Victoria 34 and 38

[Daydream believer]

Are boats now safer, more seaworthy, reliable than they were before?

You might also ask if they are any worse than they were. I suspect that the RCD has prevented a downward shift below a standard in the interests of economy
Although it could be argued that boats may have been built down to the RCD as there was no point in exceeding it unless one wanted to build for a market where cost was not the first consideration

 

[Twister_Ken]

The RCD famously doesn't specify that underwater fittings shouldn't fizz and pop to an early death due to electrolysis with minutes of being immersed in seawater.

 

[MikeBz]

Third that. Have put up a poll. Let's see how many others would also not be bothered by the beurocracy.

Fourth! One day I will own a V34. Sadly it would take an act of God for me to be in a position to buy new.

 

[JumbleDuck]

The previous builder held the certification.

That is an interesting and useful point. Thanks.

Who in their right mind would invest £200k and 3/4 years of their life to build an unsalable boat when they could get a ready to go complete one of the same design for little more than the cost of a hull and deck?

Someone who enjoys building boats to sail? Which is generally the point of homebuilding?

Don't know where you got the idea that I was not bothered about RCD categories when I bought my boat.

That classic wooden boat of yours ... what RCD category is it?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Good choice, but if you are buying new you cannot avoid the RCD even if you ignore it. At a guess a V38 built today would cost north of £300k and would suggest that a buyer with that kind of money would have a different perspective.

a new V38 built today, like evry other 38 footer uit, would be Category A, as they were before. It's simply not an issue. If you are in that market you can't buy a boat that's not category A.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Depends on who you are aiming the boat at, and their insurers requirements.

If insurers cared about RCD then they would also insist that nothing was done to affect the criteria. Do they?

 

[Tranona]

a new V38 built today, like evry other 38 footer uit, would be Category A, as they were before. It's simply not an issue. If you are in that market you can't buy a boat that's not category A.

That's the point. Can a one off or home builder handle the bureaucracy and cost of certification. Already pointed out that the past certification would no longer be valid, only an indicator that the requirements can be met. There is a lot more to getting a CE mark than just the desgn, including evidence that it was built as designed, systems in place for traceability of material, documentation for everything that goes in the boat, owners manual etc. All these things production builders do as a matter of course. Suspect a one off would have to employ a certifying body to do the work.

Not like the old days when you filled a mould with GRP, hope it cured and then filled it with hand fitted woodwork.