UK Part 1 Registered or SSR ?

[simonmd]

So whats the difference between a standard UK Part 1 registration and an SSR (Small Ships Register) and why are there these two ways of doing it?

Also, if being Part 1 turns out to be better (as I suspect), is it easy to transfer an SSR registered vessel onto Part 1 as a new owner?

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by simonmd

So whats the difference between a standard UK Part 1 registration and an SSR (Small Ships Register)

Horses mouth probably best:-

UK Ship Register - Pleasure Craft/Small Ships

I would add that whilst Part 1 (the old "Blue Book" registration) is pretty much as good as it gets on proving ownership of a UK vessel in one handy document, it is not 100% conclusive evidence of ownership.........which is why the Part 1 registration documentation has written on it "not evidence of title" (or summit similar).

Other Countries take a different approach where Registration is title. But you probably knew that already

and why are there these two ways of doing it?

Blame the French SSR was a fudge (back in the 80's?) to keep the French happy that all visiting vessels had to be registered somewhere (in UK still no requirement to register a vessel - and if never leaving UK waters no need to do so).........requirements so low (and self declared) that at one time could register a lawnmower on the SSR (no idea if still the same), so apart from keeping Johnny Foreigner happy (and it does) no real value to the SSR.

Also, if being Part 1 turns out to be better (as I suspect), is it easy to transfer an SSR registered vessel onto Part 1 as a new owner?

Am pretty sure SSR doesn't cut off any of the requirements for Part 1 (see comments above on Lawnmowers ).

[simonmd]

Trust the French to make things complicated! Still not sure why SSR was required though, surely couldn't any vessels visiting France just get Part 1 registered? Or was it that, as you say, ANYTHING could get it so it was just easier?

The reason i'm asking, if you haven't guessed, is that i'm interested a in UK flaged boat but it's on the SSR. Now, i'm not too worried about 'full title', etc. but want to know if there is any good reason for needing to upgrade it to full part 1? ie, certain countries requlations, insurance, etc.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by simonmd

Trust the French to make things complicated! Still not sure why SSR was required though, surely couldn't any vessels visiting France just get Part 1 registered? Or was it that, as you say, ANYTHING could get it so it was just easier?

I think it was simply a cheap / easy solution - Part 1 does cost a lot more.

The reason i'm asking, if you haven't guessed, is that i'm interested a in UK flaged boat but it's on the SSR. Now, i'm not too worried about 'full title', etc. but want to know if there is any good reason for needing to upgrade it to full part 1? ie, certain countries requlations, insurance, etc.

Again, that link probably your best bet for hard facts - but from memory the other main difference between SSR and Part 1 (in addition to cost & paperwork) is that SSR is only for an individual, whereas Part 1 can be Corporate........this matters as the Owner must be a UK resident (although I can't recall the exact definition of that - the link will have the details ).

Used to be a time when SSR was looked at more sniffily (if spending £100k plus on a new boat why go "only" SSR?) but I think life has moved on a bit over the years ......the only other thing that springs to mind is that lenders like Part 1 as can register a debt against the vessel, and whilst that might not matter to you when buying - when selling could make the vessel less attractive to some buyers. No legal requirement for a boat loan to be secured using the Part 1 register, just the practical one - not on = no loan

[Pete7]

I think the other point is you have to prove ownership from the first point of sale for Part 1. Easy on a new boat the dealer will do it for you. However, on a boat that has several owners and moved location all the more difficult without a complete set of bills of sale. The other point is cost. SSR £25 for 5 years no questions asked if its a lawnmower or not , just as long as you have a UK address.

Part 1 however, now getting expensive, ours due again in 2012. We have the original blue book, but the latest version is a piece of laminated paper nothing like as authoritive when you need to impress some customs officer in a far away port.

Oh, just checked, re-registration £49 so not too bad.

Pete

[simonmd]

Thanks guys, a great help. So, as a UK citizen, not requiring corporate or ever needing to and not requiring finance or likely to worry about a future buyer requiring it (as to be honest, it's a pretty cheap boat), there is no real reason for me to bother getting it Part 1 registered. Is that right?

Oh and I know what you mean about the Part 1 cert'. My motoryacht is P1 registered and the laminated cert' is hardly foolproof is it? I could probably knock up a copy on my PC that was an exact match!

Funny how a £500 car has a 'proper certificate' but an £80,000 yacht has this thing! Still, at least it's waterproof.......

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by simonmd

Thanks guys, a great help. So, as a UK citizen, not requiring corporate or ever needing to and not requiring finance or likely to worry about a future buyer requiring it (as to be honest, it's a pretty cheap boat), there is no real reason for me to bother getting it Part 1 registered. Is that right?

As your summary did not include where you are resident, from that link:-

"For the purpose of registering a small ship (SSR) it means an owner lives in the UK for periods which add up to 185 days or more in a 12 month period. If you are a resident in the UK for tax purposes, you will generally be regarded as a resident"

In line with general UK policy, you being a UK Citizen have no more rights than any Tom, Dick or Johnny Foreigner who arrived in the UK 5 minutes ago..........and once you are no longer resident within the UK have less rights than them

On that one I shall stop there


(My addition)

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by simonmd

Trust the French to make things complicated! Still not sure why SSR was required though, surely couldn't any vessels visiting France just get Part 1 registered? Or was it that, as you say, ANYTHING could get it so it was just easier?

The reason i'm asking, if you haven't guessed, is that i'm interested a in UK flaged boat but it's on the SSR. Now, i'm not too worried about 'full title', etc. but want to know if there is any good reason for needing to upgrade it to full part 1? ie, certain countries requlations, insurance, etc.

SSR was brought in as a low cost registration to keep the EU/France happy.. back then most of the Sth coast was covered with 21 to 27ft low budget cruisers and was run by the RYA.. who kept it as cheap as possible for the thousands of its members who were in the 'lower classes' but still liked to pop across the 'Ditch' once in a while for 'booze and baccy' which was tons cheaper... non smoking, non drinking crew were especially in demand back then coz you could claim their allowance...
If memory serves me well it started at 5quid for the five years... a lot of those people are now gone as when the Crown took over the tidal rights from the shoreline property owners and multiplied the charges by 5 times what the B/yards were charging.. they could no longer afford the luxury..
My old yard in Poole, Lilliput Yacht Station closed down because of that one.. just killed his profits dead.
Things are a lot Posher now.... LOL
No need to upgrade.. he just sends his reg form back and you fill form and pay the dosh... a coupla weeks and your good to go... its acceptable everywhere as its now run by a Government Dept

[simonmd]

Fair enough, I won't let it bother me then. As for my 'residential status', I am still officialy (ahem) a UK resident. Put it this way, I have a UK address I can use and haven't applied for residential status in any other country.

[surfmachine]

Ahoy, I am an aussie citizen, dont live in the UK, but have a neice who lives there and I can use her address. I am buying a london registered ssr yacht in indonesia, can I transfer the rego to my name if I am not a UK resident? Or is the rego closed at sale time and I have to register it again myself in the UK? Would be nice to keep the UK ssr rego! Takes so long to register a yacht with the aussie system.
Thanks from Keith.

[StraitofDover]

Just one thing to remember about Part 1 registration. If the yacht has not been registered before on Part 1 she will have to be measured. YBDSA will do this for yachts and it costs 220 pounds if it is less than 20m on top of the 153 pounds you have to pay the UKSR. Just going through this with my present yacht I have just purchased.