If you propose taking a trip across the Channel this summer by boat to France, Spain or Holland plan ahead and make sure you have all the documentation you might need before you leave.
On many occasions you won't be asked for them, but you can face lots of problems if you should meet an official who insists on checking you out “by the book” and wants to see your paperwork in full. Without the correct papers ready you risk the possibilities of your boat being impounded and could face significant fines.
When you are sailing a UK registered boat from the UK to any other country, you will require papers both for the boat and for the crew on board. There is a core set of paperwork - your boat's papers – which, together with your passport, any other personal paperwork and any country specific documentation or publications you may required to carry on board, should enable you to satisfy a foreign customs official, if required.
That means you will need your boat registration document, a radio licence, insurance documents and proof of the boat's vat status.
You'll need a passport and personal documents for each member of your crew, and your certificates of competence.
While in UK waters the skipper of a UK registered non-commercial pleasure craft under 24m in length is not required to have a certificate of competence or licence, unless the vessel is over 80GT, this is however not necessarily the case in the territorial waters of another country. The requirements vary from country to country so you should establish what is required in advance. It is advisable to carry any certificates you hold (just in case) even if they are not a requirement. The International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is increasingly the certificate that is requested.
Information from the RYA