Boating

Recreational boating is the generic term for non- commercially-operated cruise with any watercraft on all types of waters ( inland, coastal and deep sea ), and sets the contrast to commercially operated commercial vessels dar.

The term was, strictly speaking, a sub-item of the recreational boating; however, this term is not common and is, if anything, usually used as a " sports and recreational boating ."

History

The recreational boating in the modern sense began around the year 1910, when combustion engines were reliable and so small that they could be installed in watercraft. At the same strong engine power, these motors were much smaller, cheaper, and easier to use than the hitherto usual steam engines. Those who could afford it, bought a "pleasure boat " as the name for sports and leisure boats at the time was. Just around cities such as Berlin, Paris, London and Constantinople Opel boomed around the dissemination of such vessels, which meant that the competent authorities began to make a statutory distinction between the commercial and pleasure craft in the States.

In the economic boom to the stock market crash of 1928, the "pleasure boats" were getting bigger and more seaworthy. Even before 1920, the defined differences between commercial and non-commercial seafaring of the inland navigation on the (high) Maritime had been extended.

Legal differences to commercial shipping

The biggest differences between commercial and recreational navigation from a legal perspective can be summarized as follows:

• Depending on the state are simpler or no maritime patents for guiding non-commercial watercraft necessary.

So there are in Germany two limits: From 15 hp or more than 11.03 kW mechanical drive power, measured at the prop shaft ( or on the drive shaft of the engine located at a Flettnerantrieb ) is a boating license required. From 15 meters overall length (LOA, LOA ) of the vessel, the Yachtsmen certificate / Rhein sports master's certificate is required on inland waterways also. On some inland waters, for example in Berlin, a boat license is also required from a particular sail area. In other states, there are some different rules.

In Norway, for example, counts only the LOA of the vessel, which ends no license was 14.99 m.

In Sweden, the possible top speed of the boat is only as of the driver's license required. The limit is at 40 knots ( almost 75 km / h) pulled.

The same applies to Denmark, where the driver's license requirement from the boat length to the square of results plus the number 3; that is, a boat with 6 m length needed from an engine of more than 39 kW for keeping a boat license.

Visit a ship the territorial waters of other states, so apply on board the license regulations of the country whose flag the ship. A driver's license gets rid of freedom but not from the requirement that the skipper has to know the traffic rules while driving his watercraft and equipment, as well as to be able to lead his watercraft at all. It may also be that even in a previously license free water vehicle in certain heavy traffic regions (for example, on the Rhine in Germany ) the license exemption shall already at lower than the usual borders or do not exist.

• Some busy shipping lanes, such as the North Sea-Baltic Canal, should not be attempted at night, dusk or poor visibility of pleasure boats, regardless of the driver's license of the captain.
• Although there are on certain waters ( eg in Germany on the Rhine River ), under certain circumstances (eg after reaching the high water mark 1 at reference level ) also for pleasure boats an obligation to operate a radio ( walkie testimony is necessary for this ). The devices do not need to be duplicated in contrast to commercial shipping. In addition, there is no compulsory pilotage waters for pleasure boats, as long as the vehicle specific sizes (eg in the North Sea-Baltic Canal 500 GRT) does not exceed.

The difference between commercial and non-commercial shipping can not always be moor definitely on the size of the watercraft. A large luxury yacht can be considered a sport boat quite legally, while a small boat of a frigate, a passenger ship or a shipyard for commercial shipping matters, because it is operated for commercial purposes.