BSS Review

[ditchcrawler]

The latest details of the forthcoming BSS review are now available at BSS Consultation on the review of the Examination Checking Procedures ECP 2022 | Boat Safety Scheme | Go Boating - Stay Safe

[robtheplod]

Interesting they are proposing removing the 25mm2 battery cable minimum cross section if you can prove your boat uses less.....

[Alan de Enfield]

So, the new rules are NOT coming into effect April 1st 2022 as the consultation results will not be summarised until June 2022

 

 

The consultation is open until 16:30 on Monday 30 May 2022. With the launch of the consultation on Monday 7 March 2022, this provides a 12-week period.

As the proposals affect a tiny number of boats and represent an extension or clarification of existing BSS Requirements there is no supporting further information.

If you have trouble with the consultation form or a related query, please email us at bss.enquiries@boatsafetyscheme.org 

We will produce a summary of the views expressed and our response by early June 2022. This will be published on our website www.boatsafetyscheme.org

A communications campaign will promote the final agreed Revision 4 of the BSS Examiner Checking Procedures in late Spring 2022. The revised BSS Examiner Checking Procedures are intended to formally come into effect from early June.

[George and Dragon]

3 hours ago, robtheplod said:

Interesting they are proposing removing the 25mm2 battery cable minimum cross section if you can prove your boat uses less.....

Less than what? Surely it depends how and where it's installed.

[TheBiscuits]

15 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

Less than what? Surely it depends how and where it's installed.

 

It does.

 

New applicability – cables between batteries and battery isolators are permitted to have a cross-sectional area of less than 25mm² where it can be confirmed that the circuit only supplies low current domestic and/or navigation equipment (e.g. lighting, fridges, pumps, radios, etc)

[ditchcrawler]

I have just read on the AWCC site that they are now formally looking into reducing the time between inspections to 2 or 3 years and also when a boat is sold. Also only allowing the same examiner to do two examinations 

[Alan de Enfield]

Four years does seem a long time between examinations - it gives plenty of opportunity for folks to fiddle about and make the boat non-compliant.

It could be sold and re-sold within that time period and there would be no record of "who did what"

 

For some time I have thought that if C&RT & the EA were serious about the BSS they could make the examination an annual event, as per the car MOT.

[ditchcrawler]

16 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Four years does seem a long time between examinations - it gives plenty of opportunity for folks to fiddle about and make the boat non-compliant.

It could be sold and re-sold within that time period and there would be no record of "who did what"

 

For some time I have thought that if C&RT & the EA were serious about the BSS they could make the examination an annual event, as per the car MOT.

But very little of what the BSS covers deteriorates with time, battery cables don't get thinner, fuel fillers don't get smaller. People can change things at any point.As for BSS at point of resale, I think most "Modifications" are carried out just after older boats are bought. 

[Alan de Enfield]

12 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

But very little of what the BSS covers deteriorates with time, battery cables don't get thinner, fuel fillers don't get smaller. People can change things at any point.As for BSS at point of resale, I think most "Modifications" are carried out just after older boats are bought. 

 

Maybe have a 'major' (4-yearly) and then a 'minor' (annual) examination for things that can change or go out of date (fuel hose, gas hose, new appliances installed), 

[ditchcrawler]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Maybe have a 'major' (4-yearly) and then a 'minor' (annual) examination for things that can change or go out of date (fuel hose, gas hose, new appliances installed), 

It would be interesting to know how many boats fail a second or later one unless the check sheet changes of course

[LadyG]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have just read on the AWCC site that they are now formally looking into reducing the time between inspections to 2 or 3 years and also when a boat is sold. Also only allowing the same examiner to do two examinations 

 

Tx

I am very sceptical based on my limited experience, ie several glaring fails, none of which would likely be new, also incompetence of certain examiners, in fact recognised by BSC, telling examiners not to delve too deeply in to boat electrics, and now asking for different examiners every six years, what is that about? 

As for paying twice for a less than expert survey, I protest. I would have agreed to a BSC before sale, as a sort of base certification, but its not a sound scheme and should be axed, not doubled up. If this comes to fruition what I will do is ring round various examiners, ask for a quote, and pick the cheapest. Making it clear that it is a competion! 

Cavet empetor.

Do not try to paper over the cracks with a dubious certification scheme.

It took quite a few years and many millions to have an Mot testing scheme, most vehicles will have a paper trail and manual. Those testing resources are not ever going to be available for boats,. Presenting BSC examination as anything other than a box ticking exercise is flawed.

