D

W
THE ABCS OF

hile on an extended
cruise aboard your
vessel, we’ll call her
Cherokee, you notice that the
engine’s coolant temperature
gauge has stopped registering.
Being a prudent skipper and
knowing that an inoperative
engine instrument is an invitation
AB under the circumstances, the
away yard is trying to take
advantage of you. How do you
know Dick is right and Harry
back home is wrong, and what is
ABYC anyway? The answers to
these questions are relatively
simple, and, once you’ve finished
reading this article, you’ll be
to disaster, you point Cherokee’s better equipped to evaluate Dick,
bow toward the nearest boatyard The range of publications produced by Harry and others like them
to have it repaired. Fortunately, ABYC is broad, indeed, including before they repair, service or
an experienced marine technician everything from the all-inclusive Standards build your trawler.
is on hand, and he quickly and Recommended Practices for Small If Dick’s yard is a member of
discovers that the problem Craft, shown here in CD form, to study ABYC and he has evaluated
is nothing more than a loose guides for certification exams. Cherokee’s electrical system based
wire. The bill is small and your on ABYC guidelines, then chances
detour short. are good he is correct in his assessment. If the
The story, however, does not end here. The manager at Cherokee’s home yard stares at her
technician working at the away yard, we’ll call him skipper blankly when asked, “Are you a member of
Dick, reveals that, while investigating the failed ABYC, and is Harry familiar with the organization’s
temperature gauge, he noticed that Cherokee’s AC standards?” then chances are excellent that Dick is
electrical panel is not “ABYC compliant.” indeed correct and Harry, well—we’ll come back to
“How could that be?” you say. “My boatyard back Harry and what his options are later.
home has taken care of Cherokee for years, and they
never noticed anything wrong with this panel. In WHAT I S ABYC?
fact, Harry, the yard’s top electrician, rewired much You’ve seen the letters “ABYC” mentioned in the
of it just last winter.” pages of PMM on many occasions. Perhaps you’ve
With the increased implementation of American even seen the ABYC logo on a marine product
Boat and Yacht Council standards, this scenario is you’ve purchased or, if you’re fortunate, a proudly
no longer as uncommon as it once was. If this displayed membership placard on the front door of
happens to you, you may, no doubt, be as chagrined your boatyard or marina service office. ABYC is an
as Cherokee’s skipper was when he learned about his organization whose members include boatbuilders,
vessel’s deficiencies. You might even wonder if, repair yards, marine equipment manufacturers,

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 D

YC
surveyors, insurance industry
representatives and average
boat owners.
Civilians aren’t the only ones
who look to ABYC for guidance
and assistance with small vessel
design and construction. When
the Department of Homeland
Security and the Coast Guard’s
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE D’ANTONIO

The newly formed

organization, working from its
first office—a rented house in
Amityville, Long Island—wasted
little time in churning out data
and information useful to the
marine industry. ABYC’s first
standards, “AC Rectifiers (E-6)”
and “Life Saving Equipment
Office of Boat Forces needed to (H-9)” (all ABYC standards are
design and engineer a Homeland ABYC offers several reprints of Coast classified by a letter-number
Security Response Boat, Small Guard requirements on topics from identification system), were
(RB-HS), they turned to the electrical and fuel systems to ventilation issued in 1956.
ABYC standards to ensure and floatation requirements. The first edition of what was
the resultant craft was safe then titled Safety Standards and
and reliable. Recommended Practices for Small Craft was published
ABYC was formed during the recreational boating in 1965, compiling all of the nine standards written
industry’s exponential growth of the 1950s. up to that date. The title of the bantam-weight
Fiberglass was a revolutionary product in this day; volume remained unchanged until July 2001, when
most boats were still built using timber, caulk and convention dictated an update more accurately
enamel paint. In 1950, members of the Motorboat reflecting ABYC’s and the standards’ contemporary
and Yacht Advisory Panel of the U.S. Coast Guard’s mission. The title of the current tome, Standards and
Merchant Marine Council were tasked with creating Technical Information Reports for Small Craft, is
an organization that would provide boatbuilders, indicative of ABYC’s larger mission, which
equipment manufacturers and repair yards with encompasses a great deal more than just
critical safety related information. With this mandate, “recommended practices.” It is available either in
the American Boat and Yacht Council was born, book format (a large one—think Manhattan
convening its first meeting at New York City’s telephone directory) or as a CD-ROM.
Lexington Hotel in April 1954. Forty-three members Today, ABYC’s main thrust is evident in the
were in attendance—the founding fathers of ABYC, organization’s mission statement, which declares,
as they were, led by the organization’s first president, “The council shall develop technical practices and
Phelps Ingersol of Wilcox Crittenden Corp., a well engineering standards for the design, construction,
known manufacturer of marine sanitation devices, equipage, maintenance and repair of small craft with
seacocks and other shipboard gear. reference to their safety. The council also shall

