Narrow Boat Lets

[Dragonmaster]

Just been presented with a weird one. Does the RRO apply to narrow boats that are privately owned but then let for a week here and there.

The reason i ask is that a sparky was asked to re-wire the boat, but refused to do so when the owners insisted on using cabling etc that did not comply with the NIC EIC regs for a 12v system. The sparky walked off the job, and the owner employed another to do the work to their specification, again outside any COP.

Now the 1st electrician is making waves over the 'sub standard' installation.

Any thoughts on the application of the FSO?

[FSO]

No, unless it is permantley docked and used as a public building. eg cafe museum etc.

[Dragonmaster]

That's sort of what I thought, but Article 6c) referes to non application of the order to

"a ship, in respect of the normal ship-board activities of a ship's crew which are carried out solely by the crew under the direction of the master"

therefore I'd ask does me, my missus and 2.4 brats constitute a master and crew under the RRO if I rent the boat for a week up and down the local canal? P.s. take it as read that the missus is the master in this scenario.

[wee brian]

When you take the wheel of a narrow boat for your hols. You become it's master.

[AnthonyB]

There are other statutory regulations applicable and the boat must meet the requirements of the Boat Safety Scheme or not be licensed to be on the waterway - fire & safety requirements form part of this.

The scheme is ongoing with regular re inspections.

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com/site/Home_1.asp

[Dinnertime Dave]

We have just had this exact enforcement problem in the last month and was going to post for opinions.

Our local hire company has removed all of the smoke detection from its fleet; I was given the job of going out and enforcing the FSO. I questioned the decision and asked about the practicalities of chasing hundreds of boats up and down the waterways trying to slap enforcement notices on them and also asked about the legality of such a notice once the boat cruises into another county.

I was told that the FSO definitively applied! – I still think it doesn’t.

Common sense has prevailed. It appears the ionisation detectors installed were false alarming, getting on everyone’s nerves and were being disabled. We have donated two optical alarms for a trial if this is successful they will install them throughout their fleet.

The boat safety scheme only recommends detectors at present but this will change this year I am told.

[John Webb]

Just been presented with a weird one. Does the RRO apply to narrow boats that are privately owned but then let for a week here and there.

The reason i ask is that a sparky was asked to re-wire the boat, but refused to do so when the owners insisted on using cabling etc that did not comply with the NIC EIC regs for a 12v system. The sparky walked off the job, and the owner employed another to do the work to their specification, again outside any COP.

Now the 1st electrician is making waves over the 'sub standard' installation.

Any thoughts on the application of the FSO?

The needs for wiring in boats differs significantly from the needs of buildings - as far as I am aware the NICEIC regs are compatible with BS 7671 (the 'IEE Regs') which does not apply to 'Equipment on  board ships covered by BS 8450' (para 110.2 (iv) of BS 7671) But I don't know if narrow boats count as 'ships'! The Boat Safety Standard should give the necessary guidance. The 'Narrow Boat-builders Book', published by Waterways World Ltd. has a good deal of useful advice on electrics as well.

I am uncertain if the RR(FS)O applies to hire boats - does it apply to caravans other than when they are in a caravan camp? I am aware that if you do hire out your boat privately there may be an insurance issue which means if your hirer bumps into someone you may not be covered either for yourself or the third-party.....

[Galeon]

Being a boaty person  myself its a bit of a minefield , sea going is totally different so we will stick with the narrow boat which is built for inland waterways , so it would come under recreational applications . However saying that as soon as you hire out a boat it becomes a charter and additional measures may be required. The boat safety certificate only comes into play on an older boat , as a brand new boat would have a builder's certificate that needs to comply with the CE requirements.
 Under the boat safety certificate ,the requirements of what you need ie extinguishers are listed and a boat surveyor would pick this up if it fell short straight away.