License-free boat rental in Blanes: what changes from October 2026
Since 1 October 2026 license-free boats can no longer be rented. What they were, what changes and how to go boating from Blanes today: with the titulín or a skipper.
Update: from 1 October 2026, no boat is rented without a qualification (RD 1188/2025). Today you can sail with the Navigation Licence (Licencia de Navegación), which you can get in one day, or go out with a skipper on our private trip. Until 30 September 2026, renting a license-free boat was one of the easiest ways to enjoy the sea on the Costa Brava: no previous experience or boating qualification needed. That era is over. In this guide we explain what a "license-free boat" actually was, what has changed and how you can go out sailing from Blanes from now on. What "license-free boat" means In Spain, boating law allowed you to pilot recreational boats without a boating qualification as long as they met these conditions: - Engine of up to 15 HP (horsepower) - Maximum length of 5 metres - Daytime navigation (sunrise to sunset) - Maximum distance from the coast: 2 nautical miles (approximately 3.7 km) From 1 October 2026, RD 1188/2025 reserves this exemption for private boats. To rent any motorboat you need a qualification, even if the boat meets those limits. Who can rent a boat now From 1 October 2026 you have two options: - With the Navigation Licence (the titulín, the nickname for this one-day licence) or a higher qualification: you drive one of our licensed boats yourself. The titulín is a one-day course, with no exam. More information at get your titulín. - Without a qualification: you go out on our private trip…