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D The ABCs Of ABYC

disseminate these standards and be the principal

source of education, training and technician
certification for the marine industry.” As a marine
industry insider (the boatyard I manage has been
an ABYC member for nearly two decades), I can
assure the reader that little doubt remains as to
whether ABYC lives up to this proclamation.
This organization is the acknowledged authority,
the last word in enhancing marine manufacturing,
maintenance and hardware reliability and safety.

ABYC standards address many facets of boatbuilding and I N THEORY

repair. Proper security and insulation of batteries is clearly Returning, once again, to the trawler Cherokee
addressed in standard E-10, “Storage Batteries.” scenario, how did Dick the technician determine
that the vessel’s electrical panel was in need
of attention, and what did he mean when he
said it was “noncompliant”? Dick used two
resources to arrive at this determination.
First, being a responsible marine technician,
while troubleshooting the problem at hand,
Dick performed a cursory inspection of Cherokee’s
electrical system. Using knowledge he acquired
at an ABYC marine electrical systems certification
course, he searched for potential fire or
electrocution hazards. Second, after inspecting
Cherokee’s electrical system, Dick consulted his
Liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, has become commonplace yard’s copy of the aforementioned Standards
aboard even the smallest of today’s recreational vessels. and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft,
This gas must, however, be accorded considerable respect otherwise known as “the standards.” Here, he
during design, installation and use of systems that use it for confirmed his suspicions about the electrical
cooking and heating. ABYC’s section A-1 addresses these panel deficiencies. Section E-11 clearly states,
concerns, prohibiting, for example, the use of unions or “Simultaneous trip circuit breakers shall be
valves within a vessel’s cabin space, as is shown here. provided in power feeder conductors…,”
This system does not comply. “reverse polarity indicating devices providing
a continuous visible or audible signal shall be
installed in 120VAC shorepower systems…”
and “… the panel shall be designed so that when
the panel is open there is no access to energized
parts without the use of tools.” None of these
components or features was present in Cherokee’s
electrical panel, and all present a potential
electrocution and/or fire hazard.
Why and how did Cherokee’s home yard
allow this grievous error to go unnoticed and
uncorrected? The answer in this and many
cases like it is often one of ignorance rather than
LPG is heavier than air and thus will accumulate in a vessel’s negligence. Residential and commercial shorebound
bilges if allowed to leak. Standard A-1 addresses these electrical panels require none of the above-
concerns. In this photo, the gas line leading through the mentioned features, and, thus, even an experienced
wall of an LP tank locker is anything but gas-tight and thus terrestrial electrician may be unaware of the special
is noncompliant. requirements for marine electrical systems. Herein

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 The ABCs Of ABYC
D
lies one of the greatest dangers where electricity AC shorepower
afloat is concerned—boats are not homes, and their systems present
electrical requirements differ in several critical considerable risk of
respects. As a result of these distinctions, any lack of electrocution and fire,
understanding on the part of the technician may particularly if they are
lead to costly, even life-threatening, mistakes. ABYC installed improperly.
electrical guidelines specifically address the ABYC standard E-11,
peculiarities of marine electrical systems, providing “AC and DC Electrical
an invaluable resource to those designing and Systems,” clearly
working on these systems. distinguishes right from
The necessary details for properly and safely wrong. Here, a clear
wiring Cherokee’s AC electrical system are clearly violation is shown: use
spelled out (and diagrammed in the form of of a household
example schematics) in the ABYC standards. If distribution box that
Harry had been familiar with these guidelines and lacks a main two-pole
consulted the book when carrying out repairs or circuit breaker.
upgrades to Cherokee’s electrical system, he would
have avoided the mistakes Dick discovered while
repairing the malfunctioning temperature gauge.

