Boat Examiner - Marine Surveyor & Boat Safety Scheme Examiner in the East of England

Thank you for visiting the website of Tony Pope - authorized examiner of the Boat Safety Scheme. I offer competitively priced examinations to the requirements of the Boat Safety Scheme throughout East Anglia and the Northern Home Counties.

PREPARING YOUR BOAT FOR THE EXAMINATION	FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS	MY PROFILE	FEES AND PAYMENT DETAILS	CONTACT ME	LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

THE BOAT SAFETY SCHEME

The BSS was jointly established in 1997 by the Environment Agency and British Waterways to promote safety on the inland waterways in respect of boats, their installations and components. Other Navigation Authorities have since adopted the scheme or are in the process of phasing in the scheme on their waterways. Compliance in meeting these minimum safety standards in order to obtain a navigation licence became a requirement at the same time. The BSS examination is required once every four years and is used by the navigation authorities to help prevent fires, explosions and pollution and to determine that craft meet the minimum safety requirements of the navigation authorities.

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PREPARING YOUR BOAT FOR THE EXAMINATION

The Boat Safety Scheme is important and deserves careful preparation to achieve a satisfactory result, but please don't be daunted by the examination.

Here are some practical tips to ensure that compliance in your examination is successful:

Get the BSS Essential Guide (August 2005) This BSS publication is an invaluable guide to help you understand what will be checked during your examination. It's available here as a free download.
Have your existing BSS certificate to hand. This will help with information that is required to complete the paperwork.
Provide full access to all gas joints and to pipe-work wherever possible (including fuel lines) so that they can be examined.
Ensure all the boat systems work. Have a fully charged battery and gas and water to enable a minimum 15 minute test to be run on the system.
If you have a gas water heater on your boat, make sure there is sufficient water on board to fully test its operation and flue-spillage etc.
Gas lockers should be unlocked and boards and panels removed to give access where necessary.
Engine covers etc are removed or at least made easily removable.
Check your fire extinguishers. The BSS Guide on fire extinguishers is available here.
Batteries are fully charged and along with fuses, are easily accessible.
Where boats have been lifted or placed on hardstanding, please ensure that safe access is provided.
If your boat is moored on private moorings or in a marina please inform the owner so they are aware of the examination taking place. Many marina operators have an obligation to ensure that visiting contractors have the required level of public liability insurance. A copy of my insurance certificate is available upon request.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What will it cost me to have my boat examined?

Current fees are available on request. Click here to take me there.

What do I get for my money?

The examination fee includes the issuing of all paperwork required: Examination Report, Appliance Record & the Boat Safety Scheme Certificate.

Why is it so expensive to get my boat examined now? I used to get it done for £50!

The BSS examination scheme used to be funded jointly by British Waterways and the Environment Agency and all BSS costs were covered by the yearly licence fee. With other navigation authorities now operating within the scheme, this cost has now been passed-on to boat owners in the form of a tax on the Boat Safety Certificate supplied to examiners. Over a 4 year period, all examiners have seen this cost increase by well over 400%!

My Certificate is due to expire. Can I get the examination done early?

Yes, certificates can be issued and post dated up to two months before the old one runs out.

My boat is under 4 years old and has something called 'RCD' & a 'CE' plate. Do I need a certificate?

No, you do not need a Boat Safety Certificate until your boat is 4 years old as the manufacturer has built the craft to the standards set by the Recreational Craft Directive.

Are there any common problems that I could check before the examination?

There are a few items that are regularly listed on failure reports such as: Badly corroded gas lockers &/or gas bottles not secured, gas pipe joints not clipped or secured within 150mm of each side of compression joints, flexible fuel hose not to ISO EN 7840 specification, batteries not secure &/or cables between batteries and battery master switch not of sufficient size (25mm2), fire extinguishers not present or not to current specification etc.

Does my engine need to be running for the BSS Examination?

There is no requirement for your boat to have a running engine during the BSS examination.

Why do I need to be so careful about the gas system on my boat?

LPG is heavier than air, so it will sink down into the bottom of your boat where it will accumulate until it becomes an explosive mixture (2 - 10% with air) & can easily be ignited by electrical sparks / pilot lights etc.

Why should I choose a BSS examiner who is 'Gas Safe' registered?

Examiners who are registered with the Gas Safe Register® have passed the stringent training and assessments required for working on gas systems in accordance with the 'Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998'. This is a legal requirement on boats used for residential purposes and also for any vessel that is used for hire or reward. Currently, non Gas Safe Registered examiners are only allowed to test privately owned, non-residential craft as these are outside the jurisdiction of the 'Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998'. Due to the risk associated with LPG on boats, selecting an examiner who is registered with the Gas Safe Register® should be an important factor when choosing the correct person to examine your boat.

My Fire Extinguishers seem alright but don't have the labels specified in the BSS Essential Guide. Why can't I use them?

Generally, only fire extinguishers that have the correct marking are allowed on boats. These have been tested & approved for use by official testing organisations under strict operational conditions. To see a graphical illustration of the approved testing laboratories and their marks please click here. Please be aware that some fire extinguishers will claim to be EN3 rated but will not have the accreditation of the BSS approved testing laboratories listed. These are not acceptable for use on boats licensed under the BSS.

What about checks that are 'advisory' on the list. Do I need to comply with these items?

Some checks, most notably ventilation, are advisory under the Boat Safety Scheme and will not prevent you from getting a certificate. The certificate will however, have an endorsement that will show the non-compliance and may affect any insurance policy and/or claim that you may have in the future.

What happens if my boat fails the BSS Examination?

