How to build a boat and get it registered

**Mark Bowdidge** · 10th February 2010, 09:57 PM

You fella's think you got problems.
An aluminium boat building company called us in to go over their designs (70 in all) and check them for ABP compliance. We did one of their 17 ft centrre consoles the other day, which also included taking it down to the water for manouvering tests etc with the HP calculated. That was fun and games making it comply. Yesterday, I went down to calculate 2 of their smaller designs ( 12 ft LOA). Now it gets interesting. Using the AS 1799 and then calculating the Max load capacity and then the max persons allowed, we came up with 1 person. ONE PERSON.

. I rang a mate of mine (Chief Nav Arch) in Maritime Safety Queensland to double check my figures and yes.. 1 person. It became a joke because if you take the boat outside, then 1 person must be dropped off. In other words, throw yourself off the boat and just let the boat go on its own ha ha . You see the problem is the static flotation waterline that you must use in order to calculate the capacity. If we recalculate using the ABYC standard, the the max persons allowed becomes 4 as they use a different waterline. So , what this means is, in regards to small open boats, we will not be using the AS 1799, but ABYC standards.
Overall, the ABP has not been thought out properly. However, we have to abide. Now here in QLd,, you can rego your boat without an ABP, but what happens is, you have to send a copy of your rego form to MSQ and a MSQ officer will visit and inspect your boat for registration. He won't provide an ABP, he just allows you to register your boat. It also means that you can NEVER sell your boat until you get it ABP compliant. If you sell it....$2000 fine. Yeees. But, as MSQ informed me, the officer will also look over the construction of the vessel, and if it looks suspect, they won't pass it.

Here in Bundaberg, the first lot of court cases are about to start. Fudging figures on the plate and also exceeding the HP stated on the plate. There's another where a bloke sold his boat interstate without an ABP. The recipient of the boat in NSW cannot get that boat rego'd because it was rego'd in Qld without a plate. It should never have been sold. Big fines and also a court case between the seller and the buyer.
It's a nightmare and we've only just done 3 boats, all the time trying to sort out the "grey areas" in the legislation.
So, just thought I'd put my 2 cents worth in

Oh yea, G'day Chris, Hope I helped out.
regards
Mark

**chubs** · 11th February 2010, 12:52 PM

Hi again Mark, good to hear again. Sounds like you guys are really having some fun up there with the legislation.

Well i just called maritime. They don't really know much about it all. Lady says i could register it as a race vessel. I asked and she said that'd put no restrictions on usage. So that's a good option if she's right.

She said to call the NMSC and see what they say, maybe i could make the ABP myself. The capacity maths looks simple, i've got a science degree so they might consider me qualified to do it anyway.

She also said to simply call a surveyor. So i called a few in sydney. They all sound shocked when i ask for an ABP. Nobody wants to touch it.

So i called the NMSC and spoke with a bloke there about it. He sounded surprised that nobody wanted to help me with my ABP. He also sounded surprised that the Maritime couldn't recommend someone to do the ABP for me. He said that any other state but NSW i could just do the ABP myself (Sounds like NSW is the nanny state of australia).
He said i could do all the ABP calculations then get someone to check them, then that'd be fine.

Apparently, an interstate architect could do this double-checking and approval, according to 47.D here: NSW legislation website

Would you do such a thing mark? If so, how much would you charge for it?

Another option is: build it for my daughter, so i approve the ABP as a builder, and my daughter is the owner, thereby meeting the rule in 47A that states a builder can do the ABP but an owner builder cannot. Thoughts?

**Mark Bowdidge** · 11th February 2010, 12:58 PM

G'day Chris,
I prefer to answer this question off line as it wouldn't be fair to answer commercial questions here. But overall, not a problem. Give me an email
Mark

**b.o.a.t.** · 11th February 2010, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by chubs

Yeah i've been in touch with Mark Bowdidge,
<snip>
and his are all fishing boats (i'm more of a speedboat guy). <snip>

Marks boats look pretty speedy to me. Ask nicely & he might design a lid for one ?

**flyinwall** · 17th February 2010, 05:52 PM

Hey Mark,
it seams like you cant get away from the ABP in any forum you go to can you

**Boatmik** · 20th February 2010, 08:14 AM

Howdy,

You can self approve the information on the builder's plate as you are the builder.

You do have to be aware that if the boat is sold then you might have some liability if the information is wrong.

This is why many don't want to specify the info for someone else's boat design.

However I do think that a science background person could work through the information i nthe specification and get it right.

If the information is correct in the terms of the calculations that they give in the specification and there is an accident then I can't imagine there will be additional liability from self specifying the information on the plate.

Best wishes
Michael

**Mark Bowdidge** · 20th February 2010, 09:54 AM

Mik,
the problem here is because Chubbs lives in NSW, as the owner/ builder he cannot supply the info as per NSW legislation.

refer section 47 (a) of this link
http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fr...+2009+pt.3+0+N

**Vernr** · 21st February 2010, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by Mark Bowdidge

Mik,

refer section 47 (a) of this link
NSW legislation website

This refers to the person 'Approving' the information shown on the plate not the person 'Providing' the information........or at least that is how the 'Tassie' authorities (MAST) interpret it!!

**Mark Bowdidge** · 21st February 2010, 09:59 AM

Venr,
yes you probably right in regards to Tasmania. Each state is slightly different in it's legislation.
In regards to NSW, this is the only state that I'm aware of that actually stipulates :

the information on a builders plate fixed to or to be fixed to a vessel may only be approved by any of the following persons:
(a) the builder of the vessel so long as the builder of the vessel is not an owner builder,

I would suggest that whatever state you ive in, to check with your states Maritime Safety to guide you in the right direction and advice in regards to the ABP and what you can do

Hope this helps

**kroozzn62** · 21st February 2010, 11:07 AM

Ha HA i to spent the last 2months looking at this and talking to the MSB, RTA etc etc and was considering importing little jet boats to re sell to be honest it was intimidating to start but i think you'll find its probably not that hard, the ABP guide is on the web and its pretty straight forward .I spoke to a power boat seller and he told me horror stories and you need to talk to even the RTA ?? i rang them they said he doesn't know why?? I think a lot of people just want to scare you away from their business, even if its a one off.
I guy on ebay sold his jet ski powered wooden dart short boat as is, and i recon make it enjoy it and work on getting it a ABP down the track, just pop a 5HP on it till then .
I guy down the lane from me makes replica Clinker style boats and has them ABP ill have a chat to him he's company is in gosford and hes in Hunters hill , East coast yachts, P.S I love that design id love to make one too for my daughters ...

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