THE BOOK
There’s more to the Standards and Technical
Information Reports for Small Craft than the
aforementioned electrical system recommendations.
This book comprises a comprehensive, voluntary
guideline for boatbuilders, repair yards, surveyors
and others detailing approved methods for building
and installing everything from steering systems,
lightning protection, bilge pumps and fuel tanks to
seacocks, inverters and LP gas systems. The book’s Reverse polarity in 120-volt AC shorepower systems could
more esoteric chapters include guidelines for spell disaster. A properly installed, ABYC-compliant reverse
determining the necessary field of vision from the polarity alarm will alert the user to a potential problem
helm, horsepower limitations, glazing materials and before energizing onboard equipment.
floatation requirements, to name just a few. All told,
the ABYC standards are made up of 66 documents.
The Code of Federal Regulations, or CFR,
section 33 applies to recreational small craft. These
guidelines, which are federal law, specify, among
other things, the requirements for fire extinguishers,
life jackets or PFDs, over-current protection (fuses “A seacock shall be
and circuit breaker requirements), navigation lights, securely mounted so that
sound signals, etc. However, it comes as a surprise the system will withstand
to many boaters that these requirements are a 500-pound static force
virtually mute where actual vessel construction is applied for 30 seconds
concerned. Local laws may apply to AC electrical to the inboard end of its
systems, much as they would for residential or connecting fitting,” states
commercial construction; however, as previously ABYC Standards and
mentioned, marine AC electrical systems differ Recommended Practices,
considerably from their land-based brethren, and, section H-27.7.1. Do
therefore, these regulations may be inapplicable or your seacocks meet this
inconsistent with afloat electrical requirements. requirement?

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D The ABCs Of ABYC

Thus, the ABYC standards fill a necessary, albeit is $219), individual standards are available for
voluntary, gap between federally mandated purchase by nonmembers via ABYC’s website,
recreational marine regulations and laissez-faire abycinc.org, or by calling 410.956.1050. The cost
boatbuilding and repair practices. for these individual publications ranges from $40
The standards are clear, concise guidelines, to $120, again, for nonmembers. The average
written in textbook form, that guide the builder and trawler owner would find little practical use for
technician, utilizing a “here’s how it should be” the entire standard; however, in my experience,
rather than a “step-by-step, how-to” approach. individual standards such as electrical (E-11),
It is important to note that the standards do not gasoline and diesel fuel (H-24 and H-33,
supplant experience or technical expertise. When respectively), LP gas (A-1), and through-hull fittings
used for new construction or repair, ABYC (H-27), as well as several others, prove to be
guidelines are written for users who are experienced particularly enlightening to boat owners and are
in their marine mechanical, electrical or design often a worthwhile investment.
trade. To reiterate, it’s not a “how-to” book. The
assumption of those who write the text of each MORE THAN J UST A BOOK
standard is that, in the hands of an experienced Lest the reader draw the conclusion that ABYC is
professional, it will achieve its end. little more than a publisher of boatbuilding and
repair guidelines, professional education is a large
THE B IRTH OF A STANDARD part of this organization and an essential part of
Each standard, from “AC and DC Electrical fulfillment of its mission.
Systems (E-11)” to “Exterior Hatches, Doors and Port The ABYC standards work harmoniously within
Lights (H-3),” takes a lengthy and circuitous path an extensive, dynamic and ever growing program of
before reaching the eyes of a technician, surveyor or continuing education. Instructional seminars, from
boatbuilder. The first step on the route toward as brief as a day to as extensive as a week and
establishment of a standard is a review by the ABYC covering everything from electrical standards to air
Technical Board. After receiving information from the conditioning and refrigeration, complement and
marine industry—one of ABYC’s 13 staffers or one of teach, among many other facets of boatbuilding,
its members—that details or reveals a particular safety repair and maintenance, the most relevant and
or technical problem, the ABYC Technical Board safety related chapters of the Standards and Technical
tasks an ABYC Project Technical Committee, or Information Reports.
PTC, with direction to begin work. Seventeen PTCs Additionally, ABYC organizes and supervises a
exist within ABYC, and their ranks consist of more host of seminars, including ones that offer
than 300 individuals from within the marine industry, certification, around the country and in several
boat and equipment manufacturers, insurance foreign locales. The Council also conducts on-site
companies, surveyors, USCG, other government training and instruction in standards compliance for
agencies, and the boating public. The initial mission organizations such as boatbuilders and repair
of a PTC is to create a draft of a new or revised facilities. The current breadth of educational
standard (every existing standard is automatically programs includes accident investigation, corrosion
reviewed and revised every five years), which is then prevention, air conditioning and refrigeration, basic
made available for review by ABYC members and the marine engines, electrical systems and trouble-
general public. Comments are collated, considered shooting, fiberglass lamination, and stability and
and worked into the draft until a final standard is floatation, among others.
created. The process, from primary investigation of In addition to straightforward instruction, ABYC
the proposed need for a standard to the final educational programs also include certification.
published product, may take as long as two years. Currently, members, marine industry professionals
While the entire collection of standards, Standards and technicians have the choice of attaining ABYC
and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft, is “certified” status by either attending one of the
available only to ABYC members (the cost of weeklong certification preparatory programs and
individual membership for nonmarine professionals, then completing a lengthy examination (between
i.e., the average boater, is $95 annually, while the 100 and 200 multiple choice questions, depending
standards publication in either book or CD format on the subject) or by studying on their own and

