Common Boat Safety Fails?

[Psycloud]

We're due our Boat Safety soon and am wondering what obvious things I can check myself before calling the tester? With an MOT I can check tyres, lights, wipers etc.

 

Also, should we remove extension leads that are screwed to the wall? Take out liveabord stuff?

 

If the current cert runs out now and the licence is due in Nov do we have a few months to sort everything or are CART going to be on our case?

 

Thanks in advance

[Guest]

We're due our Boat Safety soon and am wondering what obvious things I can check myself before calling the tester? With an MOT I can check tyres, lights, wipers etc.

Also, should we remove extension leads that are screwed to the wall? Take out liveabord stuff?

If the current cert runs out now and the licence is due in Nov do we have a few months to sort everything or are CART going to be on our case?

Thanks in advance

You have up to two months before your old BSS CERT expires within which your boat can be examined and the expiry be un affected so no real excuse to allow it lapse.

 

It is a requirement of your licence that you have a valid BBS CERT and your. Insurance company is likely to stipulate it too.

 

Some things are indeed easy to check yourself such as the security of batteries and gas cylinders.

 

What the examiner will check for is here.

 

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/private-boats/

 

Work your way through it work out what you feel ok checking yourself.

Edited April 3, 2015 by MJG

[bottle]

No BSS, possibly no insurance, it is also a requirement that your BSS is up to date at all times.

 

All you need to know is here: http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/

[Chewbacka]

Assuming you are a 'private' boat rather than commercial then this may help you

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/194782/2013ecp_private%20_boats_ed3_public_final.pdf

[Alan de Enfield]

Will you be having a 'Liveaboard BSS' or a 'Leisure BSS' ?

 

(Mind you now you have declared you are liveaboards, and shown the boat name, you may not have a choice)

[Canalwatcher]

Make sure your gas locker contains only gas bottles

[Phil.]

Will you be having a 'Liveaboard BSS' or a 'Leisure BSS' ?

 

(Mind you now you have declared you are liveaboards, and shown the boat name, you may not have a choice)

What's the difference, and does one cost more than the other?

[blackrose]

What's the difference, and does one cost more than the other?

 

I've never heard of a liveaboard or leisure BSS. I've been living aboard for 13 years and have never been asked by an inspector whether I'm living aboard or not. Sorry but it sounds like nonsense to me.

Edited April 3, 2015 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

Different requirements - particularly with gas testing, and not all BSS Surveyors are qualified to test to the Liveaboard requirements.

 

There have been instance of a surveyor having to stop the 'survey' until a qualified person can be found to do 'their bit', The BSS surveyor has to witness the qualified person do the test.

 

A non GUSIR registered person can loosed a nipple on a leisure boat, but, they are not allowed to on a Liveaboard.

 

From the BSS :

 

Carrying out 'work on the gas system of boats used for primarily residential purposes fall within scope of a piece of UK legislation known as the Gas Safety [installation and Use] Regulations (GSIUR).

As such, anyone contracted to 'work' on the LPG system of a boat in scope must be by law Gas Safe registered. As the definition of 'work' covers the removal and replacement of the nipple on a gas tightness-test point so this law also covers carrying out BSS tightness-test with a manometer.

This means that if a boat is in scope of GSIUR and the BSS Examiner is not Gas Safe registered, he or she can only carry out a full BSS Examination if:

• a bubble tester is fitted and correctly located; or,
• the examiner observes a Gas Safe registered technician carrying out the tightness-test with a manometer.

 

I've never heard of a liveaboard or leisure BSS. I've been living aboard for 13 years and have never been asked by an inspector whether I'm living aboard or not. It sounds like more nonsense to me.

 

Have you actually read the BSS requirements - maybe you should before declaring it is 'nonsense'

 

A lot of liveaboards tell the Surveyor they don't live aboard to get their BSS

[blackrose]

Different requirements - particularly with gas testing, and not all BSS Surveyors are qualified to test to the Liveaboard requirements.

 

There have been instance of a surveyor having to stop the 'survey' until a qualified person can be found to do 'their bit', The BSS surveyor has to witness the qualified person do the test.

 

A non GUSIR registered person can loosed a nipple on a leisure boat, but, they are not allowed to on a Liveaboard.

