Uninspected to Inspected Vessel

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by Benz

Sounds like you have a pretty good start on it. If you're in Islesboro, as your profile says, why not pop down to Camden and chat with the schooner headboaters there? Most of those schooners had to get extensively retrofitted to get a COI, I'll bet.

Say, that's not a bad idea. I'll do that.

[billknny]

Ben,

I know it is not the answer you want to hear, but taking a vessel built to recreational standards up to passing the USCG inspection for coastwise work almost a technical impossibility, and certainly uneconomic.

There are so many design issues and basic build quality issues in the hundreds of pages of regulations. Don't expect to be cut slack on ANY of them. If it says you need X cubic feet of space in the engine room and you have 99% X, you lose.

You have asked for examples of people who have actually done it, and nobody has raised their hand yet.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by billknny

Ben,

I know it is not the answer you want to hear, but taking a vessel built to recreational standards up to passing the USCG inspection for coastwise work almost a technical impossibility, and certainly uneconomic.

There are so many design issues and basic build quality issues in the hundreds of pages of regulations. Don't expect to be cut slack on ANY of them. If it says you need X cubic feet of space in the engine room and you have 99% X, you lose.

You have asked for examples of people who have actually done it, and nobody has raised their hand yet.

I hear you Bill, luckily there are some things on this boat that I feel make it a likely candidate for inspection. It is very bare bones, has collision bulkheads, has outboards (so no worries about engine room), does not have fixed fuel tanks (yet). In short it is a blank slate. If ever there was a boat that stood a chance of getting inspected this would be it. I'm not holding my breath though.

I have a good relationship with our local inspectors and despite what you say, concessions and exemptions are actually made. As Ben mentioned above there are schooners from the 1800s that have managed to get inspected.

[billknny]

Well, so far everybody with first hand knowledge in the area who actually read and addressed your REAL question has warned you away from the idea, with greater or lesser emphasis.

Yet, it sounds like you have already decided to go charge ahead and buy the boat in question.

Leaves me wondering what the purpose of your original question was, but heck, it's the internet, I wonder a lot about both questions and answers...

[Chotu]

All structural issues aside. You should look at the stability calculation requirement as well. Does this have a sister ship T boat?

Often catamarans have some difficulty in this area If the designer hasn’t specifically designed it to be a T boat

[Benz]

^^ Not everyone, Bill. I have firsthand knowledge, having worked on T-boats quite a lot, and gone through a keel replacement on a COI vessel. There's a lot of rules, but it's quite possible to bring a wide variety of boats up to code (I've seen almost everything around here). Best thing is consult with the coasties every step of the way--establish a relationship with them; they appreciate being in the loop.
At the end of the day, if there's a market for your business, getting inspected is worth almost any expenditure--you'll make your money back pretty quick in the headboat business.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by billknny

Well, so far everybody with first hand knowledge in the area who actually read and addressed your REAL question has warned you away from the idea, with greater or lesser emphasis.

Yet, it sounds like you have already decided to go charge ahead and buy the boat in question.

Leaves me wondering what the purpose of your original question was, but heck, it's the internet, I wonder a lot about both questions and answers...

Originally Posted by Benz

^^ Not everyone, Bill. I have firsthand knowledge, having worked on T-boats quite a lot, and gone through a keel replacement on a COI vessel. There's a lot of rules, but it's quite possible to bring a wide variety of boats up to code (I've seen almost everything around here). Best thing is consult with the coasties every step of the way--establish a relationship with them; they appreciate being in the loop.
At the end of the day, if there's a market for your business, getting inspected is worth almost any expenditure--you'll make your money back pretty quick in the headboat business.

Yeah Bill listen to Benz! This is CF after all, if everyone on here did everything reasonably this forum would have very few members lol. Also the OP was not asking IF I should do it. I was looking the hear from others who had.

[unbusted67]

fyi

https://homeport.uscg.mil/Lists/Cont...0Submittal.pdf