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 The ABCs Of ABYC
D
then taking and passing the exam. Current
certification categories include AC/DC electrical,
air conditioning and refrigeration, gas or diesel
engine and support systems, corrosion control,
composite boatbuilder, and general standards
accreditation. The final category of standards
accreditation is a general overview of the most
important standards and is especially popular with
boatyard and service managers as well as
boatbuilding supervisors and surveyors.
The most popular of these certification exams is
that of AC/DC electrical systems. The exam has LP gas lockers “shall minimize the likelihood of use as a gear
been described by many of those who have taken it storage locker,” according to ABYC standard A-1.
as nothing less than demanding. It is anything but a
rubber-stamp process of attending the class and
then sitting for a perfunctory regurgitation of course
material. The attrition rate is high; only 46 percent
of those not attending the prep class pass, and 86
percent of those who do attend the weeklong class
pass. As of December 2003, approximately 1,100
individuals had successfully completed one or more
of the ABYC certification exams. In 2003 alone,
nearly 1,000 people attended an ABYC-sponsored
educational seminar or exam preparatory course.
It is important to note that certification in one or
more of the aforementioned boatbuilding or repair- The most commonly requested individual ABYC standard
related categories is not necessarily a guarantee of is section E-11, “AC and DC Electrical Systems.” This
competency. As mentioned earlier, the ABYC guideline provides a wealth of information about the
guidelines and their companion certifications do not safe installation of onboard electrical equipment and
teach basic mechanical or electrical practice in systems. This image shows an ABYC-compliant placard,
vocational or trade school style. Examinations are which guides the user through safe connection of
not hands-on practicals; they simply test an shorepower cables.
individual’s understanding of the applicable ABYC
standards, and his or her ability to utilize the
Standards and Technical Information Reports
publication. In order to be most useful,
implementation of ABYC guidelines and practices,
whether by certified or noncertified individuals,
must be carried out by those who are experienced
in basic marine mechanical and electrical practices.
Understanding the written material and being able ABYC standards are
to demonstrate this understanding during an not a “how-to” to
examination is a critical, albeit incomplete, manual. While
component of the overall ABYC-certified installations such as
technician’s experience. this fuel manifold
As a boat owner, a working knowledge of the are sloppy and
guidelines will assist you in either completing do-it- undesirable, the
yourself tasks in a compliant fashion (provided you ABYC standards do
possess the requisite technical skills) or enabling you not specifically
to ensure that others do the work according to prohibit such
these standards. practices.

