What boat length is on your papers ?

[BartW]

When I gave the specs of my Canados 70s to the Belgium authority’s , I wrote on the paper:
Total Boat Length: 22m (which is in fact the hull length)
beam: 5.5m
water line: 18,5m this figure was nowhere on the old papers, but I could find it in a magazine in a review, but I’m afraid it is slightly more in reality, I guess 19,5m, to be measured exactly next week.


A few day’s later when I got the official documents in the post,
was printed on them :
boat length : 18.5m, (nothing else about the length)
beam : 5.5m

this is of course nice when in a marina they just look at my papers for the mooring bill
but it is such a big difference with reality that I might get in to trouble one day,
or that the boat even doesn’t fit in a mooring space that they give me….

when the inspector came for coding the boat, I asked him about it, and he answered,
"we usually put the water length which is good for you"

In a few day's I will change the registration of the boat to commercial,
I could use this occasion to tell the authority’s the correct boat length.
what would you do, what length would you give,
objectively it should be 21,5m (70ft)
its tempting to give 19,9m

 

[Kawasaki]

Bart, go with the flow Mate
I have worked out of 'Oostende' an a few other Belgian ports
Compared to other Port Authorities in France and others, I reckon your Guys are pretty cool about stuff like this
I like Belgium!!!

 

[BartW]

Compared to other Port Authorities in France and others, I reckon your Guys are pretty cool about stuff like this

Thanks Kawa,
but the plan is to use the boat mostly in France

and I forgot to tell that LOA including stern platform and bow rail is close to 24m
again, I don't know exactly

 

[AndieMac]

Will the coding/survey process involve a naval architect, as this person will do their own measurements, stability calculations, etc. and report back to relevant authority.
I would have thought the waterline length was the most important, as it (does with us) dictates requirements for manning levels on commercial vessels. Sometimes one metre can be a deal breaker!

Got to keep thinking small, it's sometimes about what you can get away with

 

[AndieMac]

I like Belgium chocolate!!!

Same here K, it's very addictive don't you think?

 

[harstonwood]

Same here K, it's very addictive don't you think?

He meant Beer

 

[longjohnsilver]

what length would you give

I'd try for 15m and be prepared to shrink..............

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I dont understand why you'd want to voluntarily increase the length of your boat on official documentation. As you say, you'll save loads of money on mooring fees, coding costs and charter licences. Every official I've ever met only ever looks at the papers. If anyone questions it, just ask them who they think they are to question the full majesty of the Belgian ship registration authorities?

 

[Tranona]

This is an old chestnut. Registration authorities define the measurements they require. It may be simplistic as in the case of our own SSR, or complex as in the Part 1 registration.

Similarly marinas and harbour authorities can use whatever measurements they like - although many use the one on the registration document for simplicity.

There was a time when port charges and light dues were based on measurements on the registration document, so inevitably the surveyor would be briefed to minimise the measure within the rules. Just a cursory look at the measurement certificate for the old Part 1 would give you an idea of where "adjustments" could be made. My children were always disappointed that there was nothing under the allowance for "apprentice space" on our measurement certificate.