illegal charters 2

It all started when chartering yachts became popular. It was felt – quite reasonably – that a charterer ought to be able to expect the yacht he hires to be reasonably well found and safe. So European regulations were introduced to “protect” us. Sounds reasonable! So when my boat was being built, I asked the builder what it would cost to bring the boat up to Class 0 (ocean) charter standard. I already had a high spec, but it would have cost – 8 years ago - Ł3500 to achieve the standard. I looked at those things best done at build, such as fire insulation on the cockpit drains (that go through the engine space), a stainless steel plate over the cooker to stop a fat flare setting fire to the hull, and a remote fuel shutoff (which was actually standard anyway). I did not have an inclining experiment (to measure initial stability); nor did I want the boat plated with signs such as ‘gas bottle’.’flares’ ‘battery’ etc. The bits I selected cost Ł500. It was a worthwhile exercise as I could install things that added to my safety but avoided, in the short term, expenses that could be incurred later if the boat ever needed to go on charter. Nevertheless, the cost of bringing the boat up to standard was startling. Had I wanted to go for charter, it would have cost (at that time) Ł750 for the initial inspection, and about Ł250 per year to maintain the certification.

What is absurd is that, unless you have gone through this process, you cannot loan your boat to a friend, even if it helps you plan your cruise. It matters not that no money changes hands, it is technically a charter, and the boat ought to be certificated as suitable for charter. The only concession is that you can loan it to a close relative such as a son or daughter.