Vessels, DCI and incentives. A history of chaos

The category of boats, and their owners, is perhaps the most representative of Italian boating. We use the term “perhaps” for the simple fact that, outside of the trivial findings derived from visiting any marina in the Belpaese, there is no objective numerical data. And we all know the reason: the vessels are not registered. They belong to the same category as much the old and small dinghy as the motor yachts, which by now, between swim platforms and various extensions, are close to 12 meters effective. We always told ourselves that this “no man’s land” was a free port, free from bureaucracy and taxation. But is this really the case?

DCI, the problem of watercraft

The issue of the regulatory placement of watercraft is hardly new. But the latest incentive measure for the sector, the so-called “electric bonus,” has reignited-and thankfully so-the debate. What was the Pandora’s box? To access the said bonus, it is necessary to submit the DCI (Declaration of Construction or Importation) of the vessel to which one wants to replace the old heat engine with an electric one. The DCI is a kind of identity card of the boat that contains its essential data printed on a sheet of paper. It can be applied for online at the Confindustria Nautica portal, and so far (30 euros later) there would be nothing strange about it. The problem is how to get this declaration for those non-CE approved boats.

DCI, the symptom of a larger problem

EC type approval, which we perhaps take for granted today, has only been mandatory since 1993. And in fact, many watercraft that still happily sail today lack it. But they are for all intents and purposes “second-class vessels.” Not only because of limitations in terms of people that can be boarded or the distance from the coast that can be reached. But, as we have just seen, also for accessing these kinds of incentives, when they should be precisely the priority beneficiaries of regulations of this kind. After all, our country is no stranger to support measures from which, in the end, those who need it the least are able to benefit the most, the accomplice being a legislation that twists on itself, without ever correcting at the root the errors that constitute it.

Vessels and DCI, the questions to date.

For this specific problem-obtaining the DCI without CE marking-you can apply for an “attestation of suitability,” a certificate issued by a technical body following an inspection of the boat. A procedure that in the best case (suitability for navigation within 6 miles) costs at least 500 euros. But the problem is endemic. Keep in mind that CE marking is not simply that aluminum plate glued somewhere on board that we use to check how many people we can carry. That one can be safely ordered from Osculati. The plate is nothing more than a summary of the declaration of conformity issued by an institute to the boat manufacturer. How many people request it when, for example, they buy a used boat? Here, let’s talk about buying and selling. 10-meter boats that can pass ownership like bicycles, even for values of hundreds of thousands of euros. And as long as the transfer of ownership is consensual, that’s fine too. But in case of theft proving ownership can be really difficult. It is no accident that insurance is mandatory for engines, the only ones that always have a declaration of power or a certificate of use on which a serial number appears, when the hull could be totally anonymous. But one could go on talking about the different limitations encountered abroad, or those related to use for hire when the aforementioned CE approval is missing.

Vessels, the regulatory chaos

The “watercraft” category seems to have become a box of regulatory bulk often contradicting each other. There is no point in going through the process of how we got to this point. Rather, it is time to get a grip on this situation, giving clear and unambiguous regulatory dignity to all boats, of all ages, sizes …and values. But above all, to give it to their owners, without burdening them with additional hassles or red tape. The best time to start was yesterday; the second best day is today.

What about you, boaters and vessel owners, what do you think? Have you ever struggled with regulations related to watercraft, especially for older ones? Tell us your opinions and experiences on this issue.