Freeboard Regulations

[Salopian]

I am selling my boat and the buyer's surveyor has noted that there is inadequate freeboard at the bow, it should be 10" and it's 8" from the drain holes.

I've been trying to find where any regulation specifies 10", I cannot find any mention of it, only that the freeboard should be adequate for the weight being carried. Can anyone enlighten me?

 

Thanks

[WotEver]

2 minutes ago, Salopian said:

I am selling my boat and the buyer's surveyor has noted that there is inadequate freeboard at the bow, it should be 10" and it's 8" from the drain holes.

I've been trying to find where any regulation specifies 10", I cannot find any mention of it, only that the freeboard should be adequate for the weight being carried. Can anyone enlighten me?

 

Thanks

It’s advisory only. No outlets lower than 250mm above the waterline. Not a problem at all. 

[Salopian]

Thanks WotEver, could you please tell me where this is quoted? Thanks

 

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Salopian said:

Thanks WotEver, could you please tell me where this is quoted? Thanks

 

It is in the BSS regs.

 

You say about it being 'suitable for the weight carried' - what type of boat are you selling ? is it a 'commercial' boat or a 'private' boat ?

Is the surveyor doing the survey based on commercial requirements or 'private owners' requirements ?

 

We need more information.

 

eg : maybe it is currently a 'private boat' but the buyer is buying it hire out - it will therefore fail the BSS and not meet hire specifications.

 

It is mandatory for hire boats, boatels, and 'commercial boats' ( example: selling something) but is only advisory for private boats.

 

The provisions of this section of Part 10 in the 2002 BSS Standards are mandatory for non-private boats where applicable.

To reduce the risk of your boat sinking if it keels over or is excessively weighed down, it's a good idea for privately owned boats to only have openings which are at a height of at least 250mm (10ins) above the waterline. Where openings are necessary below this level this risk can be reduced by ensuring that these openings are permanently and securely connected to ducts or pipes, which are watertight up to that level.

Self-draining cockpits may not be able to meet the 250mm (10ins) recommendation but, for privately owned boats, it's a good idea to stop water getting into other parts of the hull by incorporating non-return valves in the drains and/or having bulkheads or cills up to a height of 150mm (6ins).

A weed hatch, if not properly secured, can allow water into the bilges of a boat, which could ultimately cause it to sink. It's advisable for privately owned boats to have a secure and watertight weed hatch which reaches to at least 150mm (6ins) above the waterline, when the boat is loaded up as normal. [10.3]

 

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[Salopian]

I have had a good look through the BSS regs but can't find anything, but I am routinely informed that I am remarkably stupid and frequently miss the obvious. So could you please point me in the right direction? Thanks

 

[Murflynn]

it derives from the EN/BS/ISO standard 12217 section 6.1 which is applicable to RCD compliance.  The subject is known as 'downflooding'.

[philjw]

Have a look here:

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/non-private-boats/part-10-non-private-boats-safety-features/hull-openings/

[Salopian]

It's a private boat and will be used as such by the new owner.

[philjw]

Did you see this in the linked page?

 

To reduce the risk of your boat sinking if it keels over or is excessively weighed down, it's a good idea for privately owned boats to only have openings which are at a height of at least 250mm (10ins) above the waterline. Where openings are necessary below this level this risk can be reduced by ensuring that these openings are permanently and securely connected to ducts or pipes, which are watertight up to that level.

 

I reckon this is what the surveyor was saying.

 

[Alan de Enfield]

16 minutes ago, Salopian said:

It's a private boat and will be used as such by the new owner.

Then the surveyor is making a fuss about nowt.

It is his job to point it out but it is not a BSS mandatory item for a private boat.

 

However if the boat was built to RCD specifications he may have a point.

 

b) drains forming an integral part of the hull and of equal strength and tightness extending from the outlet to above the fully loaded upright waterline at least 0,12 m for design category A, 0,08 m for design category B, 0,06 m for design category C or 0,04 m for design category D, and also above the heeled waterline defined as follows: 

 

Above in error - this is part 2 for sailing boats, need to find Part 1 which is 'non-sailing' boats over 6 metres.

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[Salopian]

Thanks everyone, I understand the issue much better after your help.

[rusty69]

When faced with a similar surveyor verdict last year, the solution was to weld up the cockpit drain holes. Sorted.....well until it rains anyway.

[WotEver]

Whenever WotEver had a BSS the inspector would point out that the weed hatch was only 8” above the waterline and should have 2” added to it. Each time I thanked him and ignored him. 

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Whenever WotEver had a BSS the inspector would point out that the weed hatch was only 8” above the waterline and should have 2” added to it. Each time I thanked him and ignored him. 

Yeah, ours did that too.Result.......new extended weedhatch at great expensive even though the existing one had been fine for the previous 35 years. Bloody insurance companies!

 

ETA WotEver!

Edited October 22, 2018 by rusty69

[WotEver]

28 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

ETA WotEver

Yes?