Emergencies and consequences
Governing: RD 875/2014 Anexo II (Licencia VHF content); TRLPEMM art. 307.2.h and RONM art. 50; Ley 2/2015 (Illes Balears); RD 607/1999; Salvamento Marítimo advice. Builds on: all previous lessons.
The numbers
| Who | How |
|---|---|
| General emergency number | 112 |
| Salvamento Marítimo (coastguard) | 900 202 202 |
| By radio | VHF Channel 16 |
| Your rental firm | The number on your contract: for breakdowns and minor problems |
These are exactly the contacts the Licencia course teaches. Save them in your phone before you leave the pontoon.
In a real emergency
- Someone in the water: stop the engine or put it in neutral at once, keep them in sight, point at them, and approach slowly into the wind. Never manoeuvre with the propeller turning near a person.
- Fire, taking water, collision, injury: life jackets on for everyone, then call 112 or Channel 16. Give where you are first: the cala name, a landmark, or your phone's GPS position.
- Stay with the boat. Salvamento Marítimo is blunt about it: remain on or beside the boat and wait for help. It is easier to find than a swimmer, and the shore is usually further than it looks.
WARNING — Don't swim for it Distances over water are deceptive, and afternoon breezes set offshore on some coasts. An upturned boat is a better float than your arms.
Breakdown
- If you are drifting towards rocks or into a channel, anchor (on sand if you can).
- Check the obvious: kill cord clipped in, fuel, fuel line not kinked, engine in neutral to restart.
- Call the rental firm. Most have a support boat.
- If there is any risk to people, or you are drifting offshore, call Salvamento Marítimo without waiting for the firm.
Accidents and insurance
Every recreational boat and jet ski must have third-party liability insurance (RD 607/1999). Balearic rental boats must also carry accident cover for the people aboard (Decreto 44/2025 art. 9), and hire jet skis carry accident insurance too (RD 259/2002 art. 3.3). Read your contract for the excess you will pay on damage to the boat. Report any collision or injury to the firm at once, and take photos and the other party's details.
Fines for getting the title wrong
| Situation | Rule | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Helming without a sufficient title, or beyond its limits | TRLPEMM art. 307.2.h, grave; RONM art. 50 | €1,000–6,000 for a small boat |
| The person who hires out to, or allows, an unqualified helmsman | Same article | Same range |
| Navigating inside a buoyed bathing zone or speeding in the coastal strip | TRLPEMM art. 307.2.l, grave | Up to the TRLPEMM grave ceiling |
| Balearic operator hiring out a jet ski by the day to someone without a title | Ley 2/2015, grave | €2,000.01–20,000; closure up to 5 years |
| Anchoring on Posidonia | Ley 42/2007 | From €100 (leve) to €200,000 (grave) |
CAUTION — Insurance and the wrong title If the helmsman was not qualified, expect the insurer to look very hard at the claim. The cheapest saving on a holiday is not worth an uninsured collision.
A last word
Inspectors check rental boats in the Balearics, on the water and by drone. The rules in this guide are not paperwork for its own sake. Most exist because someone got hurt.
TIP — Leave a plan ashore Tell someone on the beach or at your hotel where you are going and when you'll be back. If you're late, they know to call.