they would like each \"Flotilla of Kayaks to give a TR\" rather than each craft within the group)

Meantime other issues hinted at such as insurance for Rescue costs may
be a far bigger issue.