getting on the water on your own boat is always a holiday, but it requires serious preparation and compliance with the law. Many owners of inflatable boats and boats mistakenly believe that it is enough to manage them just to be able to stay afloat, but the law strictly regulates access to management. State Inspectorate for Small-Sized Courts (GIMS)which provides the relevant certificates.
Since 2014, the categorization system has undergone significant changes, bringing together pre-existing categories into a single standard, and now, instead of dividing into “motorists” and “shipmasters”, there is a single category “small vessels used for non-commercial purposes”. boat-engine Or a ready-made vessel.
In this article, we will discuss in detail what rights will be required for your particular case, whether you need to register a boat and how to avoid serious fines when meeting with inspectors on the water.
Basics of legislation and the need for registration
The fundamental document regulating the ownership and management of floating craft is the Code of Administrative Offences and orders of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia. According to current regulations, small vessels whose weight, together with the installed engine, exceeds the mass of the installed engine are subject to mandatory registration in the GIMS. 200 kilogramsThis is a key parameter that determines the legal status of your property.
If your boat is in running order plus the engine weight is less than this mark, you do not need to register and get license plates on it, but this does not remove the responsibility for compliance with the rules of safety on the water. Even for a light inflatable boat with a low-power engine, the inspector can check for life jackets and other alarms.
⚠️ Attention: Failure to register a boat subject to a record is punishable by a fine, and driving an unregistered vessel is equated to driving without a number, which may delay the vehicle until the circumstances are clarified.
If you change the engine to a more powerful one, and the total weight exceeds the limit, you must register again. small-boat illegal.
How is the mass of the boat calculated?
The weight of the vessel is determined by the manufacturer's documents, and if the documents are lost, a control weighing is performed, including the weight of the hull, the attachments installed permanently, and the weight of the engine.
Uniform category of rights and types of engines
Today, the small boat license lists a single category of rights, but the boat box does specify the type of engine you can drive, and that's the nuance that determines whether you can legally operate a particular boat. There are two main types of propulsion systems that are licensed to you, with and without an outboard motor (sailing, rowing).
For most owners, the ability to manage boats with outboardIf your license only states that you can drive a sailing or rowing vessel, even a small electric motor would require you to retake an exam or open a new category, a common mistake that has led many anglers to get fines using quiet electric motors.
There is also a power division, although formally the same category of rights: the rights give the right to operate boats with an engine capacity of up to 84.04 kW (which is approximately 114.29 hp). If your engine power exceeds this limit, it is not required the category of GIMS, but a certificate of a boatmaster issued by training centers of Rosmorrechflot, which is equivalent to the management of a professional fleet.
Requirements for candidates for eligibility
Obtaining a boatmaster's license is an affordable procedure, but it requires a number of conditions: the state sets clear criteria for admission of citizens to examinations in order to minimize risks on the water, primarily regarding the age and health of the potential captain.
Here are the basic requirements that the candidate must meet:
- 🎂 Age: Until that age, driving a motorboat is prohibited, even in the presence of adults.
- 🏥 Medical certificate: Availability of a valid document of the form 003-V / y, confirming the absence of contraindications to driving vehicles.
- 🎓 Education: Complete secondary education (9th or 11th grades) or a document on vocational training.
- 📚 Training: Successful completion of courses in a training center accredited by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia.
A medical certificate is a critical document, which must state that the owner is fit to operate small vessels, a regular driver's certificate for a car is often not enough, you need to check with the doctor whether the relevant category is available, and the validity of such a certificate is usually one year from the date of issue.
The learning process includes the theoretical part, which learns the rules of navigation, the design of the vessel and the basics of first aid, as well as the practical part, the practice is carried out on the water or on special simulators that simulate the behavior of the vessel in various conditions, only after successfully passing both stages, a certificate of completion of the courses is issued, which allows you to take the exam at GIMS.
GIMS exam process
The final stage of obtaining the rights is to take the exam directly in the GIMS unit. The exam consists of two parts: theoretical and practical. Only persons who have submitted a full package of documents, including a certificate of completion of the course and a medical certificate, are allowed to enter the theoretical exam.
The theory is given in the form of computer testing, and the candidate is offered a ticket containing questions about the rules of navigation, the boat's design, emergency operations and the basics of legislation, and most questions must be answered correctly to successfully pass the theory, and if the theory is not passed on the first attempt, a retake is scheduled, usually in a week.
