MCA Coding of Yachts

[woody001]

Hi,

I have three yacht's that Need MCA Coding for charter use.
They are 38ft (bavaria), 48ft (Swan) and 53ft (Swan)

Can anyone recommend any companys/people who can do this?
Where can i find the MCA coding requirments so i can at least insure the boats are up to spec before inspection.

and....the bit i hate, how much will this damage my wallet?

cheer's all.

woody

 

[CliveG]

Hi

Have a look at this CE Proof web page.

There will be a few independent surveyors in you area able to do the coding for you.

See the YBDSA list for the south coast

A lot of the work / cost in in the safety equipment.
We reckon it costs about £5000 to bring a new yacht up to category 2 (60 miles from safe haven)

Your best guidance should come from the charter Co. who will manage the yachts for you.
The 53 footer will be more costly to keep coded as it is over 15m and has to have a full inspection every year.
Under 15m the coding lasts 5 Years with a mid term inspection in the 3rd year.

All the best

 

[Moose]

the mca peeps from CeProof have set up their own business. They really do seem very good and although they are operating from a "temporary" office they could not have been more helpfull to me. You can find them at www.saundersmorganharris.com or 08456076847.

 

[tcm]

careful about the charter co =- lots of people will offer that they do the coding but sub somebody in.

I *think* tho i have used the same guy as moose and another on this thread used - namely Duncan Saunders whos posts here as DuncanHamble, or used to. 5grand seems a bit much tho it depends where you start from i spose.

 

[Steve Clayton]

All the info you need re coding is here:

http://www.ybdsa.co.uk/certification.htm

http://www.bluemoment.com/codeofpractice/index.html

If Solent sailing only (between Bembridge and Hurst) then there is a slightly relaxed coding below that of Cat 2; known as Portsmouth coding.

Steve
www.seraph-sailing.com

 

[alastair]

Agreed,
£5000 seems very high. I have cosed 2 boats earlier this year, and it was nowhere near that kind of fig

 

[TigaWave]

Hi woody,

I went through this myself, first buy a copy of the code, it is on th eweb site listed below, but having the book onboard is uesfull. You know its the current version then.

There are many changes that will be subject to discretion on how you fit in with what's required.

My boat a Bav39 took me about a days work, and only involved two alterations which I believe were unnesasary for the use the yacht would be applying for.

Cost, if you dont include up to date flares/fire extinguishers/smoke alarm. The extra cost was only a few hundred pounds and a days work. Re route heads outlet pipe and fit an extra bilge pump.

You can save quite a bit buy buying your own first aid kit (its all listed in the code) from teh St johns ambulance website, or a trade supplier of medical kit.

Make sure you are there when its inspected and you can discuss how you propose to comply....for instance...saved lots by sharing fire extinguisher capacity, having a large manually operated fire extinguisher close to engine box and a hole cut in the box.

I used Mecal in Plymouth to certify, and they were very fare...other boats.

If you read the code carefully there really shouldn't be too much to do, other than what you would normally have to make the yacht safe for passage making.

My main problem with it was having to turn the fore hatch round the other way!! when it seems that most Sunsail boats dont bother??

Good luck, it really wasn't that bad or expensive (for me)

 

[DFB]

This is something I've been looking at too. I contacted the RYA and they sent the following link; https://mcanet.mcga.gov.uk/public/c4/mld/section03/280%20Full.pdf

Further to other answers on this forum, I've always had acqaintances quote me horrendous figures, when in fact a closer look at the above document stipulates what is in effect "the bleeding obvious" It's safety first, second and third.

Let us know how you get on

 

[brianhumber]

Having got a 34 footer coded up some years ago, I would agree with TigaWave it is good idea to be with the Surveyor when inspection is done.
Like all codes some interpretation was called for when they first came out but your vessels are production models so there should be many examples allready coded out on the water.
I would try to find out what is accepted on any parts of the code you are unsure of how to proceed from surveyors or other coded owners.
Back when I did it I can remember some interesting discussions on battery ventilation and solid fuel piping on the engine. Common sense logic prevailed in the end. The most difficult item to modifiy was developing and installing the means of turning off the fuel tank outlet valve from outside the engine compartment.
On the day of inspection all went well, he was fair and accepted my reasons for doing what I had on the more interpretive parts of the code.

Slightly envious of your larger vessels in your fleet I must say.

Brian