As we're hoping to do some longer river cruising this season, can anyone tell me how much I can expect to pay for a Boat Safety Certificate? I have checked the Boat Safety Scheme web site and found some local examiners, but no idea how much it's likely to cost.
Any other tips on preparing the boat for the examination would be useful too :) !
Their key areas of interest are:
The fuel system
Batteries and the DC electrical system
AC electrical systems and shore supply connections
LPG Gas supplies, Ventilation and combustion fumes
Fire extinguishers
Escape routes
Pollution from bilge or from heads
Full details of all the checks are on:
http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/268789/ecp-private-boats-ed3_rev2_...
You should be able to do all the checks for yourself and be certain if your boat will pass (or not!)
If you need to buy a fire extinguisher I recommend foam rather than dry powder. In a confined space powder is a choking and vision hazard and for an outboard fire powder blows away too easily.
Only down side is you need to take them off the boat over winter (prevent freezing).
I also recommend extinguishers with a fixed nozzle not a hose. one handed operation is much easier on a moving boat.
e.g.
http://www.safelincs.co.uk/ultrafire-redline-2ltr-afff-foam-fire-extingu...
Regards
Dave.
Dave Newton Sailbadthesinner
Thanks for the advice Dave, and appreciate what you said about the fire extinguishers. I am confident that everything will be OK, but really I just wanted to know what it cost other members to get their BSS certificate. I could ring around all the examiners and get a quote, but I was hoping that an MOA member had a contact perhaps - or may even be an examiner him or herself :)
John
The last time I had a BSS it cost me just over £120 but that was about 5 years ago. Not all examiners charge the same prices and interestingly enough they don't all interpret the rules in the same way. I had some problems with fuel storage that failed with one examiner and passed with another. If you have anything like a portable gas cooker remove it from the boat before the inspection as gas is one thing that (understandably) they are very hot (no pun intended) on.
Colin
...or leave the gas installation in your boat and find out if it is safe!
Depends if you just want a piece of paper for £120 or you want to know your boat is safe.
Dave.
Dave Newton Sailbadthesinner
I wasn't suggesting the removal of a fitted system but many Mac owners use a portable gas stove for cooking. These will never pass a BSC so need to be removed for an inspection. With the exception of cooking arrangements the only other issue that often comes up on Macs is that of permanent ventilation. Whilst the washboard and hatch are not a tight fit some inspectors might require additional ventilation. A ventilator could be fitted to the coach roof but it is probably easier to fit a ventilator to the washboard
Thanks Colin, I guessed it might cost me about £150 for an examiner to come and check out my boat, so I'll report back when I have someone booked in case anyone is interested in the future.
For the record, it has a fixed 2-burner & grill gas cooker, with the butane gas bottle stowed in the port aft locker in the cockpit, and has a shut-off valve just under the locker by the cooker in the cabin. It also has a gas alarm fitted which is live when the batteries are turned on. The boat has already had a BSS certificate sometime in the past but long expired now; so I guess a lot of the requirements have already been addressed.
Also, I am in the process of removing the sea loo and replacing it with a chemical Porta-Potti style heads; I will make up some anchor points and use short bungee straps across the lower (soil) section to hold it in place, which I hope will be acceptable for the examination. I'll need some bungs for the inlet and outlet pipes as well, which I imagine I will need to make from some wood offcuts.
Fuel is stored in the two aft lockers in two proprietary portable 30-litre plastic fuel tanks with a valve connection to the fuel line on the top. I imagine this arrangement is fine as long as the tanks are secured by straps.
Finally, I'll take your advice and fit a ventilator to the washboard, which I'm currently replacing with a 3-section version in marine ply.
Any comments on the above plans are always welcome!
I have never spent long enough on inland waterways to need anything more than thecself declaration but I seem to recall there was some issue about venting of batteries. One owner I met had created a separate compartment from rear of aft bunk and vented to outside. Not sure if that is necessary.
Roly
Hi Roly,
Self certification? How does that work? We're not planning to do much more than a week at a time river cruising, so is this acceptable to the Rivers Authority or whoever? I was under the impression that a BSS certificate was a must-have for cruising on the rivers and canals. Maybe it only applies to canal boats and live-aboard vessels?
Ah, yes. You only need the proper check etc if you are spending a prlonged period. I seem to recall it was more than a month.
On the apllication for inland waterways river licence there is a section to self declare. It is slightly confusing I found because it asks you not only to state that you dont have gas but also that you dont have electrics.other people said its fine to say we dont but maybe check w someone who does more river cruising.....certainly many macs have done weeklong trips without a problem.
Roly
John
I have just bought 26X and am getting BSC done this week. I was originally quoted £170. I questioned the cost given the simplicity of the boat compared to a motor cruiser and it was reduced to £90. Not too bad given that it lasts 4 years.
That is in Worcestershire.
Steve
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