Sailing & Boating in Almería & Granada

Along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Andalucía there are many marinas fully equipped to offer sailing and water sports facilities to visitors.

Safety Information

Service	Telephone
Police	Tel: 112
Sea Rescue Service (Salvamento Maritimo)	Tel: 900 202 202 Website
Almería Rescue Centre (Centro de Coordinación de Salvamento Almería) At: Muelle Levante planta 12, 04071 Almería	Tel: 950 270 715 Tel: 950 271 726 Tel: 250 275 477
Spanish National Meteorological Office	Website
Weather info for the Andalucían coast and the Canaries	Tel: 807 170 373

Permits Required

A sailing permit or licence (título de recreo) is not needed to sail following vessels during daylight hours in Spanish waters:

• Motor boats up to 4 meters in length and with a maximum power of 10 Kw (13 CV)
• Sailing boats up to 5 metres in length
• Kayaks, canoes and pedal boats and boats with motors of under 3.5 Kw
• For further information: Click here (in Spanish)

All other vessels may only be handled by a person holding an appropriate licence. Failure to have a licence may result in the vessel being confiscated or a hefty fine.

Although a Yacht Masters Certificate (and translation into Spanish) or an ICC (International Certificate of Competence) are considered sufficient proof of competence to skipper a UK (or some other) flagged vessel, the ICC is not a recognised qualification for Spanish flagged vessels. Anyone resident in Spain must have a Spanish recognised qualification, the título de recreo.

Note: this information applies to recreational (not professional skipper) licences only.

Licences categories

Licences fall into the following categories:

• Patrón de Navegación Básica (PNB) (Basic Navigation Skipper)
  Licence to skipper a sailing yacht maximum 8 metres in length or a motor boat maximum 6 metres (with a motor appropriate to the size) provided the boats stay within 4 miles of the shore
• Patrón de Embarcaciones de Recreo (PER) (Recreational Vessel's Skipper)
  Licence to skipper a motor boat up to 12 metres, within 12 miles of shore
• Patrón de Yate (Yacht Master)
  Licence to skipper a yacht up to 20 metres within 60 miles of land
• Capitán de Yate (Yacht Captain)
  No limitations
• Patrón de Moto Náutica (Motor Boat Skipper)
• Patrón de Moto Náutica C (licence C to skipper boats under 55 CV)
• Patrón de Moto Náutica B (licence B to skipper boats between 55 CV and 110 CV)
• Patrón de Moto Náutica A (licence A to skipper boats from 110 CV

Getting a Licence

The título de recreo is applied for and issued either by a school recognised by the Spanish Dirección General de la Marina Mercante or one of the Autonomous Communities. A medical certificate (certificado médico) is needed and the exam includes a series of safety, navigability and boat basic principles tests. The título de recreo is issued once the applicant has passed a theory and practical exam (it varies in length and difficulty depending on the size of vessel). A good level of Spanish is required to take this exam.

Some foreign boating permits are recognised in Spain including the US Coast Guard Licence and the RYA Yacht Master Certification and the International Certificate of Competence and exemption can be acquired. Consult the local marina for details as rules vary by region.

Yacht training schools

There are training schools throughout the country. Most offer the basic security and navigation procedures course, practical courses and preparation for the título de recreo. Some can also convert and validate foreign licences.

• To find locations in Spain offering courses: Click here and select the appropriate region

Complementary courses include:

• International Regulations to Prevent Collisions at Sea (Reglamento Internacional para la Prevención de Abordajes en la Mar)
• Mediterranean Sea: Winds Journal (Mediterráneo. Cuaderno de Vientos)

Practical lessons:

• Basic Security and Navigation Procedures - Navigation area: Minor and Mediterranean seas (Prácticas Básicas de Seguridad y Navegación – Zona de Navegación Mar Menor y Mediterráneo)
• Basic Security and Navigation Procedures - other navigation areas (Prácticas Básicas de Seguridad y Navegación – otras zonas de Navegación)
• Practical Navigation Courses (Cursos de Navegación Práctica)

Foreign Boats & Spanish Customs

Boat owners should clear customs if entering Spain for the first time. The following documents are required:

• registration papers
• crew passports
• certificate of competence
• evidence of the boat's VAT status
• crew list with passport details
• radio licence
• certificate of insurance
• A VAT paid or exempt yacht can apply for a permiso aduanero.

A VAT paid or exempt yacht can apply for a permiso aduanero. With this document, the boat owner can remain in Spain indefinitely. Boats registered outside the EU on which VAT has not been paid may be imported into the EU and remain for no more than six months in any twelve, after that VAT becomes due. This period can be extended by prior arrangement with the local custom authorities. Foreign vessels must fly their own national maritime flag together with the courtesy flag of Spain.

Registering a boat or yacht

Registration (Matriculación) under the Spanish flag is required for boats spending over 182 days a year in Spanish waters. The majority of Capitania Maritima (Maritime Authorities) are able to register/re-register vessels. The Commandancia de Marina Mercante can also carry out this procedure. The cost of registration includes a matriculation tax of 12 percent of the vessel's value.

There are also rules concerning the vessel's inventory. Local capitania can provide a list of equipment boats should carry.

Insurance

Third party liability insurance is mandatory for all motor yachts, jet skis and jet bikes and all sailing yachts over six metres. Insurance documents must be kept on board. If the competent authorities board a vessel and do not find this paperwork, the owner will have five days in which to prove the vessel is insured.

Shipping Dispatch

This formality required by the Capitania Maritima ensures all civil vessels meet with necessary administrative requirements.

Sailing boats and small motor boats under six metres in length are exempt from the Shipping Dispatch. Consult the local Capitania or marina for details.

Ports in Almería and Granada

The main ports are as follows:

• Almería Port
  At: Playas de Almadrabillas 1, 04007 Almería
  Tel: 950 230 780 / 950 230 599
  Fax: 950 261 147
  e-mail
  Website (in Spanish)
• Adria Port
  At: C/ Paseo Marítimo 17, 04770 Adra (Almería)
  Tel: 950 401 053
  Fax: 950 560 593
  e-mail
• Punta de la Mona Port
  Situated: Almuñecar / Granada
  Tel: 958 640 801
  Fax: 958 827 240
  e-mail 
• Motril Port (Granada)
  Situated: Granada
  e-mail 
• For a full list of ports along the Costa de Almería: Click here
• For a full list of ports and marinas in Andalucía: Click here (select Marinas and follow the links)

Sailing & Water sports in Almería and Granada

In Almería and Granada, marinas and puertos deportivos offer windsurf, waterskiing, canoeing, sailing and sailing courses.

• For a complete list from Andalucía.org: Click here (select a region)
• To find out more about water sports in Andalucía: Click here (select water sports)

Further Information

• Andalucía Sailing Federation (Federación Andaluza de Vela)
  Tel: 956 852 239
• Spanish Motor Boat Federation (Federación Espanola de Motonautica)
  At: Avenida de America 33-41B, 28002 Madrid
  Tel: (91) 415 3769 / 519 0469
• Royal Spanish Sailing Federation (Real Federación Española de Vela)
  At: Calle Luis de Salazar 9, Madrid
  Website 
• Spanish Ministerio de Fomento (in English)
• Almería Capitania
  Tel: 950 244 494
• Motril Capitania
  Tel: 958 601 059