Sailing & Boating in Portugal

Below is information on:

Safety at Sea

Emergency numbers
Accidents, Police, Ambulance	Tel: 112
Fire emergency	Tel: 117
Coast Guard / Sea Rescue (Centro de Busca e Salvamento Maritimo)
Albufeira	Tel: 214 401 919
Faro	Tel: 289 894 990
Lagos	Tel: 282 762 826
Olhão	Tel: 289 703 160
Portimão	Tel: 282 424 777
Tavira	Tel: 281 324 421
Vila Real Stº António	Tel: 281 512 035

It is important to check weather reports before setting out to sail or practise any other water sports as weather conditions can change very rapidly.

• See AngloINFO Weather for forecasts

The Portuguese Sailing Federation (Federação Portuguesa de Vela or FPV) has a website which contains contact numbers and e-mail contacts and will assist visiting sailors with information and tips on sailing in Portugal.

• Federação Portuguesa de Vela (FPV)
  At: Doca de Belém, 1300-038 Lisbon
  Tel: 213 658 500
  Fax: 213 620 215
  Website (in Portuguese)

Sailing Areas

As well as the coastal waters around Lisbon, Cascais and Estoril, Portugal has coastline stretching for nearly 1,000 Km from the Algarve to Viana do Castelo near the borders with Spain. There is plenty for the yachting enthusiast to explore off the mainland, not forgetting the islands of Madeira and the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean for more experienced sailors.

The Algarve is a popular sailing destination. Every year in February, the region hosts the Algarve International Sailing Tournament at Vilamoura. There are sailing schools, facilities and clubs in Faro, Lagoa, Loulé, Olhão, Portimão, Quartiera, Tavira, Vila Real de Santo António and Vilamoura. Boats can be chartered from several locations along the coast and boat trips are available.

Sailing as a Sport in Portugal

• Sailing and motorboats Type D can sail up to three miles from a port or haven without specific licences for the high seas
• Jet Skis (Pranchas Motorizadas) can be used only at a distance of one mile out, in hours of daylight
• A leisure boat can sail only under the command of a person who holds a Leisure and Recreation Navigation Licence (Carta de Navegador de Recreio)

The following are required:

• A medical certificate (Atestado Medico)
• A sailing licence - the class of licence is important and determines whether the person may sail for sport or leisure
• Full accident and injury insurance (Seguro de Acidentes Pessoais e de Responsabilidade Civil)

Sailing and Boating Regulations

Boating and sailing regulations can vary greatly depending on the class and craft and type of water sport being practised. For a general guide, however, the following regulations are common to all types of sailing.

Sailing Licences

Licences are issued by the Portuguese Maritime Institute (Instituto Marítima Portuguesa)

Sailing Licences issued by another European Union country are automatically valid and accepted in Portugal. Non-EU licences may be recognised and accepted in Portugal if their requisites meet European Union standards. Documents may have to be translated into Portuguese or English.

In order to apply for any kind of licence (either learners, provisional or full) the school will need to have the details of the passport or Identity Card, a signed doctor's certificate (Atestado Medico) and two colour passport sized photographs.

• A learner's licence allows the holder to sail while under instruction
• A provisional licence (Carta Provisória) is valid for 90 days after qualification until receipt of a full licence in any given category
• A full licence permits the holder to sail vessels of the named categories
• A Sports Licence (Licença Desportiva) is required by the skipper and crew to participate in races and competitions (Provas) nationally and internationally
• The licence must be renewed when the bearer reaches 50 and then 60 years of age. Thereafter the bearer must renew the licence every five years

Documents

The following documents must be on all vessels (and presented to port authorities after entry into Portuguese waters):

• Vessels and their keepers must have permits for sailing in and around port areas (Porto e Local), coastal sailing (Navegação Costeira) and open seas (Alto Mar)
• Vessels must show the national flag (Bandeira Nacional)
• Vessels must have a Sailing Logbook (Livrete da Embarcação)
• Sailors must have Sailing Licences (Carta de Desportista Náutico)
• Vessels must have a Crew List (Rol de Tripulação)
• Captain, crew and vessels must have both Sailing Authorisation and a Seaworthiness Certificate (Licença de Estado da Embarcação e Vistoria de Manutenção)
• All vessels must have a Registration Document (Vistoria de Registo)
• Vessels must have certificates and documents for lifeboat inspection (Inspecção de Jangada Pneumática)

Procedure on arrival in the Algarve Marinas

On arrival in the Algarve report to the Southern Coast Port Authority (Comando Zona Marítima do Sul) which has marinas and offices in areas including Albufeira, Lagos, Portimão and Vilamoura.

