MCA Coding & Boat Licence

MCA Coding

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Code of Practice applies to all small (<24m) vessels, carrying less than 12 passengers and used for commercial purposes, operating within British waters or under a British flag.

All such vessels are required by law to comply with this Code of Practice, and carry certificates issued by an Authorised Certifying Authority. The MCA appoints various agencies to administer the code on its behalf.

Boat Licence

For certain vessels, operating within the Category D sheltered waters only – such as around the Solent, the Solent & Southern Harbour Masters Association (SASHMA) offers a more straightforward and lower cost alternative to the MCA coding, subject to the following main caveats:

  • Applies to vessels that do not go “to sea”, meaning activity is limited to within Cat D waters, as defined by SASHMA (see an example of CAT D waters below)
  • Carry a maximum of 12 passengers for hire or reward
  • Vessels that are built for pleasure purposes
  • Vessels that are constructed to the EU RCD
  • Subject to a first initial survey, and then every 5 years
  • Hold £5 million public liability insurance

For situations that fulfil the above criteria, a “Local Authority Boat Licence” or “Pleasure Boat Licence” as it is also called can be granted for the vessel.

This would be issued by the local authority or navigation authority of the area/waterway where you will be using the vessel.

Example of a CAT D water

Each local authority or Harbour Master will have specific well defined Cat D waters where this Licence can be applied to.

For example, for Hamble River or Southampton, the area permitted is described in the SASHMA Guidelines as:

“Inside the Isle Of Wight within an area bounded by lines drawn between the church spire, West Wittering, to Trinity Church, Bembridge, to the eastward and the Needles and Hurst Point to the westward.”

This in effect means that any pleasure craft operating within the Solent between these areas can opt for a Boat Licence rather than the more onerous MCA Coding.

Survey requirement

An out of the water hull survey is required initially and is valid for five years. After that a hull survey is required every 5 years.

For further information and services that Solent Marine Surveys can offer on Boat Licences and SASHMA licencing guidelines, please do contact us.

 

Members of SASHMA include

  • Alderney CI
  • Beaulieu River Management
  • Bembridge
  • Bridport
  • Chichester Harbour Conservancy Board
  • Cowes Harbour Commissioners
  • Guernsey CI
  • Hamble
  • Jersey CI
  • Langstone Harbour Board
  • Littlehampton
  • Lyme Regis
  • Lymington Harbour Commissioners
  • Newport IOW
  • Newtown IOW
  • Poole Harbour Commissioners
  • Portland
  • Portsmouth City Council – Portsmouth International Port
  • Queen’s Harbour Master, Portsmouth
  • Shoreham
  • Southampton, Associated British Ports
  • Weymouth
  • Yarmouth (IOW) Harbour Commissioners

J97 racing in The Solent