Boat Safety Examiner on the Norfolk Broads

I’m off to Lowestoft and then back to Upton Dyke on the Norfolk Broads today to carry out a number of Boat Safety Examinations. I am a member of ABSE, and one of a number of examiners on the Broads, but unlike the majority of them I am not connected with a marina or marine engineering business and therefore I don't offer any remedial engineering work as part of the examination. This means that the owner can do any work himself, or choose his preferred engineer to effect any repairs.

 

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What is the Boat Safety Scheme? The Boat Safety Scheme is jointly owned by British Waterways and the Environment Agency. It's designed to minimise the risks of fires or explosions on boats cruising the UK's inland waterways network, by specifying a set of requirements that most boats must meet before they can be granted a navigation licence. The Scheme also recommends a number of 'safety best practice' measures which enhance the personal health and safety of those on board privately owned boats.

As licensing bodies, British Waterways and the Environment Agency have a statutory duty to insist that all boats on the waterways they care for are as safe as possible. This helps to minimise the risks of fires and explosion which can kill or seriously injure visitors to the waterways network. It's in every-one's interests to help ensure the waterways are as safe as possible.

Thinking of getting a BSS test carried out and need help? Call me. I carry out tests on all types of boats, and I will assist you to getting that Certificate. Contact me at your earliest opportunity at:
steventruss1@aol.com

Featured Surveys

The Surveys are booking in nicely again now the snows melting. Its been four years since Ive seen this very rare boat… my absolute favourite wooden Yacht on the Norfolk Broads. ‘Loyalist’ built by Ernest Woods in 1931... Looking forward to seeing her again and those beautiful lines. Keep your eye on my BLOG for some recent pics…

 

Storebro Royal Cruiser 34

I had a trip to the IBBC in Lowestoft today to Survey this lovely classic motor cruiser. Built in 1982 in Gothenburg in Sweden from fibreglass with a wooden superstructure by renowned Storebro (Swedish for Big Brother).

Surveyors comments generally: Well worth getting a Survey carried out on these lovely old cruisers. Very well Swedish built -the fibreglass hulls are renowned to be solid. However, the wooden superstructure and the decks need to be thoroughly checked. Its worth getting permission to pull down some of the linings inside so you can get access through to the deck beams and plywood sub deck. Check all the corners of the coach roof for leaks inside and out. If she needs new decks its going to cost!

Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? Call Insight Marine Surveys Ltd. I specialise in Boats of all types, and I will assist you to make an informed decision. Contact me for a detailed and comprehensive report at: steventruss1@aol.com

Boat Safety Scheme Changes 2013

Introduction

The BSS has just completed a periodic review and here is your opportunity to comment on proposed changes to the BSS Examination Checking Procedures (2005) for privately owned, privately managed boats.

The proposals have been formulated with the help and guidance from examiner, boat owner and marine trade representatives on the BSS support committees.

The BSS Examination Checking Procedures set out the details of the BSS Examination that the BSS and its owners, the Navigation Authorities, require BSS Examiners to perform. These checking procedures are mirrored by the BSS Essential Guide for boat owners and others.

The proposals follow a review intended to make essential editorial changes to help BSS Examiners perform the checks more consistently. There are also some technical changes that will affect a very small number of boat owners and in general, these will help the BSS achieve a consistent risk management approach.

Most, around 60 per cent of the changes are tidying up the editorial content. The balance, can be summarised in this way:

• a new check for portable fuel tanks in engine spaces;
• five new advice checks concerning 230V a.c. systems;
• a new advice check for cracks and unintended gaps on solid fuel appliances;
• 15 existing checks amended to introduce an enhanced technical requirement;
• 63 changes have been made to the existing checks that reduce or slightly change the technical impact;
• two checks, one about marine fuel filters and the other about 230V a.c. shore connections are being removed.

A four-page overview summarising these key changes can be seen and downloaded on this link.

The changes were implemented on 1 January 2013 and our examiners have completed online and local workshop training exercises concerning the changes.

The comment period has now closed

The opportunity to make a comment about the proposed changes was offered in July 2012 and has now closed, but we are keeping open the pages covering the seven BSS Parts where changes are proposed, see the buttons on the left side of this page or in the header row of the table below.

