CE or EU Certification for boats?

[S Hondros]

I have been told to sell boats in the us to european countries specifically turkey we need a CE or EU certification. Does anyone know if this is correct and if so how one goes about getting these certification requirements? Thanks for the time everyone. Our boats are from 17 foot skiffs to 26 foot outboard v hull center consoles.

[Crag Cay]

Compliance with the RCD is only required by boats being 'brought to market' within the EEA, which is the EU plus Iceland and Norway.

As Turkey is not yet a member, I assume that a Certificate of Compliance is not needed at the present time. However it would be worth checking with these people what the full picture is: www.bms.com.tr/RCD.htm

Don't be too daunted if you also want to export to a country actually in the EEA. Boats like yours would only have to comply with Cat C and the process is comparatively straightforward. However in Jan 06, there is a tightening of the requirements when the services of a 'Notified Body' will be required.

The RYA in the UK (www,rya.org.uk) are one such body and their website is as good a place as any to start your research.

[ABoatGuy]

The CE program is administrated by "notified bodies". These include most of the classification societes, (i.e. ABS, RINA, and the others) as well as numerous independent organisations. One of the most commonly used in the US is the International Marine Certification Institute or IMCI. Their offices are in Brussels, but they have surveyors all over the US and Canada.

They have a compliance seminar once a year that is worth attending if you've never done anything like this. Times and dates are probably on the website.

The process is more tedious than complicated. You just need to follow the rules (ISO standards) and methodically cross your t's and dot your i's as you go through the paperwork.

Here is a link:

http://www.imci.org/languages/englis...ge/index1.html

[Raggi_Thor]

I got very good advice from IMCI's agent/consultant in Norway.
They can help you with templates and methods for documentation and let you do much of the work, while for example DNV would like to do more of the work for you, at a very high price.