buying boat in uk

[kolera]

Hello!
I would need to get some informacion about what a foreigner need to buy a boat in the uk, the boat has a uk flag and i want to keep that if posible.
Do i need anything more then an adress? and do they requiere anykind of navegacion titel?
and if someone know what i need for the insurance and the taxes aswell?
hope that someone can help me out.

[Zanshin]

It depends upon your residency and nationality. If you are a EU national then a mailing address in the UK might be sufficient - both small craft and full registration. The UK has no licensing rules, but you will have to register your VHF (if present) with OFCOM (for free) and in order to use the VHF you will need a SRC or better certificate. That's all you need.
Registration fees and taxes are low and the "red ensign" is a good flag to have.
Does the boat you intend on purchasing have VAT paid? If so and you want to keep the V.A.T. status, the boat will have to be in the UK when the sale is consummated, otherwise the VAT status will be lost.

[kolera]

thank you so much for your replay,
Do you know if its an obligation to register the radio?
and if so if they accept a spanish degree?
i know that for exampel in sweden its possible to make the course throught internet, does that option excist in the uk aswell?
that way maybe its easyer to take the course there then to verify a foreign degree.
i dont have the information about the vat since its not actually me buying the boat, im trying to help out a friend. but right now the boat is in spain and i think the idea if its possible is to avoid taking it to the uk if its possible.
thanks again.

[Zanshin]

The VHF and SSB registration is done through OFCOM and they assign you your MMSI numbers - free of charge and no license is required. That means that the radios (VHF, SSB, EPIRB, etc.) is registered to the ship. You need a license in order to legally use the VHF and SSB deivces, the SRC and LRC respectively [except in emergencies, when all is allowed]. The UK tickets are among the easier ones and I recall reading that in Germany the UK SRC is not accepted (for Germans) but apart from that if you have one valid license from the EU it should be acceptable anywhere. The SRC course is interesting and goes into repetitive detail on correctly using DSC to submit various type of messages in correct format. The LRC is a bit strange - part of the examination is using a simulated INMARSAT-C teletype-like radio to submit requests and I know of no private sailor who has an INMARSAT-C device aboard.

If the boat is UK registered and has radio(s) then they must be registered.