RCD litigation??????

[Twister_Ken]

The thread on a 116 degree AVS throws doubt on the validity of the RCD categorization of certain boats into the 'A' category.

"A. OCEAN: Designed for extended voyages where conditions may exceed wind force 8 (Beaufort scale) and significant wave heights of 4 m and above, and vessels largely self-sufficient."

Given that manufacturers actively promote their vessels using the RCD categories, and given that boat buyers may rely on the RCD as proof of product suitability, how long might it be before someone litigiously inclined (survivor or bereaved) tries to take a boatbuilder to the cleaners when a category A product founders in the waves over 4 metres, winds greater than F8?

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Twister_Ken on 21/02/2003 14:36 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[pandroid]

The Hoverspeed catamarans that ply across the channel have significant wave heights limits of 3 meters. Does that mean once they stop going out, to be safer we should all jump in the nearest Benny?

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[kimhollamby]

Nose job

Less to do in this case with stability and a lot more to do with the fact that they tend to get their bows stove in if running fast and hitting rough stuff. Think it was one running out of Harwich that considerably shortened its LOA a few years back? I'm guessing they wouldn't come to too much harm if they slowed up...but can you imagine all those holidaymakers stuck in airline seats for hours on end while the thing corkscrewed at 10 knots? You would want your Beneteau, or your anything else probably.

Quite funny really how fast ferry operators and even the RNLI seem to have had to learn lessons the hard way about the punishing dynamics of boats capable of speeds over 20 knots. Some leisure boat owners could have saved them a lot of trouble!

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[Bergman]

Never read this Euro-tripe but:-

If they don't give an upper limit to Cat A then boat must withstand anything - hurricanes, mega-waves etc.

Sounds almost like a guarantee of unsinkability - cant be right.

Be interesting to see someone try it - but not me!

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[Ohdrat]

Suggest you ask our Ellen when she gets back from the Jules Verne thing

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[kingfisher]

Depends.
I could certainly take a boat builder to the cleaners if his product fails to meet the standards in a lower category, iow if a cat. A boat founders in cat.B conditions.

You have to keep in mind that the RCD is simply about consumer products and product liability.

<hr width=100% size=1>Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[Twister_Ken]

>You have to keep in mind that the RCD is simply about consumer products and product liability.<

Precisely, and you have to remember that consumers are pretty well protected against false claims by manufacturers nowadays.

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