ABYC definition of 'small craft'

All USCG regulations are in the CFR. They are laws as opposed to what ABYC is. Even though they call them standards, they are not legal standards but industry standards. The USCG has accepted most of them as "good practice", therefore not needing further regulation.

 

Thanks this helps. How about applicability of those standards for size of boat?

 

Alik this may help:

2...(35) ``small passenger vessel'' means a wing-in-ground craft,
regardless of tonnage, carrying at least one passenger for hire, and
a vessel of less than 100 gross tons as measured under section 14502
of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302
of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of
this title--
(A) carrying more than 6 passengers, including at least one
passenger for hire;
(B) that is chartered with the crew provided or specified by
the owner or the owner's representative and carrying more than 6
passengers;
(C) that is chartered with no crew provided or specified by
the owner or the owner's representative and carrying more than
12 passengers; or
(D) that is a submersible vessel carrying at least one
passenger for hire.



From:
http://law.justia.com/codes/us/title46/46usc2101.html

 

My understanding is that each ABYC standard has it's own applicability. So for instance A-30 — Cooking Appliances with Integral LPG Cylinders applies to small stoves which use disposable LPG cylinders irregardless of what size boats they are used on. A-31 (ANS) — Battery Chargers and Inverters applies to permanetly installed battery chargers irregardless of what size boats they are installed on. H-8 — Buoyancy in the Event of Swamping applies to boats under 6m in length but there are a number of exceptions listed.

Perhaps a good way to summarize would be say for ABYC Standards:
Scope of application - Specific for each standard

 

The way the US categorizes boats can be confusing. From the same source AdHoc quoted:

(25) ``recreational vessel'' means a vessel--
(A) being manufactured or operated primarily for pleasure;
or
(B) leased, rented, or chartered to another for the latter's
pleasure.
​

Recreational vessels not carrying passengers for hire are not small passenger vessels and are subject to different regulations.

The US vessel requirements are organized by Chapter, and CFR 90.05 has a table listing which divides vessels into groups and then shows which Chapter applies to each group. I looked at it and it appers that recreational vessels (not carrying passengers for hire) are subject to Chapter C Uninspected Vessels.

In certain cases vessels carrying passengers for hire also fall under Chapter C, for example 6 or few passengers for hire and less than 100 tons, the so-called "6-pack". A local museum has a new electric launch they are using for river cruises. Currently it's operating under Chapter C and can only carry 6 passengers. They are working with the Coast Guard to have the inspections and tests completed so that they can operate under Chapter T and carry considerably more passengers.

 

Thanks this helps. I just changed the statement in my paper; luckily we do not have to design anything for CFR/USCG.

 

One clarification. CFR is the Code of Federal Regulations. It's where regulations issued by US federal government agencies are published, such as regulations governing ship and boat safety which are issued by the US Coast Guard. So the common terminalogy would be US Coast Guard regulations or USCG.

 

DCockey, Thanks for the reference. This is a question that has been argued about for generations. But as has been stated here there is no definition of a small craft, or a small boat, in ABYC or in the Code of Federal Regulations.

ABYC Standards and Technical Information Reports For Small Craft used to have the word Recommended in the title but they took it out a few years back. They are voluntary industry standards, just the same as SAE and NFPA standards. Many of the ABYC standards, as well as SAE and NFPA, and UL, have been adopted as Regulations by the US Coast Guard, rather than vice versa. But the regulations in the CFR are all contained within ABYC standards.

Where the rubber meets the road though is liability. If there is a lawsuit the standard a manufacturer will be held to by the US courts is ABYC. So most manufacturers follow them because they are accepted good engineering practice.

Also Canada has adopted ABYC Standards almost completely as their regulations.

ISO did much the same thing, but went much farther on many subjects. ABYC has tried to harmonize their standards with ISO where there are conflicts.

There is also no definition of small craft in the CFR, boats are divided by recreational, uninspected, passenger carrying vessels under 100 gross tons, passenger vessels over 100 gross tons, fishing vessels, and so on.

But the reality with recreational boats is you don't see many boats over 65 feet (20m) that use ABYC. They use the "T" boat regulations (passenger carrying vessels under 100 gross tons), MCA, ABS, ISO or some other rules that apply more specifically to vessels of that size. Recreational boats used to be considered "uninspected vessels" but Congress changed that definition and separated the two in 2000. But there are still regulations in 46 CFR Subchapter C (uninspected vessels) that apply such as flame arrestors, fire extinguishers, and engine compartment ventilation, but most recreational boat regulations are in 33 CFR Subchapter S.

Actually this is a fairly complex subject and if someone can simplify it with a cross reference chart, I wish them success.

 

Ahmen to that!

We designed a passenger boat built in the US, and was to be under "T" boat regs. Couldn't understand why or how. But then 2 aspects became clear.

Owner wanted less than 100 GTs, as this dictated the minimum number of crew required (most odd too)...er....but this is a big boat, how do you do that? The surveyor, when inspecting the boat, needs to see longt.s that are intercostal. If he sees this upon surveying the calculation for GT and a result under 100 was a given!!! If he considered the long.ts to be continuous, the resulting 'calculation' would be over 100GTs

Clear as mud...

 

Throw into the mix that "T" boat regulations are often open to interpretation by the examiner, and depending on which Marine Safety Office you apply at, may have a slightly different interpretation.

 

I attended an SNAME/AIAA conference on high speed marine craft in Baltimore in 1979. One of the presentations was on the Bell-Halter SES oil rig supply boats. Photo here http://www.oceanenergytechnology.co...ry/bellhalter-dashboats-command-marine-206433 There was an explaination of what was required to keep the boats under 100 ton, and in part it involved the deck layout and designation, and the offset at the stern was part of the solution.