Boat Safety Certificate

[Mark R]

Morning all,

 

I wondered if there is anyway to check whether there is a way of checking whether a boat safety certificate has expired. A previous survey suggests it's still valid for a year, but I've just noticed that it's expired when I look at my boat details on the CRT. The certificate number is BSSER 381454/19 if that gives anything away?

 

Mark

[Rob-M]

Isn't the last two digits the year of examination, ours runs out this year and ends /20 so I would suggest yours was done in 2019 and therefore has expired.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Mark R said:

but I've just noticed that it's expired when I look at my boat details on the CRT.

 

 

In which case - yes - it has expired.

 

C&RT are owners of the BSS scheme and there boat records are linked to the BSS system.

 

Edit to add  :

 

My BSS was last done in April 2019 and the last two numbers ( /19) are the year it was done, so mine has also expired.

 

(But I don't need to renew it now)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 9 by Alan de Enfield

[Momac]

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

C&RT are owners of the BSS scheme and there boat records are linked to the BSS system.

Strictly speaking ...........C&RT are part owners of the  BSS together with the EA.

 

 

 

 

[Mike Tee]

If C&RT don't think you have one you will have a problem next time you try to license your boat.

[BilgePump]

If you do licensing online then CaRT email three months before expiry to remind you. They don't email the moment it goes out of date though. Got mine done a week or so late and regular examiner said they probably wouldn't have made an issue until licence renewal. If anything bad happened though and need to fall onto insurance then lack of one would be a big problem.

[ditchcrawler]

I am surprised that you didn't get an auto reminder from CRT or do they only do that for licences ?

[Machpoint005]

I'd think that in CRT 's collective mind a licence reminder also functions as a BSC reminder, as you cannot get a licence without a certificate.

 

[BilgePump]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

I am surprised that you didn't get an auto reminder from CRT or do they only do that for licences ?

Online, it's all automatic. Three months before, they email to remind you. When it passes, it updates in their records. It doesn't alert you the day it goes out of BSS certification though (or didn't last year).

[blackrose]

6 hours ago, Mark R said:

 

I wondered if there is anyway to check whether there is a way of checking whether a boat safety certificate has expired.

 

Yes, I generally look at the expiry date on the certificate. 

I must be missing something here, is the original hard copy of the certificate not available? 

 

My annual EA river licence renewal requires details of my insurance and also when appropriate my BSS certificate, so I use that as my reminder.

[haggis]

11 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Yes, I generally look at the expiry date on the certificate. 

I must be missing something here, is the original hard copy of the certificate not available? 

 

My annual EA river licence renewal requires details of my insurance and also when appropriate my BSS certificate, so I use that as my reminder.

I don't think you get a copy of the BSS certificate now. The details are posted onto your boats details area in C&RT and that is where I check when renewal is due although I seem to remember getting an email telling me that the BSS expiry is imminent. 

[blackrose]

12 minutes ago, haggis said:

I don't think you get a copy of the BSS certificate now. The details are posted onto your boats details area in C&RT and that is where I check when renewal is due although I seem to remember getting an email telling me that the BSS expiry is imminent. 

 

Really? I got a hard copy when I had my boat inspected last year.

 

Perhaps it's changed since then but l it doesn't sound like the OP has had his boat inspected very recently, so whoever the owner was at the time may still have been given a hard copy.

[Momac]

19 minutes ago, haggis said:

I don't think you get a copy of the BSS certificate now.

I did get a pdf certificate by email from  the surveyor (in 2020). 

 

 

 

 

I received my BSS reminder by email from C&RT  3 months prior to the expiry date. 

Its not a new thing.

 

 

Edited April 9 by Momac

[haggis]

4 minutes ago, Momac said:

I did get a pdf certificate by email from  the surveyor (in 2020). 

 

 

Ah, memory failing again ! mention of a PDF reminded me that we got that attached to an email. In days of yore we actually got a printed certificate bearing the BSS stamp and that is what I remembered. 🙂 

[ditchcrawler]

This is what I received 

BSSER-434547--22-Harnser-03--05--2022 (2).pdf

Edited April 9 by ditchcrawler
Sent before attaching

[Naartjie - Duck Hatch]

30 minutes ago, haggis said:

I don't think you get a copy of the BSS certificate now. The details are posted onto your boats details area in C&RT and that is where I check when renewal is due although I seem to remember getting an email telling me that the BSS expiry is imminent. 

