RYA encourages members to have their say on Boat Safety Scheme consultation

The RYA prepare to submit a response to the Boat Safety Scheme's consultation on introducing revised requirements.

The Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) has launched a public consultation on proposals within a clarified and improved set of BSS Examination Checking Procedures (ECP). The consultation, 'A review of the Examination Checking Procedures ECP 2022,' will be open to submissions from 07 March until 31 May 2022.

The revisions to the BSS ECP are the product of many months of work by the BSS stakeholder committees and the revisions are commended by the BSS Management Committee. They apply to checks used in the examination of privately owned and managed boats in private use, as well as boats subject to the 2017 Hire Boat Requirements.

The main focus of this consultation is the introduction of two mandatory BSS Requirements by way of amendments to two existing BSS Checks.
The two increased BSS Requirements are:

a) on boats with petrol propulsion engines, requiring evidence of recent servicing for any Wilderness Boats conversion of an Electrolux RM 212 refrigerator, BSS Check 8.2.2R

b) clarification that ferrous/cast iron fittings, joints and components used in LPG pipework are not compliant with BSS Check 7.8.3R.

The BSS also propose to introduce 20 relaxations by reducing some requirements or allowing additional compliance options. BSS has put forward the proposals under the consideration that they are both necessary and proportionate means of risk control that they believe will have a very positive impact on the level of consistency of the application of BSS Checks by existing BSS Examiners. The Scheme also hope that the changes will significantly improve the uptake of knowledge and understanding of trainees going through the New Examiner entry training programme.

Following an examination of the proposals, the RYA will be delivering a thorough response to the Scheme's consultation. However, the RYA also strongly encourages inland boaters and those that will be affected by the changes to also have their say on the revised requirements.

The BSS will publish a summary of the views expressed along with the BSS's response in Summer 2022.

The consultation closes at 16:30 on 31 May 2022.

To have your say on the proposals, please visit the Boat Safety Scheme website.

If you have any questions regarding the RYA’s response to this consultation or any of our other current affairs issues, please visit the Representation page on the RYA website or email cruising@rya.org.uk.