what is a class b yacht

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Demystifying yacht classification A, B, C, D

N.B. For your information, a more recent article was published on 24 Oct 2022 on the same subject, click here for direct access.

Demystifying yacht classification : Class A, B, C and D

Since 1998, CE certification is required for all recreational boats entering or being sold in Europe obliging boat manufacturers to respect certain building and security standards. Therefore, yachts ( boats ) are classified into four categories depending on their aptitude to confront navigational conditions taking into account both force of the wind and height of the waves. The categories are not to limit the area and distance of navigation (that is defined by security equipement onboard) but to sensitize the owner and/or captain of the boats capacities to navigate in complete security.

Let us start with the Beaufort Scale. A scale for classifying the force of the wind ranging from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane). It was devised by an admiral in the British Navy, Francis Beaufort, to uniform the description of the effect of different winds at sea.

There is a direct link between the Beaufort scale and boat classification. For discussion purposes, we will use only the 6, 7 and 8 forces.

A Class A yacht ( boat ) is a vessel that is built to navigate the open ocean and surpass a force 8 on the Beaufort scale and surpass waves higher that 4 meters. These yachts are constructed to be self sufficient in hostile seas.

A Class B yacht ( boat ) is a vessel built to navigate on the offshore waters (200 miles and less) and can substain UP TO force 8 and waves UP TO 4 meters.

A Class C boat is a vessel built to navigate inshore such as lakes, rivers, bays and close to the shore and can sustain UP TO force 6 and waves UP TO 2 meters.

A Class D boat is built for protected or sheltered waters such as canals, rivers, small lakes and sustain a force 4 and waves UP TO .3 meters (less that 1 ft).

With this said, you can understand that the Class A yacht ( boat ) respects a rigorous building code more so than a Class B and so forth. But regardless of the class, it is strongly discouraged to navigate in a force 7 for the reasons of safety and comfort as « pleasure » should always be on the agenda. Always consult the weather forecast prior to leaving any port and check hourly the weather situation.

Classification is very important and should be on your question list before purchasing any boat or yacht.

Classification rules are developed to assess the structural strength and integrity of the essential parts of the hull, the reliability and function of the propulsion, steering systems, power generation and all the other features installed on board which contribute to guarantee the main essential services of yacht.

Also for a class A, the portholes will be more resistant against a sustained wave, the drains to evacuate the water more abundant and of good size, the joints of the hull more hermetic, in short everything is in place to prevent water from s’ infiltrate on board.

By way of information, let us quote for example all the Ferretti yachts (60 to 96 feet), Pershing (60 to 115), the Riva (44 to 122) are all of class A just like the Magellano range at Azimut including also the 66 Flybridge.

Ferretti yachts (500, 550, 670 fly and over), Pershing (7X and over), Azimut Yachts (62, 64, 66, 68 Fly and over, the Sport Series 7X and over, all Magellano) are Class A. There are also other classifications such as RINA and American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, Det Norske Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd, Lloyd Register, that are more precise regulations and we will cover this later in another article.

Below is the graph of the Beaufort Scale along with photos.

Do not hesitate to contact us for any additional information, team Ita Yachts Canada is at your disposal.

Published by Guy Bolduc

View all posts by Guy Bolduc

CE Yacht Compliance Classification

29 March 2016

The CE Yacht Compliance Classification System is the European (CE stands for “ Conformité Européenne ” in French) dictating the standards for CE Certification for construction and sale of boats . Vessels in one of the categories of controlled products cannot be legally sold in the EU unless they have passed the tests to receive the CE Certification. This regulation applies to all yachts for sale and recreational craft from 2.5 to 24 meters, whether they are intended for navigation at sea or in inland waters. New or used boats coming from countries other than the Member States of the European Union are also subject to CE marking.

In 1994, the countries in the European Union adopted the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD), which they amended in 2003. This constitutes a single set of “harmonized” essential requirements for boats sold in any member country.

The compliance with the RCD is required by law in the European Union member countries, and third-party classification societies inspections and their certifications are required as part of the process of CE yacht compliance classification. Boats are given a CE certification at the end of the process, which confirms that they have passed and comply with the technical, construction, safety and legal requirements making them legally valid for sale in the European Union. In Europe, we call them commonly “CE compliant boats” .

