1. Documentation, access and systems: 

1.1. Please make available at the time of examination any manufacturer’s documentation, statements, or certificates required to demonstrate compliance, if necessary. Please also supply the boat’s previous certification details if available.

1.2. If practicable and safe to do so, please disconnect shore power, battery charging, and other power sources before the examination. The boat batteries need to be fully charged and feeds to any DC-AC inverters will need to be isolated. Please make sure any shore-power leads or other alternating current (AC) electrical inlet and lead connections are available for examination. 

1.3. Any AC electricity supply from shore-power hook-ups, inverters, or generators must be disconnected before the examination. The examiner is not liable for any loss or damage, or any incident or accident that may arise from undertaking the 230V disconnection and the owner retains overall responsibility for the process. The examiner will require permission to disconnect the 230V systems should the boat owner or representative of the owner not be present at the time of the examination. 

1.4. Please ensure that all access panels or hatches are removed before the examination to allow access to both see and touch all LPG and fuel fittings, joints and hoses. Please also ensure that the gas locker is emptied of everything except the gas bottles to allow examination of the locker.

1.5. Please ensure that sufficient battery power, fuel, and LPG are available to test appliances during the examination. Fuel, water, and battery power should be sufficient for up to 20 mins of continuous operation of all appliances. Please ensure that any instantaneous gas-fired water heaters are fully operational before the examination. 

1.6. For steam-powered engines, please provide the inspection certificate and current insurance policy or certificate. 

2. The Certificate: 

2.1. Once compliance has been verified, the BSS certificate will be issued as an electronic PDF file to the email address you provide within two working days of the examination. Please notify the examiner if you require a printed version of the certificate. 

3. Fees: 

3.1. The usual fee for a BSS certificate is £250.00 plus mileage to and from your boat. This fee is dependent on the complexity of the boat and the number of systems involved. Fees are payable on receipt of the examiner's invoice in advance of the examination date or on the day of the examination by either cash, card or bank transfer. Should the boat be found non-compliant a return visit will be required, possibly at extra cost. 

4. Location: 

4.1. Please provide a precise location the boat will be for the examination. If the boat is moored within a marina or on private property, please ensure the examiner has the site owner’s permission to be on-site. It is the boat owners responsibility to ensure adhering with any requests of the land owner including parking, contractor fees and any other arrangements the examiner may need to fulfil. Please make the examiner aware of any other access restrictions to the boat before the examination.

5. Examination date and time: 

5.1. Please be aware that the examination can take between 2 to 4 hours to complete. If the boat owner or owner’s representative wishes to be present for the examination, please ensure to allow plenty of time. 

5.2. The examiner will agree to an examination date and give an approximate start time to assist you in preparing the boat by separate cover.

6. Photographs: 

6.1. During the examination, the examiner may need to photograph the exterior of the boat and parts of the onboard systems. Please notify the examiner if you do not give your permission for photographs to be taken and stored.