The much-discussed new regulation was published today in the Federal Law Gazette and will come into force tomorrow. The main points:
- In the lake area, recreational craft up to a maximum power of 3.68 kW (5 hp) may be operated without a recreational craft licence without age restriction, provided the craft is not used commercially.
- Persons aged 16 and over are not required to hold a driving licence up to 15 hp (11.03 kW).
- Skippers aged 16 and over may operate pleasure craft up to 15 hp without a licence, provided the boat is less than 15 metres long (except on the Rhine).
- The alternative "sailing surfing" is no longer required for the inland waterway sports boat licence. This means that there is no longer a licence requirement for sailing surfboards on inland waterways.
The issue has caused considerable debate in recent months. Opponents of the amendment, namely the German Sailing and Motor Yacht Associations as well as some federal authorities, fear increased safety risks. Those in favour, including the industry associations, see the new regulation as a necessary simplification for beginners and young people. For them, access to water sports should be made easier without major hurdles.
Andreas Medicus, authorised signatory and partner of the Hamburg-based yacht insurance company Schomacker, does not share the scepticism of opponents: "In the charter sector, we have also had good experiences with licence-free charter so far, especially for holiday cruises, many interested parties have been put off by the expense of the test."
According to reports, several training centres now want to run voluntary introductory courses to teach the basics.
The amendment is the result of an initiative by MPs Torsten Staffeldt (FDP) and Hans-Werner Kammer (CDU). How it works in practice, particularly from a safety perspective, is to be reviewed in three years - so it is a probationary driving licence exemption.