 

From the BSS :

 

Carrying out 'work on the gas system of boats used for primarily residential purposes fall within scope of a piece of UK legislation known as the Gas Safety [installation and Use] Regulations (GSIUR).

As such, anyone contracted to 'work' on the LPG system of a boat in scope must be by law Gas Safe registered. As the definition of 'work' covers the removal and replacement of the nipple on a gas tightness-test point so this law also covers carrying out BSS tightness-test with a manometer.

This means that if a boat is in scope of GSIUR and the BSS Examiner is not Gas Safe registered, he or she can only carry out a full BSS Examination if:

• a bubble tester is fitted and correctly located; or,
• the examiner observes a Gas Safe registered technician carrying out the tightness-test with a manometer.

 

Have you actually read the BSS requirements - maybe you should before declaring it is 'nonsense'

 

A lot of liveaboards tell the Surveyor they don't live aboard to get their BSS

 

So it's not the test which is different, it's the inspector? i.e. as long as the inspector is gas safe registered then it's the same test?

Edited April 3, 2015 by blackrose

[blackrose]

 

 

Have you actually read the BSS requirements - maybe you should before declaring it is 'nonsense'

 

A lot of liveaboards tell the Surveyor they don't live aboard to get their BSS

 

Yes, I have read the BSS requirements in their entirety - maybe you should wait for a reply before assuming that I haven't.

 

I've known a LOT of liveaboards and I've never heard of anyone telling their inspector that they don't live aboard to get their BSS. It's certainly never been an issue for me. Perhaps that's because our inspectors have been gas safe registered. But it seems pretty obvious that you would get a gas safe inspector if you have a gas system onboard. That applies to both liveaboards and leisure users.

Edited April 3, 2015 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

 

So it's not the test which is different, it's the inspector? i.e. as long as the inspector is gas safe registered then it's the same test?

 

In some respects - Yes. (fair comment)

But - I'm sure it has been stated previously that the time applied to the gas 'tightness' test to the GSIUR standards is different to the 'standard' BSS

[Murflynn]

 

Isn't it pretty obvious that you would get a gas safe inspector if you have a gas system onboard. That applies to both liveaboards and leisure users.

NO.

[Alan de Enfield]

 

Yes, I have read the BSS requirements in their entirety - maybe you should wait for a reply before assuming that I haven't.

 

I've known a LOT of liveaboards and I've never heard of anyone telling their inspector that they don't live aboard to get their BSS. It's certainly never been an issue for me. Perhaps that's because our inspectors have been gas safe registered. But it seems pretty obvious that you would get a gas safe inspector if you have a gas system onboard. That applies to both liveaboards and leisure users.

 

There are many surveyors who are not GSIUR registered.

 

Asking the question is down to the Surveyor

 

From BSS :

 

Privately owned boats used solely for leisure and pleasure purposes

 

If your boat is used by you for private leisure and pleasure use, all BSS Examiners can legally carry out a full boat safety scheme examination including checking by manometer that the gas system does not leak - the tightness-test.

 

The BSS Examiner may ask you about your boat's use:

The examiners who are not on the Gas Safe register are advised as part of their initial dealings with owners to ask in advance of turning up at the mooring, about the status of the craft.

To avoid falling foul of UK law and avoiding criminal prosecution they need to find out whether the boat's use will mean they should not carry out a tightness-test using a manometer. They may ask the following questions, just for their own personal record:

• Is the boat hired out in the course of a business?
• Is the boat used primarily by anyone for domestic or residential purposes (In this matter, it makes no difference to if the boat is owner-occupied or rented-out)?
• Are people invited on board the boat in the course of a business, e.g. is it a café or shop?

Even if the answer to all the questions above is 'no', the examiner is advised to make a brief record that he or she has asked the questions and received the negative answers. This information will not be shared with BSS Office or other parties unless there is an investigation linked to gas testing by the examiner.

[Chewbacka]

As a liveaboard you can use a non gas safe registered inspector if you have a bubble tester correctly installed.

If not he is not allowed to do the test.

 

Regulations are strange as a non gas safe person must not loosen the test nipple on a liveraboard but can do so not a leisure boat, and of course any one can disconnect the gas bottle with no training at all.

