Advice on getting a boat safety certificate

[Guest]

Hi I'm new to boating an I've gotta Norman 27 river cruiser. 

 

So I need to get a boat safety certificate (aswell as a license an insurance)

 

An I was looking to get some advice on finding a boat safety examiner.

 

I was told to always ask if they charge to do a retest aswell as the fuel charge I also was told to ask if they charge for the price of the certificate on top or if it is included .

 

Is there anything else I need to know or have I pretty much got it all covered?

 

I just wanna achieve a pass on the day. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks 4 reading

 

 

 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

In order to achieve a pass on the day, you'll need to go through the requirements beforehand and see how your boat compares.

Advice here: https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/requirements-examinations-certification/arranging-a-bss-examination/preparing-for-examination/

And the requirements here https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/requirements-examinations-certification/private-boat-requirements/

Does your boat have gas installed for cooking and/or hot water? Is your boat used as a dwelling? There are some complications if you answer yes to both these, but solvable.

 

[LadyG]

If the boat is on Canal & River Trust waters it should have a number, displayed (something like 54321), and a current BSC certificate.

Did you get any paperwork. Do you have proof of ownership,  as the another post says you want to get in to this boat but don't have a key.

Edited September 12, 2023 by LadyG

[BEngo]

Ask those around where you cruise and moor who they use.  If you care to provide an approximate location folks on here may also make suggestions.

 

The suggestion that you go through the check-list yourself beforehand is a good one.  Many fails are on simple things that could have been fixed easily.   If there are things you do not understand or unsure about post pictures and advice will appear.

 

All the examiners are listed on the BSS website linked above, with contact details.

 

You can also check the expiry date of a boat's certificate on the BSS site. Unlike a CRT licence or river registration the certificate does not terminate when the boat is sold, so the boat may have a BSC with remaining validity.

 

N

 

 

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

In order to achieve a pass on the day, you'll need to go through the requirements beforehand and see how your boat compares.

Advice here: https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/requirements-examinations-certification/arranging-a-bss-examination/preparing-for-examination/

And the requirements here https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/requirements-examinations-certification/private-boat-requirements/

Does your boat have gas installed for cooking and/or hot water? Is your boat used as a dwelling? There are some complications if you answer yes to both these, but solvable.

 

Hi there's no gas onboard and no it's not used as a dwelling 😊

3 minutes ago, BEngo said:

Ask those around where you cruise and moor who they use.  If you care to provide an approximate location folks on here may also make suggestions.

 

The suggestion that you go through the check-list yourself beforehand is a good one.  Many fails are on simple things that could have been fixed easily.   If there are things you do not understand or unsure about post pictures and advice will appear.

 

All the examiners are listed on the BSS website linked above, with contact details.

 

You can also check the expiry date of a boat's certificate on the BSS site. Unlike a CRT licence or river registration the certificate does not terminate when the boat is sold, so the boat may have a BSC with remaining validity.

 

N

 

 

Thanks for the advice it's very much appreciated. An it's in the north west area. Near crewe

11 minutes ago, LadyG said:

If the boat is on Canal & River Trust waters it should have a number, displayed (something like 54321), and a current BSC certificate.

Did you get any paperwork. Do you have proof of ownership,  as the another post says you want to get in to this boat but don't have a key.

All the paperwork is on board an it's all in my name. An yea I've lost the key to it. It's been about 6 months since I've even set foot on it due to being in an out of hospital 

[Tracy D'arth]

Ask   Steve Williams,   Based around Middlewich so Crewe is local.

Stephen Williams

Middlewich

07814-530679

  A helpful examiner.

[LadyG]

If the boat is on Canal & River Trust waters it should have a number, something like 54321, and a current BSC certificate.

Did you get any paperwork. Do you have proof of ownership,  as the another post says you want to get in to this boat but don't have a key.

I paid £160 for my certificate, travel was £20.

I have a narrowboat with a few bells and whistles, but I don't think you will get yours much cheaper as the Examiner has to pay through the nose for his qualification and training.

Edited September 12, 2023 by LadyG

[MtB]

16 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I have a narrowboat with a few bells and whistles, but I don't think you will get yours much cheaper as the Examiner has to pay through the nose for his qualification and training.

