After the licence limit was extended from 5 to 15 hp in 2011, the attractiveness of boating should also be increased in future by the fact that the licence exemption is no longer linked to an age limit and the authorisations required from 15 hp are easier to obtain. To this end, the Federal Ministry of Transport has merged the inland and sea recreational boating licence regulations into one and reduced the formal requirements for candidates.
One for all
In the future, there will only be one form, in cheque card format, on which it will be recorded whether the holder is in possession of a recreational boating licence for sea or inland waterways or has both. In the long term, it should also be possible to enter the official SKS, SSS and SHS licences on it. It is already possible to have the new licence issued; a formal transfer of the conventional recreational craft licence is not required. The licence remains valid - whether with the old or new form.
Many things become easier
In terms of content, many things should become simpler. In future, practical and theoretical examinations can be taken separately in terms of location and time, and examinations abroad (keyword: club holidays) are to be encouraged. While a "foreign examination board" was previously responsible for this, in future all DSV examination boards will also be authorised to conduct examinations abroad.
For the documents required for exam registration, it is sufficient if they are available one week in advance; the medical certificate has been simplified.
Not everything will be more expensive
The cost catalogues have been revised, but now also contain the assurance that travel expenses and accommodation of the examiners are not charged separately and may be invoiced additionally to the examinees.
In YACHT 4/2017, we spoke to Dr Germar Brockmeyer about the new regulations in an in-depth interview, You can download it here free of charge as a PDF.
Lasse Johannsen
Deputy Editor in Chief YACHT
