IN OUR OPINION, A FEW POINTS WORTH CONSIDERING ARE . . .
(1) Whether or not a boat conforms to the RCD it not a guarantee of its quality or its "fitness for purpose". The main thrust of the RCD are the essential safety requirements (ESRs). While quality has some bearing on safety, the quality of a boat depends on many factors not touched by the RCD.
(2) We have been building wide beam boats for mainland Europe, the UK & Ireland since 1979, having starting steel boat building in 1973, and can offer a whole range, some sea-going (Category C or B Recreational Craft Directive), some for inland use only (Category D RCD). The Huffler is B category or even A, the Renegade Blue Water Sailing Cruiser is Category A.
Even then, as in point 1 above, the fact that a boat has a C class categorisation, does not necessarily mean that you should buy that boat for sea work (or even inland work!). All the C categorisation means is that the boat should be safe (the ERSs again) to use.
How well it performs is not really the interest of the RCD, as long as the boat is safe. Also you need the boat to be strong. Ours are properly engineered and designed with more than adequate internal framing. Many boats you will be offered fall down in this area. Example even a 50' x 12' wide beam barge will weigh in the region of 30 tonnes.
Similarly pick it up with a crane or take the seagoing version to sea, and the forces exerted on the hull are tremendous. This again is not really covered by the RCD, save from the safety angle. Bring that into a quayside or lockside and you need a strong hull to give the boat a chance.
If you find this confusing, we cannot blame you.
If you have any questions on the RCD or other matters, please contact us accordingly and we will endeavour to answer them for you.
Put simply, the Recreational Craft Directive has to be adhered to by law . .but it is no mark or measure of quality, just Essential Safety Requirements.
(2) We have been building wide beam boats for mainland Europe, the UK & Ireland since 1979, having starting steel boat building in 1973, and can offer a whole range, some sea-going (Category C or B Recreational Craft Directive), some for inland use only (Category D RCD). The Huffler is B category or even A, the Renegade Blue Water Sailing Cruiser is Category A.
Even then, as in point 1 above, the fact that a boat has a C class categorisation, does not necessarily mean that you should buy that boat for sea work (or even inland work!). All the C categorisation means is that the boat should be safe (the ERSs again) to use.
How well it performs is not really the interest of the RCD, as long as the boat is safe. Also you need the boat to be strong. Ours are properly engineered and designed with more than adequate internal framing. Many boats you will be offered fall down in this area. Example even a 50' x 12' wide beam barge will weigh in the region of 30 tonnes.
Similarly pick it up with a crane or take the seagoing version to sea, and the forces exerted on the hull are tremendous. This again is not really covered by the RCD, save from the safety angle. Bring that into a quayside or lockside and you need a strong hull to give the boat a chance.
If you find this confusing, we cannot blame you.
If you have any questions on the RCD or other matters, please contact us accordingly and we will endeavour to answer them for you.
Put simply, the Recreational Craft Directive has to be adhered to by law . .but it is no mark or measure of quality, just Essential Safety Requirements.