The following documents must be presented at the marina reception office:

• Vessel documents (as outlined above)
• Crew passports or identity cards for EU nationals
• Proof of VAT paid
• Insurance cover note
• Details of any crew changes to be made

Reception staff will help complete the necessary forms and distribute them to the Marine Police, SEF and Customs based at the marina.

Foreign visitors may moor in Portuguese waters for up to six months providing they register their vessel with the Port Authority and Customs by filling out a Customs Temporary Import Document for Recreational Vessels (Aduaneira Relativa à Importação para Uso Privado de Aeronaves e Barcos de Recreio). Visitors are subject to the jurisdiction of the maritime authorities and customs.

• A Sea Ministry (Ministério do Mar) Transit Visa (Livrete de Trânsito) must be filled out and signed
• The Port Authority agent must stick/stamp an entry visa on to the vessel's Logbook (Livrete de Trânsito), making copies for the relevant authorities
• Taxes may be due to the Ministério da Defesa Nacional, das Finanças e do Mar via the customs authorities
• Southern Coast Port Authority (Comando Zona Marítima do Sul)
  At: Rua Comunidade Lusíada- Capitania, 800-308 Faro
  Tel: 289 894 990

Boat tax

The annual rate for the Municipal Recreation Boat Tax (Imposto Municipal sobre Veículos (Barcos de Recreio)) depends on the power of the propulsion (Potencia de Propulsão), the vessel's weight in tonnes (Tonelagem) and its age (Ano).

The taxes can be paid in a number of ways:

• Through the Ministry of Finance website. Type in the Tax Number (Numero de Contribuinte) and supply the password (Senha) and then in the search box (Pesquisar) type in "IMV".
• At a Regional Tax Office of the Finance Department (Repartição de Ministério das Finanças), a list of which can be found in the White Pages
• At Faro Town Council (Câmara Municipal de Faro)
  At: Rua do Município, 8000-398 Faro
  Tel: 289 870 870
  Fax: 289 802 326
  e-mail 
  Website 

Regulations

Regulations fall under the authority of the Territorial Administration Ministry (Ministério do Ambiente, do Ordenamento do Território e do Desenvolvimento Regional) in its regulations governing Recreational Sailing (Regulamento da Náutica Recreio).

• Recreational boats must be officially classified – the body for classification is the Portuguese Maritime Institute (Instituto Marítima Portuguesa, IMP)
• Sailing vessels acquired in non-EU countries can only be subject to registration in Portugal on presentation of a registration document from their country of origin and a document of proof of customs clearance (Desalfandegamento)
• A boat must have a Port of Registry (Porto de Registo) and all vessels entering Portuguese territorial waters intending to moor must register at the nearest office in the Port of Registry (Repartição Marítima)

How to Register a Boat in Portugal

Registering a boat in Portugal is similar to registering a motor vehicle. A number of forms must be filled out and presented, depending on whether the applicant is the first registered owner (Primeiro Proprietário Registo), the vessel is owned by a collective group (Pessoa Colectiva) or the vessel is being sold or passed on to another/other owner(s) (Mudança de Proprietário e Transferência do Registo de Propriedade).

In all cases the following documents of all concerned parties are required:

• Owner Identification Document (Identificação e Titulo do Registo de Propriedade do Proprietário)
• Passport and/or Identity Card (Passaporte e Bilhete de Identidade)
• In the case of ownership by a collective entity, details of the registered headquarters or base of the collective
• Forms (Modelos) as appropriate: Nº 3, 4 or 5 (Pedido de Alteração de Registo)
• Vessel registration - can be done at a Property Registration Conservatory (Conservatória do Registo de Propriedade)
• Proof of Customs Clearance Certificate

The boat's Logbook (Livrete) should have the following technical information:

• vessel classification
• dimensional characteristics (length, height, width etc.)
• gauging (Arqueação)
• displacement (Lotação)
• colour and material of hull (Casco)
• colour of the superstructure
• characteristics of the engine
• type of radio communication
• type of satellite equipment (if applicable)
• declaration that it meets EU/Portuguese emissions standards
• safety equipment and means of fighting a fire
• type of bilge drains

Marinas in the Algarve

There are marinas in Albufeira, Lagos, Portimão, Vilamoura, Vila Real de Santo António, Faro and Tavira. The fees for mooring vary according to the marina. When arriving at a marina the boat's captain must make a request for a mooring position (Pedidio de Acolhiment).

