Outboard weights for US floatation changing 1 June 2018

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by DCockey, Mar 25, 2018.

  1. DCockey
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Location: Midcoast Maine

    DCockey Senior Member

    Effective June 1, 2018 the outboard motor engines used in the floatation regulations for recreational vessels under 20 feet sold in the US are changing and getting heavier. The new weights are from the ABYC S-30 standard, and reflect the increase in weight of outboard engines since the 1980's. Manufacturers may have to increase the floatation or decrease the maximum power ratings for boats built June 1 or later.

    10/27/2017: Update of recreational boat outboard engine weight test requirements « Coast Guard Maritime Commons http://mariners.coastguard.dodlive.mil/2017/10/27/10272017-update-of-recreational-boat-outboard-engine-weight-test-requirements/

    Federal Register :: Recreational Boat Flotation Standards-Update of Outboard Engine Weight Test Requirements https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/10/27/2017-23384/recreational-boat-flotation-standards-update-of-outboard-engine-weight-test-requirements
     
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  2. philSweet
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    Location: Beaufort, SC and H'ville, NC

    philSweet Senior Member

  3. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Location: Washington

    Ike Senior Member

    I queried my former colleagues at CG HQ about this, and the table will be published in the regulations. Otherwise every builder in the country who builds an outboard powered boat that has to meet the flotation standard, would have to buy the ABYC standard S-30. This would put an undue burden on small businesses (somewhere round 2000 of them). So they have to publish it so anyone can use it free. But unfortunately it still does not allow for automatic updates when ABYC updates the table, as they do every five years. And to make matters even more complex the new regulation says to use the 2015 table. Well, there isn't a 2015 table. The last one was 2012, and a new one will be published in 2018, so which one to use? I simply advise builders to use the latest ABYC table. But if they use the one published in the CFR they should be in compliance, because the standard has to be in sync with the published table. Now that would be a mess! Use the table and your boat fails because the table is wrong!

    PS: I used to have an old version on my web site but ABYC objected so I had to delete it. However when the CFR version is published I will have that on my web page on flotation.
     
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