What are "Category C and D Waters"?

[Windhover]

Lots of mention in recent threads on diesel fuel of "Category C and D Waters". I seem to have missed this terminology until now, and am confused since I have gathered that Category C and D waters are the open sea, so completely unrelated to EU Directive designations for boats, where category A boats are suitable for ocean going, and category D for the local pond. Can anyone help me in my ignorance?

Thanks

 

[photodog]

Cat D is your bathtub... and C is your neighbors duck pond.

 

[Evadne]

As you say the directive defines the boat, the waters she may sail upon are part of that definition so category C waters are "inshore" and D are "sheltered":

Design categories (as in the amended Directive)
Category A - Ocean: Designed for extended voyages where conditions may exceed wind force 8 (Beaufort scale)
and significant wave heights of 4m and above but excluding abnormal conditions, and vessels largely self-sufficient.
Category B - Offshore: Designed for offshore voyages where conditions up to, and including, wind force 8 and
significant wave heights up to, and including, 4m may be experienced.
Category C - Inshore: Designed for voyages in coastal waters, large bays, estuaries, lakes and rivers where
conditions up to, and including, wind force 6 and significant wave heights up to, and including, 2m may be
experienced.
Category D - Sheltered: Designed for voyages on sheltered coastal waters, small bays, small lakes, rivers and
canals where conditions up to, and including, wind force 4 and significant wave heights up to, and including, 0.3m
may be experienced, with occasional waves of 0.5m maximum height, for example from passing vessels.
Craft in each Category must be designed and constructed to withstand these parameters in respect of stability,
buoyancy, and other relevant essential requirements listed, and to have good handling characteristics.

 

[barryg]

cat c

Cat D is your bathtub... and C is your neighbors duck pond.

if C is the neighbors duck pond how come the scilly isles , Cherburg and channel islands were easily achieved in a cat c Jeanneau sun 2500 !

 

[aquaplane]

I thought that there was some clause about sailing time to a safe port too, as in Cat D is within 2 hours?

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Read All About It

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/msn1776.pdf

 

[Coaster]

if C is the neighbors duck pond how come the scilly isles , Cherburg and channel islands were easily achieved in a cat c Jeanneau sun 2500 !

Because there is a large gap between regulatory standards and practical use.

The categories are to guide individuals with insufficient experience and knowledge to judge for themselves.

I don't think that's unreasonable.

 

[RobF]

Because there is a large gap between regulatory standards and practical use.

The categories are to guide individuals with insufficient experience and knowledge to judge for themselves.

I don't think that's unreasonable.

Agreed. I suspect that if most of the boats on the Jester challenge were to be given a rating, a lot of them would come up as Category C.

Similarly, there are lots of boats with Category A rating that I wouldn't want to take trans-Atlantic

 

[DownWest]

The local regs for cat C are 6nm from a safe port. Makes crossing big bays a bit iffy.

 

[NormanS]

Lots of mention in recent threads on diesel fuel of "Category C and D Waters". I seem to have missed this terminology until now, and am confused since I have gathered that Category C and D waters are the open sea, so completely unrelated to EU Directive designations for boats, where category A boats are suitable for ocean going, and category D for the local pond. Can anyone help me in my ignorance?

Thanks

A typical beaurocratic shambles.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

There is confusion here between Categorised waters by the MCA as requested by the original poster, and the categorisation of boats under the RCD.

Two totally different things.

 

[reginaldon]

Just as well no one told Shane Acton about all this!

 

[Windhover]

Category C and D Waters

Thanks for the link MoodyNick - I think you were the only poster who understood my question!

 

[NormanS]

I understood the question. I just think it is unfortunate that the categories work in reverse order!