A form (Formulario) will need to be filled out and payment must be made for the period of stay (Pagamento da Estadia). Details will include name(s), telephone contact, e-mail, number, flag, port of registry, size, and the number of days anticipated stay.

The contact details for the main marinas are as follows:

• Marina de Albufeira
  Tel: 289 514 282
  e-mail 
  Website 
• Marina de Lagos
  Tel: 282 770 210
  e-mail 
  Website
• Marina de Portimão
  Tel:282 400 680
  e-mail 
  Website 
• Marina de Vilamoura
  Tel: 289 310 560
  e-mail 
  Website 
• Faro Harbour
  At: Apartado 58, 8000 Faro
  Tel: 289 823 434
  Fax: 289 807 604
  e-mail

Sailing & Water Sports Clubs

• Club de Vela de Lagos
  Tel: 282 762 256
  e-mail 
  Website (in Portuguese)
• CIMAV - Club Internacional da Marina de Vilamoura
  Tel: 289 302 536
  e-mail 
• Clube Naútico de Tavira
  Tel: 281 326 858
  e-mail 
  Website  (in Portuguese)
• Club Naval de Portimão
  Tel: 282 417 529
  e-mail 
  Website (in Portuguese)
• Ginásio Clube Naval de Faro (GCNF)
  At: Doca de Faro, 8000 Faro
  Tel: 289 823 434
  e-mail 
• Grupo Naval de Olhão (GNO)
  At: Apartado 146, 8702 Olhão Codex
  Tel: 289 703 519
• Iate Clube Atlântico (ICA)
  At: Edifício Marina Praia Vilamoura, 8125 Quarteira
  Tel: 289 322 802
• Clube Náutico do Arade
  At: Mexilhoeira da Carregação, 8400 Lagoa
  Tel: 282 485 929
  e-mail 
• Federação de Jet Ski 
• Federação de Pesca Desportiva (sports fishing)
• Federação de Pesca Desportivo de Alto Mar (deep sea fishing)

Sailing Vocabulary

Portuguese	English
Barco	boat
Colete de Segurança	life jacket
Cruise	cruising
Excursão	excursion
Iate	yacht
Marinheiro/navegador	sailor
Mergulho	diving
Mergulhar	to dive
Motor	engine, motor boat
Navegação	sailing
Navegar	to sail
Navio	ship
Ondas	waves
Passeio de Barco	boating trip
Provas	races, competitions
Regata à Vela	regatta
Vela	sailing boat, sail
Veleiro	sailing boat
Velejar	sailing
Zarpar	sail away, sail off, lift anchor

Further Information

• Portuguese Sailing Federation (Federação Portuguesa de Vela - FPV)
  At: Doca de Belém, 1300-038 Lisbon
  Tel: 213 658 500
  Fax: 213 620 215
  Website (in Portuguese)
• International Sailing Federation
• ANC - National Association of Cruisers (Associação Nacional de Cruzeiros) has a lot of information on all aspects of sailing in Portugal
• World Port Source
• Maralgarve (in Portuguese)
• Sportocean
• Immigration Services (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras de Faro)
  At: Rua Luís de Camões n.º 5, 8000-388 Faro
  Tel: 289 805 822
  Fax: 289 801 566
  e-mail
  Website
• Faro Customs (Alfândega de Faro)
  At: Av. da República n.º 4, 8000-079 Faro
  Tel: 289 898 550
  Fax: 289 898 559
  e-mail
• Southern Coast Port Authority (Comando Zona Marítima do Sul)
  At: Rua Comunidade Lusíada Capitania, 8000-308 Faro
  Tel: 289 894 990
  Fax: 289 894 996
• Direcção Geral da Autoridade Marítima
  Tel: 213 255 466
  Fax: 213 424 137
  e-mail