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D The ABCs Of ABYC

I N P RACTICE Beware of the claim “This boat is ABYC

Ideally, the production builder who builds your compliant,” for either new or used production or
next boat will be a participant in a recently custom built vessels. In fact, no boat fully complies
announced program that has been jointly with all ABYC standards, as full compliance is
introduced by ABYC and the National Marine simply impractical and not the aim of the standard.
Manufacturer’s Association, or NMMA. This Additionally, the guidelines address several
program will evaluate boat models for compliance categories that are directed toward service and
with 31 of the most critical ABYC guidelines. repair rather than new boat construction, once again
(This number will be increased within the next making full compliance unachievable in most cases.
three years to 40.) A decal will identify such If a boatbuilder or broker makes the compliance
boats as having been “NMMA Certified Using proclamation, inquire as to which standards he or
ABYC Standards.” she is referring.
At the introduction of this program in October For those of us more concerned with how ABYC
2003, ABYC President Skip Burdon said, “Broad affects service and repair rather than new
scale use of ABYC standards in the manufacture of construction, the news is encouraging. More and
boats and boating accessories is key to ABYC’s more boatyards, marinas and service providers are
mission of providing a safe and enjoyable boating joining ABYC every day. Currently, ABYC’s ranks
experience for the boating public.” Look for or ask include approximately 4,400 members, ranging from
about this inspection during your next boat students enrolled in ABYC and other marine
purchase, as it will provide a measurable degree of educational programs to individuals; employees of
assurance and value to the would-be boat buyer, boatbuilders, repair yards and marine equipment
particularly where quality and safe construction manufacturers; and corporations and businesses.
practices are concerned. Additionally, ABYC is truly an international
The program is geared primarily toward organization, with members hailing from more than
production boatbuilders. In order to receive the 40 countries.
certification, a builder must submit a representative How does all of this bode for Cherokee and her
model for inspection by an NMMA-designated crew, and what could they have done differently?
third-party inspector. Since only a model is Initially, her skipper should have inquired, when the
inspected, the program is no substitute for a electrical system was first being upgraded, as to
factory’s quality assurance program or skilled whether the work would conform to ABYC
boatbuilding techniques. standards. Many reputable service yards and other
In order to remain compliant with the program, facilities belong to ABYC, and thus their
manufacturers must submit new models for technicians and supervisors have access to a copy
certification, and all vessels that will carry of the book, as well as unlimited technical advice
the NMMA-ABYC certification placard must and problem solving assistance from ABYC’s
undergo recertification annually. Roughly 140 technical division.
builders currently participate in the program. It is worth noting, however, that membership in
For an up-to-date list, visit NMMA’s website: this organization neither compels nor ensures that a
nmma.org/certification/programs/boats/ service facility will complete work that meets or
boatlinks.asp. exceeds these voluntary requirements. (The ABYC
Because of the model type-certification process, guidelines are billed as a “minimum” standard; the
few custom or semicustom built vessels will work may exceed this threshold.) It’s up to
participate in this program. In this case, buyers Cherokee’s skipper to inquire and ensure that the
must hold builders responsible for meeting work meets the relevant guidelines, particularly
individually agreed upon ABYC standards, which those in the critical categories of electrical, fuel,
may actually parallel those set forth in the NMMA- seacocks, LP gas, CO detectors, etc.
ABYC program, and a surveyor may act as the Additionally, by the time you read this, it may
buyer’s third party inspector. You won’t, however, already be possible to log on to ABYC’s website to
get the coveted NMMA-ABYC certification decal determine what yards and marinas along your
unless your vessel and its builder participate in proposed cruising routes are members of ABYC and
the program. who among their staff is certified. Preplanning is

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 The ABCs Of ABYC
D
Proper grounding
best; however, if you find yourself in service of fuel system
extremis, this information may be only a few components for both
keystrokes away. gasoline and diesel
Finally, the ABYC guidelines also serve to level installations is
the playing field for consumers and service facilities important. In this
alike when comparing quoted work or simple value example, a fuel fill is
for one’s money. In the absence of ABYC standards, properly grounded
it is difficult for a trawler skipper to compare the using a ring terminal
work, and resultant expense, from one yard to and screw, rather
another. Now, however, provided the work is of than clamping the
high quality and ABYC compliant, comparisons are wire beneath the
more valid and meaningful. hose or hose clamp.
What could Harry, the technician who worked ABYC standards
on Cherokee in her home yard, and his employer do clearly prohibit the
differently, and how could he have prevented the latter case.
mistakes he made while working on this vessel’s
electrical system? First, Harry’s employer should
join ABYC and obtain a copy of the standards. This
will give him and his employees access to world-
class safety and technical guidelines for future
repairs aboard Cherokee and other boats like her.
Then, Harry would benefit from attending one or
more of ABYC’s educational seminars. Once he’s
done this, he can begin preparing for exams in one
or more of the categories offering certification. With
the proper experience under his belt and an ABYC
electrical certification, there’s little doubt that he
will avoid future mistakes like those he made In the event of a leak, the exhaust system of any internal
aboard Cherokee. combustion engine presents some risk to the user.
As previously mentioned, boatbuilders and service ABYC standard P-1 defines in great detail the dos and
facilities aren’t the only ones who belong to ABYC. don’ts of these systems. In this image, a noncompliant
As a boat owner or buyer, one of your greatest diesel exhaust system is shown. Get the standard, and
advocates is a reputable, experienced surveyor. you’ll find out why.
If you are in a position to employ such a
professional who will either assess damage in
preparation for repairs or inspect a boat you intend
to purchase, insist that he or she do so to ABYC
standards. Many surveyors belong to ABYC and
have access to the standards through professional
organizations. A survey that does not use the Section P-6,
standards, particularly those in the aforementioned “Propeller Shafting
critical categories, is of considerably less value than Systems,” provides
one that does. Once again, it’s up to you, the boat information
owner or owner-to-be, to insist on this standard. regarding propeller
The American Boat and Yacht Council has been shaft diameter
serving the marine industry, boatbuilders, repair calculations, struts,
yards and surveyors for over 50 years. If you fail to shaft seals, logs,
take advantage of the service this organization shaft bearing
provides—not insisting on new construction, repairs spacing
and surveys that meet its standards—you’re simply requirements
missing the boat. and more.

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