There are good water sport opportunities on many Swiss lakes. Tourists can bring their sports boats (motor boats and sailing boats) into Switzerland free of charge without special customs formalities, provided that they are already registered in the country of origin and are taken out again within a maximum of one month.
Canoes, rubber dinghies, kayaks, etc, are not technically classed by customs as tourist luggage. A driving licence is required - the foreign one is sufficient for a temporary stay in Switzerland, if the power capacity exceeds 6 kW or if the sail surface area is more than 15m2. On Lake Constance a licence is required for a power capacity over 4.4kW or 12m2 sail surface area.
The driver of a motor boat must be at least 18 years old. The required transport permit for sports boats is issued by the cantonal authority (usually the cantonal road and shipping office) and is valid until the end of the following month on all waters allowed for shipping. The permit cannot be renewed within a calendar year. Above all, Lake Lucerne, Lake Neuenburg, Lake Constance, Lake Geneva and the Ticino lakes offer much variety for the holidaymaker; smaller lakes such as Lake Greifen, Lake Pfäffiker, the Aargau lakes, the lakes of Graubünden, and others, are only open to non-motorised water sports.
Non-motorised boats and swimming equipment under 2.5m in length are not subject to permit, but are only allowed to operate in a lakeside zone of 150m (exception: surf boards and racing rowing boats, which can also operate outside the lakeside zone). On the Swiss lakes a speed of 10 km/h may not be exceeded in a lakeside zone of 300 m.