If your boat is found to have defects and does not comply with the current requlations you will be given a report detailing the failed items. By checking the numbered report against the BSS Essential Guide (see above) you will be able to decide the best action to take in complying with the regulations. This usually entails doing some small rectification work and arranging a re-examination.

I've been given a 'Warning Notice' & have been told that I will be reported to my Navigation Authority. What does this mean?

In situations where a boat is deemed to be dangerous (for example has a gas leak) examiners issue a Warning Notice & advise the authorities of the situation. In your own interest you must take all advice & act accordingly with great urgency.

My boat passed last time, so why is it now a failure?

The BSS is a scheme that is constantly being reviewed to improve the safety on our waterways and because of this, some checks will inevitably be changed. It can also be caused by perishable / end-of-life items that are deemed no longer suitable for the purpose.

How do I book an examination?

Click here to proceed!

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PROFILE

Tony Pope is a qualified Boat Safety Examiner who trained for the BSS at Evesham College in Worcestershire during the Autumn of 2004. He has attained both CCN1 (natural gas) & CCLP1(LPG) accreditation to satisfy the current requirements for Boat Safety Examiners to be qualified to examine gas systems on all types of craft. He holds Gas Safe Register® registration number 514370 to enable the inspection and testing of residential boats & hire-craft. Tony is a partner in the Nationwide Alliance of Boat Surveyors & Examiners and holds qualifications from the International Institute of Marine Surveyors in Yacht and Small Craft Surveying.

Tony is the proprietor and director of Boat Safe Surveys Limited, a company that offers a comprehensive service to owners of yachts and small craft in the East of England for pre-purchase, valuation & insurance reports.

A qualified RYA Yachtmaster and Coastal Skipper, Tony owns a Birchwood Interceptor moored at his base - Lock Marina (Upware) Ltd -in Cambridgeshire and also a Fairline Mirage currently undergoing a full refit at home.

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FEES & PAYMENT DETAILS

I offer competitively priced examinations starting at just £100. As all boats are different, please contact me for a quotation. Don't forget - the price quoted will be fully inclusive of all certification & travel costs etc.

I will need to know some relevant details to provide a quotation. These are:

Is the boat used for Hire or Reward?
Is the boat residential?
Is there a gas system on the boat? (please see the note* below)
How many engines does the boat have and are they inboard or outboard?
The length of the boat?
Where is the boat moored?

I accept cash or cheque payment on the day of the initial examination. I am sorry, but I do not accept credit / debit cards at this time.

Prices quoted are inclusive of all travel. They include the issuing of all paperwork required: Examination Report, Appliance Record & the Boat Safety Scheme Certificate. Supplementary travel charges may apply for jobs outside my normal area of operations. These charges will be clearly stated on the quotation.

Should a further visit be required within 3 months of the original examination, I will re-visit your boat for a set fee of £40 to check the items that failed the first inspection & to issue the paperwork / certificate etc. If more than 3 months has passed since the first examination I am required under BSS conditions of registration to perform a full re-examination of the vessel and the full fee will be charged again.

* Where a gas system is present on the boat, the fee quoted is inclusive of the gas soundness test as required for the BSS examination. Should further diagnostic testing be required to find leaks and problems associated with the gas system, this will be charged at £40 per hour + parts.

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CONTACT

If you wish to contact me, please call my mobile 07833 393928 or landline 01353 725369 & I will be happy to talk to you about examining your boat to the requirements of the Boat Safety Scheme. Alternatively, send me an Email to tony@boatsafetyexaminer.co.uk & I will get back to you as soon as I can.

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LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

Here are a few links to external sites for services or products that I can recommend in helping you to achieve your BSS certificate.

ASAP Supplies (www.asap-supplies.com) have a full range of chandlery items and can supply hoses and fittings etc. that fully comply with the requirements of the BSS. They have a fully illustrated catalogue and offer a fast delivery service from stock.
BES Ltd (www.bes.co.uk) are a specialist plumbing & heating merchant that sells everything required for LPG installations. All items are available on their online catalogue and delivery is next day at a small delivery charge.
Andrew Phasey (www.theoldmainline.co.uk) is an authorized BSS examiner who has undergone the same extensive training as myself. Andrew covers the Midlands area of the UK and can offer competitive BSS examinations in that location. He also spends a lot of time at the St. Pancras Cruising Club where he is an active member. If you are London city based, it's always worth giving Andrew a call.
Screwfix (www.screwfix.com) sells compliant fre extinguishers suitable for use on the inland waterways. I have also found suitable EN3 rated extinguishers for sale in B&Q stores. As manufacturers and suppliers frequently change their products, please make sure that any fire extinguisher that you purchase has one of the approval markings on the list otherwise it will fail the BSS examination.
RM Marine (www.boatsafetysigns.co.uk) have an excellent range of labels for boats that is not just limited to the Boat Safety Scheme. I keep some of their products in my inspection kit for boat owners to purchase at the time of examination if required.
NABSE (www.nabse.co.uk) The Nationwide Alliance of Boat Surveyors & Examiners is a limited liability partnership of marine surveyors and boat safety examiners who are dedicated to ensure that boat owners receive the very best of in-scope professional services in the marine industry. The site hosts a vibrant forum where boaters can engage in open debate with professional surveyors and examiners and find the answers to a wide range of boat related issues.

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FINALLY:

I have put this website together to act as a both a source of information and as a shop window of my services offered. I have tried not to fill it with needless pictures of boats being examined or of irrelevant cross advertising of other services. Please feel free to comment if you believe that I have omitted some information that would be helpful to you in getting your Boat Safety Certificate. I hope to speak to you very soon.

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