BSS certificate

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symondo

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figured this maybe the place to ask

ive read a few sites of 'whats looked at' but it apprears to be in official speak.

can someone give me a straightforward list of items i need to ensure are correct/functioning/safe?

i understand...

fuel lines - no leaks
gas - none on board
electrics - must function

safety kit must be present?


anything else?
 
Ventilation is sufficient.
Inverter and shore power socket are isolated from each other
fuel leads have correct BSI markings
... and much more. The BSS website pretty much covers all of the requirements.
 
Best plan is to get an inspector out and he will tell you what needs doing. Save a lot of wasted time doing stuff that doesn't need doing, the only caveat is that you will need a sensible inspector so a good idea to ask other boaters around where you are going to use it.
If it hasn't been done before you will probably need stickers for fuel filler, battery master switch etc... and new fire extinguishers, but generally its all fairly easy.
 
symondo said:
That'd be some feat!
Im up in the highlands - looking at the caledonian canal but figured this maybe the best place to get an answer from people who need the bss certification on a piece of water
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You will see some waves then :) Actually you don't need a battery box but the battery needs to be securely held down and the terminals covered.
Hopefully up there the examiners are a bit more pragmatic in their interpretations of the rules for seagoing boats, some of the early ones on the river weren't very good, hence the BSS has a bad reputation on the Thames.
As already said there is far too much to list it all here, so it would be easier to get an examiner out and get a joblist for exactly what needs doing, be cheaper in the long run.
 
does the boat have to be in the water?

Currently shes on a trailer as ive some maintenence to do. id like it certificated beforehand as ive got my tools all to hand at the house to remedy anything
 
Chris_d said:
No can be done ashore, its just a safety check so they don't check if the engine or sterndrive work or anything like that.
But if you have gas they will need to check it works correctly.
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I had mine done out of the water in a barn.... there were no windows fitted either.... still got an advisory for ventilation though!!!!
 
Alpha22 said:
there were no windows fitted either.... still got an advisory for ventilation though!!!!
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Thats because for same unfathomable reason windows don't count towards ventilation, even ones that can't physically be shut (or in your case had been taken out). Madness!
 
DogsBody said:
Thats because for same unfathomable reason windows don't count towards ventilation, even ones that can't physically be shut (or in your case had been taken out). Madness!
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Its not mad, they check for fixed ventilation only so opening windows obviously don't count. But you need a good inspector, mine measured the hatch gap of the entrance to get the fixed square area up to the minimum, then you don't have to cut holes for extra vents etc...
 
Chris_d said:
Its not mad, they check for fixed ventilation only so opening windows obviously don't count. But you need a good inspector, mine measured the hatch gap of the entrance to get the fixed square area up to the minimum, then you don't have to cut holes for extra vents etc...
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Depends on your boat. If it is a sea boat it doesn't need to have any fixed ventilation.
 
CX54WEK said:
Depends on your boat. If it is a sea boat it doesn't need to have any fixed ventilation.
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I think technicaly it does, but a sympathetic examiner will find ways to make it pass without cutting any holes, hence measuring hatch gap to cockpit etc...
Get a jobsworth though and then your boat will be wrecked! I think there are a few on the Thames ;)

Have a look at 8.9.1 http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/194782/2013ecp_private _boats_ed3_public_final.pdf
There is a note about seagoing boats, if you think about it all boats must have fixed ventilation otherwise you could be sleeping in a sealed box with no air!
 
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Chris_d said:
I think technicaly it does, but a sympathetic examiner will find ways to make it pass without cutting any holes, hence measuring hatch gap to cockpit etc...
Get a jobsworth though and then your boat will be wrecked! I think there are a few on the Thames ;)

Have a look at 8.9.1 http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/194782/2013ecp_private _boats_ed3_public_final.pdf
There is a note about seagoing boats, if you think about it all boats must have fixed ventilation otherwise you could be sleeping in a sealed box with no air!
Click to expand...

Hence the need for the warning notices on sea going vessels to open fixed ventilators, ie windows and hatches.
 
Chris_d said:
Its not mad, they check for fixed ventilation only so opening windows obviously don't count. But you need a good inspector, mine measured the hatch gap of the entrance to get the fixed square area up to the minimum, then you don't have to cut holes for extra vents etc...
Click to expand...

Opening windows may not count but surely a window that cannot be closed (in my case because it had a bundle of cables running through it leaving a minimum of 1" open) should be counted as fixed ventilation. IMO anyway.
 
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