Right, so you've decided to investigate the opportunities for RIB charter in your area and you've made it through the MCA harmonised code alive :) One of the first things you'll have noticed is that there are seven MCA operating categories that are theoretically available for operators of commercial RIBs or RIB charter companies:
Category 6: Within 3 miles of a Nominated Departure Point (NDP) and never more than 3 miles from land in favourable weather & daylight
Category 5: Within 20 miles of a NDP in favourable weather & daylight
Category 4: Up to 20 miles from a Safe Haven in favourable weather & daylight
Category 3: Up to 20 miles from a safe haven
Category 2: Up to 60 miles from a safe haven
Category 1: Up to 150 miles from a safe haven
Category 0: Unrestricted service
The Nominated Departure Point is just as you would expect the port, harbour or launching area that you define as the base for your charter operations. Safe Havens are simply areas where you can seek refuge from inclement weather or conditions like a harbour. It is relatively straight forward to code a typical leisure RIB to Category 4 levels those RIBs with cabins, wheelhouses or temporary enclosures such as those found on Redbay RIBs may be deemed as having "a substantial enclosure for the protection of persons on board" that is required for Category 3 or 2. Most RIB charter companies however, stick to Cat 4 on the whole for coding a RIB.
The other thing to bear in mind is RCD Category - shown below in combination with MCA Code Category:
RCD Categories
Most RIBs available in the UK for leisure use are Cat C or B - be sure to check out this on your RIB before handing over your hard earned cash! This information will nearly always be found on a metal plate on the transom of your RIB - if unsure, ask your manufacturer or dealer first.