[denzil]

Me again.
On a side note to my Spanish Licence problem i'd like to pick your brains.
Lets say you have a licence to 24m. Is this waterline length or LOA. I'm sure i remember reading that waterline length could be used although i now cannot find the legislation anywhere. Any licence brainiacs able to shed some light? If this guy can use waterline length his problem is solved.

[GrahamF]

From what i understand if you have a yachtmaster ticket it allows you upto 200 tons or 24 meters waterline length. That is what was said to me when i did my ticket.

[denzil]

yeah thats what i thought. If that is the same for this Spanish 20m ticket job should be sorted. Here's hoping

[AMG]

I have never heard of waterline length as a definition of a ships length. The normal is to measure the deck over the hull where it is a closed volume. This is part of calculating the tonnage. A simplified measuring is the overall length without bowsprit, rubrails and swimplatform. The latter normally gives a higher figure.

[techmati]

yes MCA refers to load line length

LOAD LINE LENGTH is defined as the greater of the following distances:
The distance between the fore part of the stem to the aft and the axis of the rudder stock OR 96% of the distance between the fore side of the stem and the aft of the stern. The points and measurements being taken respectively at and along a waterline at 85% of the least moulded depth of the ship. In the case of a ship having a rake of keel the waterline shall be parallel to the designed waterline.

[Garry Hartshorn]

The IMO refers to 2 methods for measurement to determine crew qualifications and manning

TONNES GRT.......Gross Registered Tonnes

Length LBP.........Length Between Perpendiculars usually forward and aft collision bulkheads but sometimes they use the rudderpost or I think it's 90% of the uppermost watertight deck

However each flag state authority may interperate this as they see fit.