What boats does the Navigation License allow you to carry and what are its powers?

Getting started in the management of pleasure boats is a much simpler process than is often believed., since for this it is only necessary obtain the Navigation License, whose powers are more than enough to start with this hobby. How many times had it crossed your mind? Now you can take the definitive step.

What does the Navigation License consist of?

Formerly known as Title, The Navigation License is an official nautical title in Spain, specifically the most basic that can be taken.. This implies great ease in obtaining it and, in return, quite a few limits regarding its powers, although it is a perfect first step to enter the nautical world.

It is a certificate - although for practical purposes it is considered more of a training than a degree - of 6 hours long that includes theoretical and practical part. There is no final exam in order to evaluate the student's knowledge, which makes it a very recurring option for those who are beginning to be interested in the subject. He navigation license price It is usually not more than 100 euros.

Differences between the Nautical Title and the Navigation License

The so-called Titulín Náutico was disabled in 2014, when the Navigation License as we know it today came into force. The main difference between both certificates lies in the power limitations with respect to the boat engine., since previously a maximum of 55 hp or 40 kW was allowed and now there is no limit in this sense.

How do you obtain the Navigation License?

To obtain the Navigation License you must take a course that consists of two hours of theory and four hours of practice.

During the theoretical part, content is offered about traffic regulations, ways of steering the boat, use of the portable VHF radio and limitations of navigation.

Next, and during the practical part, the following contents will be taught:

• Safety material, what checks should be done before starting navigation and how to check the status of the ship's critical points.
• Start, basic operating checks and recognition of propulsion elements.
• Knots and ropes: basic knowledge.
• Maneuvers docking, undocking and dock. Navigation safety speed.
• Maneuvers security, of anchoring and turning of the anchor.
• Prudence and prevention with bathers and divers.

Necessary requirements to obtain the Navigation License

Obtaining the Navigation License is subject to compliance with various requirements, such as having achieved at least 16 years of age and passing a psychotechnician. Regarding learning, a 6-hour course is required, two of which must be theoretical and 4 practical, focused on basic safety and navigation issues.

What do you learn when obtaining a Navigation License?

The 6 hours of course mentioned above serve as basic learning for beginners in navigation. At a practical level, aspects such as pre-navigation checks, basic notions about engines, maneuvers to dock and undock or knots and anchoring, among other issues.

As for the 2 hours of theoretical training, they are usually made up of advice from ship maintenance, safety equipment on the boat, basic nautical nomenclature and navigation rules, which includes lessons on beacons and passage priorities, for example.

Navigation License Attributions

One of the most common doubts regarding this topic lies in the powers of the Navigation License. Well, those who obtain it will be able to navigate boats without power limit, something that also includes the operation of jet skis, which was previously subject to the maximums mentioned above.

As for the rest of the characteristics of the vessels to be handled, there are three attributions that are established as fundamental rules in the Navigation License: They will not be able to exceed 6 meters in length, they will only be able to navigate during daylight hours. and the maximum distance that they can reach from the coast - marine, port or any place of shelter - is 6 nautical miles.

Summarizing:

• Government of jet skis and pleasure boats up to 6 meters in length
• Engine power appropriate to the manufacturer's characteristics (motorcycles and boats)
• daytime navigation
• Distance from shore maximum 2 miles.

If, on the other hand, you would like to expand these powers, you should acquire a higher degree such as the GNP either PER.

Why obtain a Navigation License?

Although it is a basic training that by itself does not allow great things, the Navigation License is a certificate that is very popular among those who want to get started in a hobby as exciting as the management of pleasure boats, and it even has some advantages that we do not find in other cases:

• It is not necessary to perform no exam to obtain the certificate.
• Taking into account the duration of the training and the fact that an exam is not required, it is the most economical nautical title.
• It is only necessary to attend 6 hours of training To obtain the.
• It is possible to do in just one day the theoretical part and the practical part, so not too much time is invested.

How long does it take to process the Navigation License?

Once the course has been completed and the necessary documentation has been delivered to the school (copy of ID and valid medical certificate, among others), the license issuance procedures do not usually take more than one week.

When does the Navigation License expire?

The issuance and validity of the Navigation License is associated with the medical certificate, whose validity is 10 years, 5 in the case of those over 70 years of age. Once expired, renewing it is as simple as providing a recent medical certificate.

How to renew the expired navigation license?

The necessary documentation that must be presented to renew an expired navigation permit is:

• Photocopy of ID, passport or residence card.
• Proof of payment of form 046 (navigation fee, the value of which depends on the autonomous community).
• Medical certificate.
• Renovation request.
• Original maritime card.

It is advisable to make the renewal request before license expires, since, if it expires, the fees to pay would be those of issuance and not those of renewal.

What boats can be taken without a license?

If you do not have a Navigation License, and as long as you are 18 years old, it is possible to navigate with recreational boats of length less than 5 meters in motor vessels and 6 meters in sailing vessels, always pointing out that it is not allowed to go more than 2 miles from the coastline or navigate at night.

How many navigation licenses are there in Spain?

The last official data, from 2019, just before the pandemic, reveal that during the first quarter of the year, 17,307 new nautical titles were issued, a 12% more than during the same period of the previous year. In 2018, there had also been an 8% growth in the issuance of titles, with a total of 32,578 compared to 30,185 in 2017. To these, we must add the issuance