Cruising on a boat without a licence: river signs to know
The boats and barges we offer for hire do not require a licence or experience. You can therefore rent one even if you have never sailed or set foot on a boat. Nevertheless, before you leave on your river cruise, you will be trained to steer the boat, which, rest assured, is easy. And above all, when you are sailing, you must respect the signs in force. Indeed, as on the roads, there are rules to follow in order to avoid accidents, respect other boaters and your environment. This is why, during our training course for piloting a boat without a licence, we explain the meaning of the main river signs. Although there are many of them, they are quite simple to understand. It is not necessary to have any specific knowledge to decipher them. Here are some keys to remember them easily and not to make mistakes.
Red signs, prohibitions, restrictions or obligations
Signs on French waterways use several colours, including red. This colour is present on river signs indicating prohibitions, restrictions or obligations from which you cannot escape. Let's take a few examples. The one with a black anchor with a red line means that anchoring is prohibited. The one with two arrows, one pointing upwards and the other downwards, informs you that crossing and overtaking are prohibited.
The drawings on the obligation and restriction river signs are not crossed out. If you see a sign with a horizontal arrow pointing in one direction, you must take the direction indicated. If the sign shows a circle in the centre of a square, you are obliged to give an acoustic signal. If the water depth is limited, this is indicated by a black triangle at the bottom of a square. If there are two black triangles, one on each side, the width of the channel is limited. Finally, if you see a number in a square, it is the speed that should not be exceeded (5 km/h for example).
Blue, green or yellow signs, indications or recommendations
The navigation code does not only contain restrictions, obligations or prohibitions. There are also river signs signalling indications and recommendations. For these, mainly blue is used, but also, some yellow and green. If you see one with the letter P in the centre of a blue square, it means that you can park. If it has a white anchor, you are allowed to anchor. If the word 'sport' is written on it, it means that all pleasure craft are allowed to sail. If the sign has two green stripes separated in the middle by a white stripe, you have permission to pass. A blue rectangle with a white bar across it marks the end of an obligation. If a white square has a yellow diamond in the middle, it tells you that it is recommended to pass in both directions.
In addition to these examples, you will come across other river signs when cruising on a boat or barge without a licence. Often your instinct and common sense will help you interpret them. And if in doubt, consult the documentation available in your boat. There is also a lot of information on the Internet, particularly on the French waterways website.