Legal frame
Governing: D.M. 146/2008 art. 91-bis (added by D.M. 133/2024); D.M. 1 Sep 2021 Allegato 2(f) and (m) as corrected by D.M. 6 Apr 2023; L. 70/2026 art. 20; CP La Maddalena ord. 33/2026; Codice art. 53(6). Builds on: L3.1.
The national default
Unless a local ordinance says otherwise (D.M. 146 art. 91-bis):
- 8 kn maximum within 500 m of the coast, of breakwaters and of harbour and landing entrances;
- 3 kn maximum inside ports and in roadsteads and bays where boats lie at anchor, with "maximum prudence";
- no nuisance noise within 500 m of the coast, whether moving, stopped or at anchor.
The version on your instruction sheet
The rental instructions (Allegato 2, corrected in 2023) put it slightly differently: 8 kn within 500 m of high rocky coasts and within 1,000 m of beaches, and 3 kn in harbours, roadsteads and bays with boats at anchor. The original 2021 text said "5,000 m", and some old leaflets still do.
TIP — Take the stricter figure Off a beach, stay at 8 kn or less until you are 1,000 m out. You satisfy both texts and most local ordinances.
Local variations
| Place | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Palermo coast | 8 kn in displacement mode from 300 to 1,000 m | Ord. 46/2026 |
| La Maddalena archipelago | 7 kn within 500 m; 10 kn from 500 to 1,000 m, displacement mode, 1 Jun–30 Sep | Ord. 33/2026 |
| Tavolara AMP (zones B–C) | 5 kn within 300 m; 10 kn from 300 to 600 m | AMP regulation |
| Portofino AMP | 5 kn | AMP regulation |
"Displacement mode" (in dislocamento) means off the plane, hull sitting in the water, making a small wake.
What speeding costs
Exceeding the limits in harbour waters, near buoy fields, beaches, launch corridors or anchored boats costs €414–2,066 and 1–3 months' suspension of the licence (Codice art. 53(6), (9)). Repeat it within two years and the licence is revoked.
Anchoring: the method
The instructions teach the basics: bow to the wind, and a line or chain at least three times the depth. On a hired boat that usually means rope with a short length of chain.
| Depth (illustrative) | Minimum scope at 3:1 |
|---|---|
| 4 m | 12 m |
| 6 m | 18 m |
| 8 m | 24 m |
Rental boats often carry 30 m of line; in 10 m of water that is exactly 3:1, with nothing to spare.
Anchoring: the place
Posidonia oceanica forms dark green meadows on the seabed, usually from a few metres down. It grows a few centimetres a year and an anchor dragged through it does damage that lasts decades. Since 10 May 2026 the law states the principle nationally: anchoring must not destroy, degrade or fragment sensitive habitats, "with particular reference to Posidonia oceanica meadows" (L. 70/2026 art. 20). That article sets no zones and no penalty of its own, but parks and ordinances do:
- La Maddalena (ord. 33/2026): no anchoring on posidonia or other mapped sensitive seabed; sand or mud only.
- Portofino, Tavolara, Punta Campanella: anchoring restricted by zone (Lesson 3.3).
CAUTION — Reading the bottom Anchor on pale sand patches, not the dark areas. In doubt, use a mooring buoy, or move on. Drop the anchor, do not throw it, and retrieve it by motoring slowly up to it rather than dragging it out.
For a fuller treatment see Anchoring in the Balearics and Anchoring on the Riviera and Corsica; the seagrass is the same species.