About boat certification rules

[Allyo]

I would appreciate if any one knowledgeable could give some input on boat certifications because so much info exist on this subject and how the American and european regulations works. It looks European rules are more stringent.

If someone (not a yacht designer or naval architect) design a boat and test it and sail it. It turns out to be a good performing boat. Can that someone produce and sell that boat or somebody will step in an say, you need somekind of safety certification and that will cost you a lot of money.

I recently recall someone designing a nice little yacht in France, but because it has living quarters, they would not allow him to build the boat, he was advised to instead build a boat without living quarters, meaning probably build an open type dinghy for day sailing.

Anybody have some thought about who are calling the shots?

Thanks in advance for any reply.

Allyo

[Raggi_Thor]

In EU you can still build your own boat without any paperwork at all and sell it after five years of use. Any commersial builder can put a CE mark of cathegory C or D on his boats with no external control. Cathegory A and B requires some kind of external control from DNV, IMCI, etc.

It's strange that many people want to have less quality control of boats than houses or cars :-)

[Guillermo]

In EU you can still build your own boat without any paperwork at all and sell it after five years of use...

Well, not so, in Spain. Here you still need a design made by an NA, for an amateur boatbuilding project. And submit that to the authorities for approval and construction supervision. I don't know how it works in other EU countries.

[trouty]

Just rmember - the Ark was built by an amateur with no certification, while the titanic was designed and bult by experts and fully certified! :D :cool:

Cheers!

[Raggi_Thor]

Well, Norway is not a member of EU, but we are (as usual) "besti in class" when it comes to following the rules :-) Maybe spanish and russian fishing men will disagree....

BUT, I still think we are allowed to build without drawings and calculatins if we are amateurs OR if it's a traditional craft, say a small faering.

Kits must now be certified with a CE mark when the (amateur) builder confirms that building instructions have been followed.

[Dutch Peter]

Ragnar is partly right. The European Directive for Recreational Craft(RCD) (and other directives) are designed to open border for trade within the EU. What the RCD says about amateur boatbuilding is that the directive does not apply to selfmade craft, being put on the market after 5 years.
The actual buildingregs for amateurs is left to National Authorities.
In Holland there are no regs or requirements other then some basic equipment/documentation when you're actually sailing your own boat.

Regards,

[Allyo]

I thank you all for your kindness in giving your thought on the certification issue. Just what I thought, This could turn out to be a jungle trip with all the regulations of various countries, plus the bureaucratic mess that can follows.

Cheers,

Allyo

[Dutch Peter]

Allyo,

As an answer to your question: to sell a boat on the European market the boat has to comply with the Directive for Recreational Craft, officially there are no extra National laws/rules as to the construction and outfitting of the boat.
Except for special areas (Bodensee), here National Authorities can impose extra regulations.
I believe US has a similar system (other way around, EU system is based on US system), the difference is in EU we work with Notified Bodies and in the US the USCG does all the checking/approving. (correct me if I'm wrong)

However, if you design a good boat, and you use well known standards the boat does not nesseccarely become more expensive.

[gerard baladi]

Just rmember - the Ark was built by an amateur with no certification, while the titanic was designed and bult by experts and fully certified! :D :cool:

Cheers!
If my memory serves me right Noah built the Ark under "GOD's" Specs...
What better architect do you need ? :D

[trouty]

Can't fault the Arks design specs at all!

Now - whether the builder was a certified member of the shipwrights union at the time is still up for debate! :D (And if not - I hte to be up for his bill for membership arrears by now!) ;)

Cheers!