Just had my BSS done & I got a hard copy too

[MartinC]

2 hours ago, Mike Tee said:

If C&RT don't think you have one you will have a problem next time you try to license your boat.

Suggest you may find that your insurance policy has a condition that you must hold a current BSS. If so you do need to get this sorted now

[Momac]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

Ah, memory failing again ! mention of a PDF reminded me that we got that attached to an email. In days of yore we actually got a printed certificate bearing the BSS stamp and that is what I remembered. 🙂 

It was not so many years ago that it was all done on paper.  As you say the surveyor impressed a stamp into the paper to authenticate the certificate.

I do print up and keep the paper copy on the boat but there is no need for it really.

 

 

 

22 minutes ago, MartinC said:

Suggest you may find that your insurance policy has a condition that you must hold a current BSS. If so you do need to get this sorted now

Insurers who cover lumpy water as  well as inland waters don't seem to be concerned at all about the BSS. I have never seen it mentioned by any insurer and I always read the insurance documents.

[Alan de Enfield]

55 minutes ago, Momac said:

It was not so many years ago that it was all done on paper.  As you say the surveyor impressed a stamp into the paper to authenticate the certificate.

I do print up and keep the paper copy on the boat but there is no need for it really.

 

 

 

Insurers who cover lumpy water as  well as inland waters don't seem to be concerned at all about the BSS. I have never seen it mentioned by any insurer and I always read the insurance documents.

 

The insurance generally says (something to the effect) "all requirements laid down by the navigation authority must be complied with"

 

No navigation authority so no requirements on the lumpy stuff !

 

Edit to add : The 'small print' from Craft Insure.

 

You agree that :

 

• The boat will be ashore or afloat on inland non-tidal waters and interconnecting tidal waterways of the UK, the Broads and the Thames not to seaward of the Thames Barrier.
• The boat will be used for private and pleasure purposes only.
• The boat is of fibre glass, aluminium or steel construction.
• The boat has a current Boat Safety Certificate (and/or a certificate of conformity from the manufacturer if the boat is less than 4 years old).
• The boat's overall length does not exceed 80ft.
• A Canal & River Trust or Environment Agency Licence, or the equivalent licence from the local Navigation Authority, will be maintained in force once the boat is in commission and afloat.
• If the boat is over 30 years old, you possess a full out of the water condition survey of the boat, carried out within the last 5 years by a qualified yacht surveyor, and all recommendations have been complied with (or a survey carried out within the past 7 years if the boat is already insured by you with Craftinsure)
• The boat is not more than 50 years old now.
• Neither I nor any co-owner have any convictions or pending convictions
• The boat has not been modified in a way that affects its' seaworthiness
• I have no health issues that affect my ability to operate the boat
• The boat is not a static houseboat

Edited April 9 by Alan de Enfield

[Momac]

Yes you are correct - there it is 

 

 

[nbfiresprite]

5 hours ago, haggis said:

I don't think you get a copy of the BSS certificate now. The details are posted onto your boats details area in C&RT and that is where I check when renewal is due although I seem to remember getting an email telling me that the BSS expiry is imminent. 

I was sent a PDF file from my examiner via email and have done since 2016. I then just email a copy to the Marina Office and the MLC.

[MrsM]

7 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

I'd think that in CRT 's collective mind a licence reminder also functions as a BSC reminder, as you cannot get a licence without a certificate.

 

I have often wondered how some of the extremely poor condition boats manage. There are a couple on CRT online moorings near me that look like they couldn't possibly pass a BSS. How do they get licenced? 

[Momac]

5 minutes ago, MrsM said:

I have often wondered how some of the extremely poor condition boats manage. There are a couple on CRT online moorings near me that look like they couldn't possibly pass a BSS. How do they get licenced? 

The BSS does not require a boat to look like it is  in good condition.

 

[nbfiresprite]

8 minutes ago, MrsM said:

I have often wondered how some of the extremely poor condition boats manage. There are a couple on CRT online moorings near me that look like they couldn't possibly pass a BSS. How do they get licenced? 

Hull condition and paintwork are not covered by the BSS.

[Alan de Enfield]

32 minutes ago, MrsM said:

I have often wondered how some of the extremely poor condition boats manage. There are a couple on CRT online moorings near me that look like they couldn't possibly pass a BSS. How do they get licenced? 

 

Actually meeting the requirements listed does not seem to be an actual requirement.