Boat Registration / Classification

[Manie B]

Gentlemen i am confused (dont joke)

I dont quite grasp / have clear understanding of boat classification.

When we talk about catagory 1 or A - 2 or B - 3 or C type of boats i understand the difference is sheltered waters - coastal - open ocean, but is this law? How / why does this affect the home builder. I read that boats over say 36 ft will be classed as open water, BUT then what happens to the around in ten boats, they are going into open water with the necessary safety equipment? Then i read else where that the guy built a boat Under 30 ft to escape some American laws? Why?

24 / 28 ft sloop plans state that they are ocean going around the world capable, what is or will be the law.

Assuming i build a 32ft ply / epoxy sailing cat with the minimum necessary safety equipment and radios etc. and i have the correct skipper licenses, what trouble can i expect from which authrorities and where?

Are the laws going to become so bad that eventually small home built boat licensing - is too expensive?

I buy the plan i like - i build the boat according to plan - i get a skippers license - now where and how does the shit hit the fan when i want to go???
What am i missing???

[TeddyDiver]

I'm now speaking only EU regulations, and I'm sure there's some difference elsewhere, but:
-Self builder is not obligated to follow the regulations when boat is for own use (min 5 years)
-ABC categories do not rule the length of a boat.
-Safety equipments are regulated outside the boat directive.
-And any boat is primarly ruled under the legislation of the country where it's registered.

I hope this helps a bit..

[Manie B]

Teddy thanks for the info, what is the 5 year rule, what does that mean? what happens if i want to sell the boat before or after 5 years?

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Manie B

Teddy thanks for the info, what is the 5 year rule, what does that mean? what happens if i want to sell the boat before or after 5 years?

After 5 years no problemo.
Basicly it's meant to give a possibility for "non professional" boatbuilders to make their own boats. Therefore selling "newish" boat without CE plate is illegal.
Don't really know if there's some consequences if someone does?
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/...94L0025:EN:NOT warning! very boring to read..

[safewalrus]

The big problem, like all man made things, is it's governed by the particular laws in that country - i.e. where the boat is built/registered. Qualifications don't normally matter as long as you have smething the country can recognise! i.e. comes from a responsible maritime nation issuing certifcates on a regular basis!

But the boat/ depends a lot on the attitude of the country to the boater, especially yachtsmen (and in this case that term is very loose!) some countries actually forbid what other countries stress most heavily as a "must have"! The thing is to find a good country (don't HAVE to be your own) that is recognisable and has a reasonable standard of maritime law. Get the boat registered under that counties law and comply fully with that law! If you don't your in trouble, but normally if visiting another country they will shy clear of leaning too much on another 'flagged' vessel! as long as your sensible!

For many years I had a buddy who's yacht was registered in Rhodesia, when it became Zimbabwe they stopped registering boats (well it ain't got a coastline and the only port [Mariciabo] is on a lake - you'll know more about there than I do mate) Well the local gendarmerie etc in the UK were totally confused by this and left him alone, completely. As he acted sensibly and didn't push it, it stayed that way for quite some time -dunno where he is now, probably still getting away with a lot as long as he has the same boat, must have difficulty getting ensigns now though!!