CE certification required

Summary of the origin and CE yacht compliant classification and how certification works.

Since 1998, European legislation indicates that pleasure boats must carry the CE certification (or mark), requiring them to meet certain construction and safety standards. For this, the boats are classified into four categories according to their design and skills to face different sailing conditions depending on the wind force and wave height.

Knowing that the weather is a variable phenomenon, these categories are not intended to limit the distance boaters can sail away (this depends on onboard safety equipment), but rather to responsibly inform them about the capabilities of their boat to safely navigate based on the offshore weather conditions. For each vessel, the design category is characterized by a letter between A and D.

BEAUFORT scale

First, let’s start with the BEAUFORT scale. This scale gives you the status of the sea in order to plan your trips. It was the British admiral Francis BEAUFORT who imagined a scale with sufficiently precise criteria to quantify the wind at sea and allow the divulgation of reliable information universally understood. This scale consists of 13 degrees, from 0 to 12, which is remarkable in this scale is that it can assess the effect of wind on the surface of the sea.

We will focus on the scale with the forces of 6, 7 and 8 to our need for explanations. There is indeed a direct link between the Beaufort scale and the certification of yachts (see photo above of the scale to better understand the graduation of wind forces).

CE CLASS A yachts are designed for large sea voyages (everywhere), in which wind force may exceed 8 on the scale of BEAUFORT and waves can also exceed a significant height of 4 meters. These yachts are designed largely to be self-sufficient in this rather hostile environment. CAREFUL, in most cases, this is only theoretical.
CE CLASS B yachts are designed to travel off the coast (200 miles or less) in which the winds can be up to force 8 (not exceeding) and waves can reach a height up to 4 meters (not exceeding).
CE CLASS C boats are designed for travel close to the coasts and in large bays, estuaries, lakes and rivers in which winds can be up to force 6 (not exceeding) and waves may reach a height of 2 meters (not exceeding).
CE CLASS D boats are designed for cruises in protected waters, like small lakes, rivers and canals in which the winds can be up to force 4 and waves can reach a height up to 0.30 meter (less than 1 foot).

Rules of CE certification

The rules of CE certification for construction and sale of boats are designed to assess the structural strength and integrity of essential parts of the hull, the reliability, and function of propulsion, steering systems, power generation and all other features installed on board to help ensure the key essential services of the yacht.

You understand therefore that a CLASS A yacht respects a much more rigorous construction protocol than a CLASS B yacht and so on… Of course, it is strictly advised not to sail past a force 6 for pleasure yachting and no matter the class A or B. This is a matter of safety, comfort and pleasure being always present in your cruise.

To ensure recreational boating, always check the weather before each ride at sea and especially verify any potential changes every hour. In addition, you must always carry the safety equipment onboard depending on the type of navigation that you practice and the laws and regulations in the countries where you cruise, and feel free to be overcautious.

It is obvious that in case of bad weather, for example, it is better to find yourself onboard a CLASS A yacht, which will necessarily have a better safety margin, regardless of sea conditions… Before buying a new or pre-owned boat , always ask for the classification of your future yacht, this document is required for the new registration (in Europe).

A CE-Type Certificate (or homologation) is generally issued for production vessels manufactured in series by different shipyards , particularly European.

There are several classification societies capable of achieving the CE classification for construction and sale of boats , the main ones are RINA (Registro Italiano Navale), BV (Bureau Veritas), DNV (Det Norske Veritas), Germanischer Lloyd, LR (Lloyd’s Register).

Other societies and certifications

There are also other classification societies for vessels built or sold outside the EU such as ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) and NK (Nippon Kaiji). There are also other types of certifications such as the MCA (UK – Maritime and Coastguard Agency), which however is not a classification organization. We will write more articles on commercial classifications later.

Do not hesitate to contact us for any need for further information on the CE yacht compliance classification , our team at Allied Yachting is at your service.

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Yacht classifications, also referred to as classification societies or class societies the that rules are an integral element of owning a yacht and an important part of maritime safety. These classifications dictate the design, construction and ongoing maintenance of large commercial vessels and superyachts.