 

He or she also has to pay a swingeing fee of something like £35 for the issue of the actual certificate. Even though it is issued electronically nowadays.

 

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by MtB
sp

[Guest]

56 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Ask   Steve Williams,   Based around Middlewich so Crewe is local.

Stephen Williams

Middlewich

07814-530679

  A helpful examiner.

Thanks alot I'll try him tomorrow 😊

[Momac]

15 hours ago, MtB said:

 

He or she also has to pay a swingeing fee of something like £35 for the issue of the actual certificate. Even though it is issued electronically nowadays.

 

 

Its £65 per certificate (including VAT) , plus £240 per year registration fee plus significant start up  training costs . Not sure why anyone does it really .

Not sue why the 'embosser' is listed as its no longer applicable.

 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

As most of us here decided long ago, the BSS is just a money making scheme for the office wallars.

[Momac]

Last  time I paid £180 but that was in 2020. So due another in the new year . How time flies. I guess it will be over £200.

 

Depending on the nature and  extent of any failure the examiner may allow you to make good faults and and provide photographs as evidence at no extra cost but this probably has to be done  promptly.

 

I have found from my limited experience of owning only two boats over  15 years that once a boat passes it should pass the next time, especially if using the same examiner each  time.   You should really do your own checks in advance like checks on extinguishers and CO alarms.. The only relevant change to the BSS over 15 years  in my case has been addition of CO alarms.

 

As said their is not much respect for the BSS as it doesn't seem to add any great value. But then I expect most of us if not all on this forum  like to look after our boats .

[LadyG]

Rumour has the Scheme was dreamed up by the CRT Blue Sky Marketing department when they went to the pub one Friday afternoon having run out of Blue Sky Ideas.

Nothing daunted, they discovered the 'need" to protect the general public from harm, so they invented more  Regulations.

I'm not too worried, i can afford it, but I think it has all the trademarks of a chocolate teapot manufacturer 

18 hours ago, Charliechoppa said:

Hi I'm new to boating an I've gotta Norman 27 river cruiser. 

 

So I need to get a boat safety certificate (aswell as a license an insurance)

 

An I was looking to get some advice on finding a boat safety examiner.

 

I was told to always ask if they charge to do a retest aswell as the fuel charge I also was told to ask if they charge for the price of the certificate on top or if it is included .

 

Is there anything else I need to know or have I pretty much got it all covered?

 

I just wanna achieve a pass on the day. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks 4 reading

 

 

 

 

 

Remove everything like batteries, gas bottles and paraphernalia,  and  doors,  and hide them under towpath bushes. For your own safety buy two CO alarms  two fire alarms,  three ABC extinguishers,  and keep the boat well ventilated  

Edited September 13, 2023 by LadyG

[ditchcrawler]

On 13/09/2023 at 13:37, LadyG said:

Rumour has the Scheme was dreamed up by the CRT Blue Sky Marketing department when they went to the pub one Friday afternoon having run out of Blue Sky Ideas.

 

I think it predates CRT by a bit

[Alan de Enfield]

15 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think it predates CRT by a bit

 

In 1980 British Waterways (BW) introduced the Hire Boat Construction Standards to ensure that all hire boat systems were installed to a satisfactory standard. Compliance was mandatory as part of the BW licensing requirements. Privately owned craft under construction were also encouraged to follow these standards.

 

1990 saw the introduction of the Certificate of Compliance, this updated and replaced the Hire Boat Construction Standards. Compliance for hire boats was still mandatory as part of the BW licensing requirements. Once again privately owned craft were encouraged to meet the compliance requirements; as an incentive boats deemed to be compliant were given a 10% discount on their annual BW cruising licence. British Waterways approved Marine Surveyors carried out the Compliance examinations and issued a certificate.

 

In 1996 the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) was introduced, all hire craft and privately owned craft were now subject to the mandatory compliance checks as part of British Waterways licensing requirements. As the number of BW approved Marine Surveyors was only approximately 100 in number, and to help cope with the extra demand to ensure that all craft could be examined for compliance, the BSS office started run BSS examiner training courses in the early summer of 1996.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

sorted👍

Edited September 30, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

Anyone just had a BSS done in the last few month?