In total 50 comments were received, 37 from Nationwide Alliance of Boat Surveyors & Examiners (NABSE), the remaining 13 comments are broken down as follows: 3 from National Association of Boat Owner (NABO), 3 from the BSS Office , 2 from marine trade representatives, 2 from other unamed organisations, one from a boat owner, one from a surveyor and one from RBOA.

All the submitted comments can be seen here and the BSS response to those comments are available in this pdf file (186kb)

The opportunity to comment, while not a formal consultation was provided in a desire to be open and transparent and our commitment to supporting the use of boats and of boating. A formal consultation was not required because the BSS General Requirements are not being reviewed.

The phase to make the final reviews and then produce of new manuals and train examiners is now beginning.

A little more detail on the proposed changes

The impact of the proposals for change is considered to be neutral across the fleet of boats subject to the Scheme, but essential to support BSS Examiners apply the checks in a consistent manner and enhances boater and waterway safety.

Six out of the seven 'all new' checks are 'advice' checks not linked to the issue of the BSS Certificate but are very important in helping guide boat owners to stay safe and protect BSS Examiners and others. The 'advice' checks mostly cover 230V a.c. systems.

There is also an added offer to boat owners to provide any shore lead, or other leads for examination. Owners will need to ensure any 230V a.c. systems are disconnected for the examination, by way of keeping the examiner safe.

You can review the proposals part by part

The proposal for change are segregated Part by Part in the links in the table below and also in the buttons running down the left side of this page.

The total number of checks in the 2005 Examination Checking Procedures (ECP) is 155, the total number of checks affected by the proposed changes is 86 (55%).

The total number of proposed changes is 180. The classification of the proposed ECP changes can be broken down by type as shown in this table:



Across the range of BSS checks this table breaks down the impact of the proposed changes. The header row of this table has links in it to each separate section, but Part 4 is not linked as there are no proposed changes to this section.

Once you have opened the pdf filesSuggested additions to the existing published checks are identified in red/underlined font. Deletions are in red/cross-through font. A rationale for each change is included in light blue font.

Please note that proposals are presented unaltered from the document provided to the BSS support committees, in the interest of transparency.

International Dragon

Insurance Surveys

I had trip out to a barn in West Norwich yesterday to look at this International Dragon - a one-design keelboat for insurance purposes.

When you want to insure a boat, or have to renew an existing policy, your insurance company will need an Insurance Survey in order to determine its insurability for the intended use. This type of survey is often referred to as a Condition and Valuation Survey. The scope of an Insurance Survey approaches a Pre-Purchase Survey, but its focus is on structural integrity and safety and it is less detailed. An assessment of the boat's Fair Market Value is part of this type of survey. Insurance companies usually accept surveys made in the water without a haul-out or sea trial. Your insurance company may have its own requirements for what it considers an acceptable survey and boat owners are advised to consult with their insurance broker before commissioning the survey. An Insurance Survey requires several hours, depending on the complexity and condition of the boat. My survey report is similar to a report for a Pre-Purchase Survey, but somewhat less detailed.

The Dragon was designed by Norwegian Johan Anker in 1929. In 1948 the Dragon became an Olympic Class, a status it retained until the Munich Olympics in 1972. The Dragon's long keel and elegant metre-boat lines remain unchanged, but today Dragons are constructed using the latest technology to make the boat durable and easy to maintain. GRP construction was introduced in 1973 and the rigging has been regularly updated.

The Dragon Class is actively represented in over 26 countries in 5 Continents. There were 1444 boats registered in 2004 and the number of boats built has averaged 45 per year. There are many more which are used for day sailing or cruising. The World Championships are held in every odd year and the European Championships are held annually. The Gold Cup, which can only be held in certain specified European countries, is unique in that all six races count without discard. It is held annually and often attracts over 100 entries, usually starting in one fleet.

A strong Class Association manages the class rules carefully to ensure safety, high quality and uniformity. Spars and sails have a wide range of adjustment during racing, allowing a skillful crew to optimize the boat for any conditions. Crew weight limits, and restrictions on hiking out allow the Dragon to be raced successfully by a range of ages and genders. It is possible to trail the Dragon behind many four-wheel drive vehicles. It is often dry-sailed. It may be raced against boats of other classes, employing a Portsmouth Yardstick handicap of 986[1] or a D-PN of 89.5.[2]

Since 2008 the Dragon is one of the Vintage Yachting Classes at the
Vintage Yachting Games.