Small Craft Regulations

The international conference on Small Craft Regulations will be held at the Royal Institution of Naval Architects headquarters in London, 20 - 21 October 2004. The conference will provide a forum for discussion on the various present or future National, European and International regulations applicable to small craft. Such regulations include: the MCA Harmonised Code for Craft less than 24 m, MCA Large Yacht Code (presently applicable to charter yachts of and over 24 m length), ISO Standards for Small Craft for compliance with EC Directive on recreational craft, for craft less than 24 m in length, EC and UK regulations for inland waterway craft and safety standards for RIBs and rescue craft.

The regulations mentioned above vary in content but all are concerned with safety of life and protection of the environment. Most delegate structural strength to classification societies or refer to classification strength standards. Some such as the ISO Standards for Small Craft include structural strength standards. This conference will provide an update on present regulations and give an introduction to new regulations.

Papers will discuss development of, and experience in, the use and application of the regulations in general, or on specific topics such as:

• Fire safety and structural fire protection
• Structural strength standards
• Materials
• Watertight and weathertight integrity
• Stability
• Stability and floatation tests for small craft