Boat Safety Scheme - Get your boat ready for a Boat Safety Examination

Andy's BSS Help Page

Download my 'Getting your boat ready' sheet

Download my 'Boat Details Sheet', this can be filled in with the information that I need prior to an Examination

About Boat Safety Scheme Examinations

1)
Find an Examiner.
You may like to check here to find an ABSE Member in your area

It's always a good idea to book a Boat Safety Examination a couple of months before it's due, since if your boat does fail for any reason, you'll still have a reasonable amount of time to put things right.
If you do pass first time around, the examiner can post-date your new certificate to start from the date when the old one expires (up to two months ahead only), meaning you don't lose out on the full four years that each BSS Pass Certificate is valid for.

2) Contact the Examiner.
Ask what the charges will be and what requirements he has for the preparation of your boat.
NOTE: If your boat is residential and your gas system has a test point rather than a bubble tester for determining that the system is free from leaks then the gas soundness test MUST be carried out by a registered CORGI fitter. Some Examiners are CORGI registerered, if your chosen Examiner is not, either he or you will need to arrange for a CORGI registered fitter to carry out the gas soundness test AT THE TIME OF THE EXAMINATION.

3) Prepare your boat.
Much useful information about the requirements of the Scheme is available on the Boat Safety Scheme website: http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com. If you are unclear about anything, contact your Examiner, he will be happy to advise you.

4) Before the Examination.
Collect together all relevant paprework, your Examiner will want to see your last Boat Safety Certificate (even if it has expired), you may also have documents demonstrating compliance of equipment on board. Make sure that everything is in working order. The Examiner will want to see all the gas appliances working, including water heater(s), so you must ensure that you have sufficient battery capacity, water and gas on board. It will speed the Examination if the boat is presented in a clean and tidy condition, remember that the Examiner will need to be able to trace wiring and gas pipes and joints, so make sure that these are all accesible. It will not be necessary to run the engine during the examination, but if the engine is boxed in or enclosed, make sure that covers are removed so that it can be properly examined.

5) On the day.
It will be helpful if you can attend whilst the Examination is in progress. Remember that an Examiner is not permitted to use tools to gain access to anything that needs to be examined, so if you are present you can attend to this. Also, should any item fail to meet the requirements of the Scheme, the Examiner can explain the reason, and may offer advice on rectification.

6) The paperwork
After the examination the examiner will give you a copy of the BSS Examination Report, this is a three page list of all the checks he has carried out, any items that do not meet the requirements of the Schme will be marked on the Report. If the boat has met all the mandatory requirements of the Boat Safety Scheme you will of course receive the Certificate. You will also get an Appliance Record which details the results of the gas tests carried out, lists all of the appliances on board, gives details of the fire extinguishers and describes the fixed ventilation.

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1)	Find an Examiner. You may like to check here to find an ABSE Member in your area It's always a good idea to book a Boat Safety Examination a couple of months before it's due, since if your boat does fail for any reason, you'll still have a reasonable amount of time to put things right. If you do pass first time around, the examiner can post-date your new certificate to start from the date when the old one expires (up to two months ahead only), meaning you don't lose out on the full four years that each BSS Pass Certificate is valid for.
2)	Contact the Examiner. Ask what the charges will be and what requirements he has for the preparation of your boat. NOTE: If your boat is residential and your gas system has a test point rather than a bubble tester for determining that the system is free from leaks then the gas soundness test MUST be carried out by a registered CORGI fitter. Some Examiners are CORGI registerered, if your chosen Examiner is not, either he or you will need to arrange for a CORGI registered fitter to carry out the gas soundness test AT THE TIME OF THE EXAMINATION.
3)	Prepare your boat. Much useful information about the requirements of the Scheme is available on the Boat Safety Scheme website: http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com. If you are unclear about anything, contact your Examiner, he will be happy to advise you.
4)	Before the Examination. Collect together all relevant paprework, your Examiner will want to see your last Boat Safety Certificate (even if it has expired), you may also have documents demonstrating compliance of equipment on board. Make sure that everything is in working order. The Examiner will want to see all the gas appliances working, including water heater(s), so you must ensure that you have sufficient battery capacity, water and gas on board. It will speed the Examination if the boat is presented in a clean and tidy condition, remember that the Examiner will need to be able to trace wiring and gas pipes and joints, so make sure that these are all accesible. It will not be necessary to run the engine during the examination, but if the engine is boxed in or enclosed, make sure that covers are removed so that it can be properly examined.
5)	On the day. It will be helpful if you can attend whilst the Examination is in progress. Remember that an Examiner is not permitted to use tools to gain access to anything that needs to be examined, so if you are present you can attend to this. Also, should any item fail to meet the requirements of the Scheme, the Examiner can explain the reason, and may offer advice on rectification.
6)	The paperwork After the examination the examiner will give you a copy of the BSS Examination Report, this is a three page list of all the checks he has carried out, any items that do not meet the requirements of the Schme will be marked on the Report. If the boat has met all the mandatory requirements of the Boat Safety Scheme you will of course receive the Certificate. You will also get an Appliance Record which details the results of the gas tests carried out, lists all of the appliances on board, gives details of the fire extinguishers and describes the fixed ventilation.