1.4.1 Registration of recreational craft – Mercantile Marine Act 1955 as amended

1.4 Legislation applicable to recreational craft greater than 15 net registered tonnes (NRT)

(1) the International Code of

Signals as currently maintained by the International Maritime Organization

1.4.1 Registration of recreational craft – Mercantile Marine Act 1955 as amended

(2) Illustrated table of Life Saving

Signals (See Appendix 1)

(3) Relevant and applicable Marine

Applicable legislation:

Notices [Marine Notices are published on the Department of Transport website at https:// www.gov.ie/en/collection/ e762fd-marine-notices/]

Mercantile Marine Act 1955, as amended.

“An Act to provide for the national character, ownership and registry of Irish ships, for the mortgage, sale, transfer and measurement of tonnage of such ships.”

(4) Mariners Handbook

(5) Notices to Mariners, as relevant,

as issued by local Port Authority

(6) Nautical Almanac

Registration imparts nationality on a vessel and brings it within the legal jurisdiction of the flag it flies. Therefore, Irish law applies to an Irish Flagged vessel even though it may be travelling worldwide. A vessel’s registration papers establish its bona fides in a very similar manner as a national passport does for an individual. Registration may establish criminal jurisdiction in the event of an incident or accident in international waters.

(7) Navigational Tables

(8) Admiralty Lists of Radio Signals

(9) Lists of Lights

(10) Sailing Directions

(11) Tide Tables

(12) Tidal Stream Atlases

(13) Operating and maintenance

instructions for navigational aids carried by the vessel

(14) Volume III of the International

Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) manual.

A major advantage of registration is the establishment of Title to the vessel, i.e. who actually owns it. This is essential if planning to take the boat overseas. There are also financial aspects to registration – lending institutions will only offer marine mortgages on registered craft, and mortgages on all such craft are recorded.

NOTE: A recreational craft that is less than 12 metres in length that goes out to sea or attempts to go out to sea is required to carry an Illustrated Table of Life Saving Signals.

It is also possible to carry digital publications.