 I’m asking as I had my BSS done February cost £180, my friend has just had one done and it cost her £300😱

 The only thing it was picked up on was to replace the gas hose in the gas locker( out of date/cracking)

 Have BSS inspections suddenly been raised?

 

Did the examiner supply and replace the hose ?

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Did the examiner supply and replace the hose ?

No, just spoke to the examiner, and it was his mistake, typo on the invoice should of been £200, £180BSS £20 travel. Has now refunded the difference. I thought it was a bit high but didn’t know if the BSS Org. had put the certificate/affiliation prices up for the registered inspector.

[Tony Brooks]

On 14/09/2023 at 19:26, Alan de Enfield said:

 

In 1980 British Waterways (BW) introduced the Hire Boat Construction Standards to ensure that all hire boat systems were installed to a satisfactory standard. Compliance was mandatory as part of the BW licensing requirements. Privately owned craft under construction were also encouraged to follow these standards.

 

1990 saw the introduction of the Certificate of Compliance, this updated and replaced the Hire Boat Construction Standards. Compliance for hire boats was still mandatory as part of the BW licensing requirements. Once again privately owned craft were encouraged to meet the compliance requirements; as an incentive boats deemed to be compliant were given a 10% discount on their annual BW cruising licence. British Waterways approved Marine Surveyors carried out the Compliance examinations and issued a certificate.

 

In 1996 the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) was introduced, all hire craft and privately owned craft were now subject to the mandatory compliance checks as part of British Waterways licensing requirements. As the number of BW approved Marine Surveyors was only approximately 100 in number, and to help cope with the extra demand to ensure that all craft could be examined for compliance, the BSS office started run BSS examiner training courses in the early summer of 1996.

 

Further to this.

 

I have no idea how long they had been in existence, but in the 70s our fleet at maidenhead had to comply with the Thames Conservancy Launch Regulations and were inspected to ensure they complied by the TC Navigation inspectors. I might add that when we bought boats from the Broads, there was always rectification work to do. The worst one was a copper gas pipe run along the bilge in a wooden trunking that had perforated along its length.

 

When we bought JennyB I did not have a copy of the BSS book so went through it and checked against my copy of the Launch Regulations and it passed. I think the BSS was originally a simple copy of the launch regs, and from what I saw and hear it was badly needed. I will never forget sharing a Thames lock with a petrol boat that stunk the whole lock out with leaking petrol fumes, I ducked down behind the rear bulkhead (cruiser stern NB) while he started his engine, I was expecting an explosion. There have also been reported cases of gas pipes being bent over and flattened instead of fitting a stop end.

 

It is the gold plating and ever expanding demands since that, in my view, are unnecessary and just for the sake of it.

 

 

Edited September 30, 2023 by Tony Brooks

[system 4-50]

.

Edited September 30, 2023 by system 4-50

[Tony Brooks]

3 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Un?

yes, thanks, edited.

[blackrose]

On 13/09/2023 at 19:37, LadyG said:

Remove everything like batteries, gas bottles and paraphernalia,  and  doors,  and hide them under towpath bushes. 

 

You are a never ending font of stupid advice.

[Momac]

1 hour ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

 didn’t know if the BSS Org. had put the certificate/affiliation prices up for the registered inspector.

Yes they have

I paid £180 in 2020 so expecting £200 or so in April 2024.

 

 

[Bacchus]

Mine told me £200 including VAT on the phone but has just invoiced me for £211. He was an hour late and took half an hour to fail it on a slightly kinked balance pipe between the fuel tanks...

 

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, Bacchus said:

took half an hour to fail it on a slightly kinked balance pipe between the fuel tanks...

 

Rightly so.

Would you rather he passed a boat that had items installed that were "not according to requirements / regs" ?

 

I'd rather have that than my last examiner who sat in the saloon for 15 minutes didn't even look at anything on the boat (and didn't see all the failures I had set up - including fire extinguishers with a 'use by date' of 10 years ago), simply asked if I had CO alarms) and issued a 'pass'.

 

I felt cheated having paid £180.