The classifications provide highly detailed and technical standards which cover the yacht’s hull, its engines, and key safety systems. Naturally technology is constantly advancing and so new safety features and procedures are frequently evolving to cater for this.

Standard Yacht Types

Yachts are typically segmented based on overall length and how many passengers they can accommodate. The standard yacht classification types are large yachts, sailing yachts, commercial yachts and private yachts.

Commercial yachts are those yachts which engage in commercial activities, i.e charter yachts. These yachts do not transport or carry any cargo and can carry no more than 12 passengers when underway. In contrast, private yachts are typical pleasure vessels used solely for recreational or leisure purposes.

Classification society

Classification societies are organizations which ‘set the rules’ that govern the construction, maintenance, and operation of yachts and vessels. Currently, there are a total of 12 members of the International Association of Classification Societies, of which the main societies involved with yachting are::

ABS (American Bureau of Shipping)
Bureau Veritas
Lloyds Register
RINA (Royal Institution of Naval Architects)

Classification societies were first started when insurance underwriters Lloyds of London set standards for the ships that they would ensure.

What is a flag state?

A vessel’s flag state is the jurisdiction or nationality under whose laws the vessel is registered or licensed.

The flag state has the authority and the responsibility to create regulations for vessels registered under its flag. These typically involve those relating to the inspection, certification, and issuance of safety and pollution prevention documents for the vessel.

Different flag states may perform inspections on the safety aspects of yachts using their own inspectors or use classification societies or other recognised organization to perform these inspections.

I have written a separate blog post which goes into further detail on Flag States and the importance of choosing the right flag for your yacht.

What is the classification process?

The first step of classification involves the assessment of a yachts design and regular inspections during the construction or conversion of a yacht. Once it is confirmed that all standards have been met, a certificate of classification is issued.

The certificate details the standard met, the intended use for the vessel, and whether the vessel should be used only in sheltered waters. The certificate is aevidence evidence that the yacht has been built too and meets industry standards.

In order to maintain classification regular surveys of the yacht are required. These surveys typically take place every 5 years. These surveys assess things such as the thickness of the hull, possible fractures, and other potential damage. They also consider the condition of electrical systems, machinery and equipment.

Mandatory Classification Certificates

There are a variety of different classification certificates. The number and type of mandatory certificates for a given yacht will depend on its size.

International Tonnage Certificate

This expresses the internal volumes of the yacht in gross tonnes. Unlike displacement tonnage, this does not quantify the weight of a vessel.

Large Yacht Code Certificate

This certificate covers navigational and signaling equipment, life saving appliances, fire protection, means of escape, and manning and crew accommodation. `

Class Certificate

This mainly deals with the yacht’s hull, machinery, electrical equipment, and outfitting.

International load line certificate

This certificate covers the weather tightness of the yacht

Safety Radio Certificate

This certificate only applies if the yacht’s gross tonnage exceeds 300GT. It covers radio communication and distress installations.

MARPOL Annex I Certificate

This certificate only applies if gross tonnage exceeds 400GT and covers the disposal of oil and bilge water

MARPOL Annex IV Certificate

This certificate only applies if gross tonnage exceeds 400GT or if the yacht is certified to carry more than 15 people and covers the disposal of sewage from ships

Marpol Annex V

This certificate covers the disposal of rubbish and applies to all ships

Marpol Annex VI

This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 400GT as well as to all main and auxiliary engines with a power exceeding 130kW. It concerns the emissions from mains and auxiliary engines (NOx and SOx). Safety Construction and Safety Equipment

These cover machinery, electrical parts, life saving and navigational equipment for yachts with a gross tonnage above 500GT. International Safety Management Certificate

This only applies to yachts with a gross tonnage greater than 500GT. A certified management company is requested to carry out this service, preparing operational manuals, procedures for drills, and taking care of the maintenance of the yacht and its installations. International Ship and Port Security Certificate

This only applies to yachts and ships with a gross tonnage greater than 500GT and covers the anti piracy certification. A certified management company is requested to provide ashore assistance and establish onboard procedures and operational manuals.

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