Hi

would someone politely tell a newbie what the bouyancy endorsement requirement is, together with who by and how you get it endorsed on the certificate


many thanks


steve

My understanding is that you now sign it off yourself. I may be wrong though so if Graham or Chris could confirm that would be useful.

The link entitled 'Paperwork' from the homepage gives a little more info. It would be useful if someone could confirm this though - I assume the yearbook has the information within the class rules?

You sign the certificate to say the boat is buoyant, and have it witnessed by a club official or measurer who needs to sign it too.

A good idea Mags if we had 2011 Year Books with the latest rules!

In my position as self-appointed Devil's Avocado, I would like to suggest  that this process is meaningless as nobody is going to sidle up to a committee member and say 'she's a bit of a sinker; would you sign this, please?'. Why not have the buoyancy endorsement witnessed by somebody who has seen you capsize, right the boat and then sail it dry? Much more meaningful and indicative of the seaworthiness of the boat.

Well most of you have seen me capsize at some point, so pretty much anyone can counter sign it for me!!

Why in the presence of a "class official"?  Is this to witness that it was I, the owner, who signed it?  Or perhaps that it was signed on the date given?  In classic management speak where is the value add of this action?

It does, however, cause me a problem because we don't have any "class officials" at our club!  Can I sign it in front of the "class official" who is going to inspect it at Salcombe?

It only needs to be a "club official" ie a flag officer

That makes more sense but it is not what the "paperwork" link says!  And I still don't see what value it adds.

Not only does it not add any value, there is not a space on my certificate for a club official to sign! On my certificate there are just three boxes - date, measurer's name and signature.  Every year I have put in the date, type of test (in accordance with rule 16c) and signed.  That seems to have satisfied the scrutineers at 5 Salconbes and 5 championships.  Perhaps a rule amendment is required.

Hi All,

This inspection regime was imposed an all National Classes by RYA legal a number of years ago, and what it means is that the owner takes responsibility for confirming that his/ her boat conforms to the Merlin Rocket buoyancy rules, and that the responsibility cannot be offloaded onto the measurer.  Do you know what the rules are? Does your boat conform?  How do you know - just capsizing and not diving to Davy Jones Locker may not mean that you conform to the rules..

I would be grateful that the process is so easy!  It is not that long ago that I can remember having to carry out immersion tests every three years, including one at Upper Thames, when the stream was in full flood and it was all the owner could do not to wreck their boat on the sinking pontoons!  Others routinely spent their lunch hours at open meetings with the boat floating on its beam ends.

There is no rule change possible here - we are only talking about signing the piece of paper in any case - no big investment in time.  The newer certificates do now have the right boxes for date signature and witness - it must be time for another new boat, John!

ATB

GGGGG

We have just had to rewrite bouyanct stuff at Minima. The RYA advice is that no club official should TEST bouyancy (future liability). So I used the MR model for new rules. But my interpretation of this is that owner applies the test, as prescribed in yearbook, club official is named as a witness to the test. If boat fails on anything he will not act as a witness. Only successful test gets thru' and witness has no liability ! Simples !!

Thanks Graham - perhaps a new certificate might be cheaper than a new boat!

You are right about immersion tests, they are a pain.  We had to do Thunderclap off the ramp at Whitstable one new year and it was absolutely freezing.  Didn't bother our measurer though.  Bob Long watched proceedings from the warmth of the club bar!