Beneteau (FRA) - what does No. Approbation really mean?

[ttilley]

I selected this forum since they question is related to construction registration...yeah, a stretch, but closer than any other forum.

Just met the prev owner of the '85 Beneteau First 375 I bought myself for Christmas this year. After giving me 6 bags of sails and more keys he hands me a small metal plaque that apparently was the registration plaque for the boat. It has the Type, No. De Serie (serial number) and other items, as well as "No. Approbation".

Which if I translate is the No. of the Approval. Exactly what does this number mean in the context of my Beneteau? I'm at loss - I even tracked down two native French-speakers at work and they are not able to tell me what it really means.

Thanks in advance. TomT "The Flying Penguin"

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, ttilley.
Basically, it means you cannot have your cake and eat it too.
Approbate and Reprobate means to accept and reject. It comes from the maxim quod approbo non reprobo - that which I approve, I cannot disapprove.
A person cannot "approbate" the contract by accepting the benefit it confers and at the same time "reprobate" it, by denying the effect of its other terms which awards something to someone else. This principle of not approbating and reprobating is also known as the equitable doctrine of election.

[Hydra]

"No approbation" stands for "approbation number": before 2004, the plans of yachts built in France by a yard were to be approved by the administration in charge of yachting. They checked the freeboard, the scantlings, some design features...

With the approbation number came a "category of navigation" rating. There were 6 categories:
1- unlimited
2- less than 200 NM from shelter
3- less than 60 NM
4- less than 20 NM
5- less than 5 NM
6- less than 1 NM

A yacht was approved for carrying a maximum number of people in each category. For example, my Gib'Sea 302 was approved for 2nd category. I would have been permitted to sail up to 200 NM from shelter, provided I carried the mandatory safety equipment (life raft, flares...). In 2nd, 3rd and 4th category, my yacht was permitted to carry 6 people. In 5th and 6th (close to shore), it was permitted to carry 9 people.

All this has disappeared. Now, French yachts follow the 1994 European directive for recreational craft.

Alain

[StuM]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, ttilley.
Basically, it means you cannot have your cake and eat it too.
Approbate and Reprobate means to accept and reject. It comes from the maxim quod approbo non reprobo - that which I approve, I cannot disapprove.
A person cannot "approbate" the contract by accepting the benefit it confers and at the same time "reprobate" it, by denying the effect of its other terms which awards something to someone else. This principle of not approbating and reprobating is also known as the equitable doctrine of election.

Interesting, but in this case, it's in French and the answer is a lot simpler. It just means "Approval Number" and Hydra has explained what it refers to.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by StuM

Interesting, but in this case, it's in French and the answer is a lot simpler. It just means "Approval Number" and Hydra has explained what it refers to.

Indeed! That makes so much more sense than the legalese I offered.

[ttilley]

Hydra - thanks. Your answer, with StuM's comment put the whole puzzle together. My metal plaque had the number 2432 stamped in it next to the No. Approbation, so that was most likely the something like the "approval certification number" for the boat after the plans were approved.

TomT

[Hydra]

This document (in French) is a list of existing approval files in the archives of the French administration
http://www.developpement-durable.gou...f/19960047.pdf

The First 375 is #2432 in page 21.

Alain