Newby boaters think it's a genuine safety certificate for a boat they are purchasing, it is not, and this should be made clear on the Certificate. 

Edited March 9, 2022 by LadyG

[Alan de Enfield]

23 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Sorry, I'm not sure what this means, exactly, please spell it out, 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have just read on the AWCC site

 

 

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

they are now formally looking into reducing the time between inspections to 2 or 3 years

 

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

and also when a boat is sold

 

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

Also only allowing the same examiner to do two examinations 

 

 

Hope that helps.

[LadyG]

42 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope that helps.

It was the AWCC that I foundered over. I picked out the other bits, tx. 

I thoroughly object to flawed certification schemes like this designed to provide a nice little earner for appointed examiners. 

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, LadyG said:

It was the AWCC that I foundered over. I picked out the other bits, tx. 

I thoroughly object to flawed certification schemes like this designed to provide a nice little earner for appointed examiners. 

 

 

Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs

[LadyG]

15 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs

So nothing to do with BS, I may be wrong, but sounds like they should not be making proposals like this, I am not a member, I don't know anyone who is, I would be surprised to learn they have much expertise in this field. 

Edited March 9, 2022 by LadyG

[ditchcrawler]

13 minutes ago, LadyG said:

So nothing to do with BS, I may be wrong, but sounds like they should not be making proposals like this, I am not a member, I don't know anyone who is, I would be surprised to learn they have much expertise in this field. 

You just don't get it, are you a member of any organisation that represent boaters?

 

[Alan de Enfield]

14 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I am not a member,

 

I don't expect your would be, as it is a group of Cruising CLUBS, not individuals.

[Arthur Marshall]

The guy who did my last inspection said that inspectors are packing it in in droves. I suspect making the inspection more often is simply to increase their revenue stream, encouraging them to stay or new ones to join.

The BSS has been an expensive joke since it was brought in. Making it an annual expensive joke would be farcical.

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, Arthur Marshall said:

The guy who did my last inspection said that inspectors are packing it in in droves. I suspect making the inspection more often is simply to increase their revenue stream, encouraging them to stay or new ones to join.

The BSS has been an expensive joke since it was brought in. Making it an annual expensive joke would be farcical.

They are advertising for inspectors 

 

Are you a marine professional with substantial experience working on boats in the UK inland waterways? Would you like to add a new skill to the services that you offer?

The BSS (Boat Safety Scheme) are recruiting for their 2022 BSS New Examiner Training Programme. Being a BSS Examiner is an extremely useful and fundamental skill for all marine professionals working in the UK inland waterways.

If this is of interest to you then please email: bss.enquiries@boatsafetyscheme.org or call Janine: 07920 415389

[Slow and Steady]

30,000 boats x £50 to CRT = £1.5M.

Just saying.

[zenataomm]

Where is the evidence such changes are needed?

[Arthur Marshall]

23 minutes ago, zenataomm said:

Where is the evidence such changes are needed?

There's no evidence that half the BSS requirements are needed. Which is why a stack of the original ones got scrapped. It's just bureaucracy in action. Evidence is not required, just useless UK management wonks, he spelt carefully.

[ditchcrawler]

30 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

There's no evidence that half the BSS requirements are needed. Which is why a stack of the original ones got scrapped. It's just bureaucracy in action. Evidence is not required, just useless UK management wonks, he spelt carefully.

Its taken to now to realise you don't need a flame arrester gauze on a diesel tank vent

[LadyG]

17 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

You just don't get it, are you a member of any organisation that represent boaters?

 

No, I'm not, and  I won't be joining any society which think their members want more visits from marine professionals and more certificates of dubious validity. That is not good governance. 

If appropriate, I would be quite happy to join a Cruising club if I wanted to cruise in company

In my opinion it would be difficult to form one organisation which could lobby on behalf of boaters and be representative of all boaters.

My own wishes are for more government funding in order to maintain the structures and the provision of good staff on the ground. I assume the CRT are best placed to lobby government, while boater associations, will probably be more effective influencing local concerns. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by LadyG

[LadyG]

20 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have just read on the AWCC site that they are now formally looking into reducing the time between inspections to 2 or 3 years and also when a boat is sold. Also only allowing the same examiner to do two examinations 

I think I interpreted your post incorrectly, I read it as the AWCC want to double up on inspections, but perhaps it is the BSS review which recommends it, seems more likely. 

8 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Its taken to now to realise you don't need a flame arrester gauze on a diesel tank vent

I have no objection to that, seems like good practice to be honest, as I would expect, are most requirements. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by LadyG