from theage of 16Patentino nautico from the age of 16, simpler equipment, dinghy replacing the life raft (within 12 miles) and more attention to small boating, social boating. Finally published in the Official Gazette (No. 222) is the long-awaited amendment to the Implementing Regulations of the Recreational Boating Code, which will come into effect on Oct. 21.
Starting October 21, you can get your boating license. Here’s how
The most interesting novelty, of course, is the announced “boatinglicense,” legally recognized as a “category D boating license,” the details and limitations of which have been disclosed. Obtainable by age 16 for watercraft and jet skis only, by age 18 may qualify to command boats up to 12 meters, exclusively in daytime navigation within 6 miles of the coast (1 mile for jet skis).
As previously announced, the maximum power output will be 85 kW (115.6 hp).
More complex, on the other hand, is the limitation system on displacements, which varies greatly depending on the type of engine, schematized for convenience in the table below:
Max displacement | Cycle | Suction | Type |
1900 cc | 2T | Natural | Outboard |
2400 cc | 4T | Natural | |
1500 cc | 4T | Supercharged | |
1700 cc | 4T | Natural | Inboard gasoline |
1200 cc | 4T | Supercharged | |
2400 cc | Diesel | Natural | Inboard diesel |
2000 cc | Diesel | Supercharged | |
1000 cc | 2T | Natural | Watercraft |
1700 cc | 4T | Natural | |
1200 cc | 4T | Supercharged | |
Max power ≤ 85 kW (115.6 hp) |
Fortunately, it seems that the Ministry has done its homework this time, setting a displacement limit that includes the main outboards currently on the market, including Honda, whose 115 has 2354 cc. Of course, those with these engines already have licenses, so an Evinrude 2.0 case is averted, but at least they will be able to count on a larger clientele in case of resale.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for inboards.
The boating license exam
The license will be attainable following the attendance of a training course supplemented by practical exercises, held by nautical schools or nautical education centers, as well as the passing of a final aptitude quiz, which can also be carried out at the Offices of the Civil Motorization upon certification of having carried out the aforementioned practical exercises.
The subjects of the course and practical exercises, as well as the quizzes and the manner of conducting the final test, will be regulated by decree of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport.
Upon reaching the age of eighteen, a standard category A boating license may be obtained by taking a supplementary theoretical examination, on subjects not included in the training course, and a practical navigation test.
More moorings for small-scale boating. Will this really be the case?
Another important novelty for small boaters and so-called “social boating,” that is,boatingcarried out for exclusively sporting or recreational non-profit purposes by means of vessels up to six meters, is the identification of specific spaces designated for mooring, buoy fields and even dry land, as well as public slips for putting the same units in the water and parking the related trolleys. This combination (availability of public slips + trolley parking areas) could give a new impetus to a sector that is becoming less and less accessible to those who want to approach small-scale boating, given the increasingly high costs, especially of berths.
In this regard, tariff reductions of at least 30 percent for the provision of dockside services in dedicated facilities will also be reserved for this category.
In addition, recreational units belonging to social boating will have to be given due consideration by the managers of marine protected areas in establishing buoy fields and equipped mooring fields, reserving appropriate facilities for them.
“Smarter” endowments.
And goodbye old compass
Numerous changes are also devoted to safety equipment: an electronic compass is recognized, and for vessels and boats within 50 miles, flares are reduced from 5 to 3.
Vessels sailing beyond twelve miles from the coast but within the limit of the national search and rescue area, if equipped with electronic geo-locating instruments, may have on board the collective life-saving means provided for simple navigation within twelve miles.
The raft is no longer needed.
The tender takes care of it
The collective life-saving craft intended for navigation within twelve miles of the coast may be substituted by a CE-marked inflatable boat, provided it is a ready-to-use unit, equipped with a boarding device and the survival kit provided for the equivalent collective life-saving craft.
In addition, it must be capable of embarking the number of people on board, including the crew. Finally, at last, within 500 meters from the coast, the speed limit drops further to 8 knots, and it becomes prohibited to produce noise nuisance.
This is the comment of Confindustria Nautica: “This was not an easy path, which required the concerted signatures of as many as 14 ministers and saw the National Boating Industry and Trade Association in the front row to obtain the simplifications for businesses and users,” says Marina Stella, Director General of Confindustria Nautica. Stefano Monfroni