[Richard10002]

 

In some respects - Yes. (fair comment)

But - I'm sure it has been stated previously that the time applied to the gas 'tightness' test to the GSIUR standards is different to the 'standard' BSS

Is that because leisure gas knows not to explode when you are on board?

[ROBDEN]

We're due our Boat Safety soon and am wondering what obvious things I can check myself before calling the tester? With an MOT I can check tyres, lights, wipers etc.

 

Also, should we remove extension leads that are screwed to the wall? Take out liveabord stuff?

 

If the current cert runs out now and the licence is due in Nov do we have a few months to sort everything or are CART going to be on our case?

 

Thanks in advance

 

I’m Sorry I don’t understand your reasoning.

Why take out “liver-a- board stuff”?

 

If you take out the “liver-a-board stuff”, is it because you think it may fail the boat safety?

If it passes without the “stuff”, what then, put it back?

Making the boat unsafe again.

 

As long as the examiner passes it at that time he won’t care what you do when he’s gone.

If you want to make the boat (possibly) unsafe, that’s your choice.

 

These exams are put in place for your own - and others - safety.

 

Rob….

[Martin CC O'Beirne]

Howdy neighbour! - Passed mine last month - I got some pre inspection advice from a friend who is a surveyor - Some changes I had to make to pass

 

Stickers/badgers re location of gas/batt/mains/fuel on/offs (they sell em in willowbridge)

 

Fuel pipes - they have to meet certain requirements and carry some kind of reference mark/number - you may or may not get em from willowbridge - For the size I needed I went to Pirtek in MK

 

 

Have you still got your 3 fire extinguishers ? are the extinguishers in date? Fire blanket?

 

Cheers

 

Mart

 

 

 

 

 

Martin

[Dar Kuma]

No BSS, possibly no insurance, it is also a requirement that your BSS is up to date at all times.

 

All you need to know is here: http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/

 

What utter rubbish

I don't currently have a BSS or survey but will shortly, I have just got my insurance for my boat and yes, I did tell the insurance company that I didnt have either.

[luctor et emergo]

Why are these ruddy people allowed to live on their boats, without a proper test? ..

.....

...

 

No, can't be bothered anymore.

 

Enjoy your boating. I am .

 

 

 

 

 

Without a safety certificate.............

[Guest]

 

What utter rubbish

I don't currently have a BSS or survey but will shortly, I have just got my insurance for my boat and yes, I did tell the insurance company that I didnt have either.

 

It isn't 'utter rubbish'. It depends on your insurance company. I suspect most will require it.

 

Direct copy from my policy with Craftinsure,

 

Warranties applicable to “The Dog House”:

• Construction is of fibreglass, aluminium or steel.

• You possess a current Canal & River Trust or Environment Agency Licence, or the equivalent Licence from the local

Navigation Authority, and a current Boat Safety Certificate. In addition, if “The Dog House” is over 30 old years, you

have in your possession a full condition survey of the vessel, carried out whilst ashore and completed within the last

five years by a qualified yacht surveyor, with all recommendations complied with.

• “The Dog House” does not exceed 80ft in length.

[bottle]

 

What utter rubbish

I don't currently have a BSS or survey but will shortly, I have just got my insurance for my boat and yes, I did tell the insurance company that I didnt have either.

 

I suggest you read my post, properly.

Thanks Martin

 

Read your post after posting this one.

[Murflynn]

 

What utter rubbish

I don't currently have a BSS or survey but will shortly, I have just got my insurance for my boat and yes, I did tell the insurance company that I didnt have either.

you are POSSIBLY unable to read and interpret what you read.

[Dar Kuma]

oh ok, I can't read or write then, How can I have perfect spelling when typing catastrophic failure on your posts.

 

If I can't interpret what I read it is cause of your typing mess.

 

Just to clarify, I did actually check last night and I do have a BSS, But no current survey.

Why are these ruddy people allowed to live on their boats, without a proper test? ..
.....
...

No, can't be bothered anymore.

Enjoy your boating. I am .





Without a safety certificate.............

 

Lool, read my post before this one luctor, I clarify a detail for ya....

 

Ruddy people, Haaaaa, I am more safety concious than most people mate, I've seen how these supposed proffesional bodies deal with stuff

Edited April 7, 2015 by Dar Kuma

[Alan de Enfield]

Can you please explain what a "current survey" is.

 

(I have never heard of one.)