☑️ Documents for the GIMS exam
The practical part is on the water. The examiner assesses the skills of mooring, maneuvering, approaching the berth and acting in man-over-board situations. It is important to demonstrate confident ownership of the vessel and knowledge of navigation signs. In some regions, where the water season is not yet open or weather conditions do not allow, the practice can be surrendered on simulators.
⚠️ Attention: When you pass, you can't use navigation charts or handbooks, you can use memory and skills you've learned during your training, and you can make a mistake in determining the direction of the light or the sign, and you can be fatal in your evaluation.
Specifics of hydrocycle management
So, you have to pay special attention to jet skis, and although technically it's also a small boat, the license to run a jet ski is marked, and just having a license to drive a boat doesn't automatically give you the right to drive a jet ski, and vice versa.
Hydrocycles are classified as small craft used for non-commercial purposes, but their management requires specific skills due to their high maneuverability and lack of braking system in the traditional sense.
It is worth noting that jet skis are subject to mandatory registration with GIMS regardless of their weight and engine power, this rule applies without exception, so when buying a jet ski, you automatically become the owner of a registered vessel and you must have all the documents on board, including a boat's certificate.
Table of conformity of parameters and requirements
For ease of perception of the requirements for different types of boats and rights, here is a summary table that will help you quickly navigate the need to register and obtain a license depending on the specifications of your boat.
| Type of vessel | Mass (boat + motor) | Engine power | Registration with GIMS | Rights (category) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflatable boat | 200 kg | 10 hp. | Not required | Not required |
| Boat/PVC boat | more than 200 kg | Any (up to 114bhp) | Required. | Required (MS) |
| Hydrocycle | Anything. | Anything. | Always required. | Required (MS) |
| Sailboat | more than 200 kg | No, up to 10bhp. | Required (if >200kg) | Required (if >10 hp) |
| Boat (industrial) | Anything. | over 114 hp | Required. | BoatWise's diploma |
Keep checks and passports for the boat and the engine. When weighing at the GIMS point or when buying used equipment, it is the manufacturer's documents that will be the primary proof of the vessel's mass.
Fines and liability of the skipper
Violation of the rules of operation of small craft entails administrative liability; fines can vary depending on the severity of the violation; the absence of rights on yourself, even if you have them but forgotten at home, entails a fine; Driving without the right to drive (if there are no rights at all or they are not in the same category) – the fine is much higher.
The inspectors pay special attention to the state of intoxication, which means that driving a boat or jet ski intoxicated with alcohol or drugs is equivalent to a similar violation on the car, which can not only be a large fine, but also the deprivation of the right to drive all vehicles, as well as the arrest of the vessel.
They also get fines for not wearing life jackets based on the number of passengers, for breaking overtaking and speed rules near the shore, for swimming in the wrong places, and it's important to understand that water doesn't forgive mistakes, and the laws are written in the blood of the victims.
⚠️ Attention: Repeated violations of the rules within a year can lead to the seizure of the boat and its placement in the parking lot, and equipment can be taken only after the reasons for detention and payment of all fines and storage costs have been eliminated.
The main conclusion: owning a boat is not only a pleasure, but also a responsibility. The processing of all documents (rights, registration, insurance of the OSGOP) takes a little time, but guarantees a relaxing rest and no problems with the law.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I need a 5-hp outboard motor?
The rights are not required if the total weight of the boat with this engine does not exceed 200 kg. If the boat is heavy and in the sum of the engine weight is more than 200 kg, then the rights of category "M" (small vessels) are mandatory, regardless of the power of the engine.
Can I drive a boat with a license to a jet ski?
No, you can't. The license must have a mark on it, the license to the jet ski gives you the right to drive only jet skis, and you need a separate mark or category opening in GIMS to operate a motor boat.
Where can I take the exam for the right: only at the place of residence?
The exam can be taken at any unit of the GIMS of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the country, but this often requires temporary registration in the region of the exam or the presence of a contract with the training center that takes exams in the region.
How long is the boatmaster's licence valid?
The certificate for the right to drive a small vessel is issued for a period of 10 years. After this period, you must undergo an extension procedure, which is usually easier than the initial receipt (often does not require retraining, only an exam).
Do I have to take my documents to the boat if it is not registered?
It is advisable to carry copies of checks or passport photos for the boat and motor, which will help to prove to the inspector when meeting on the water that your boat is not subject to registration and rights are not required.