1.2.9 Directive 2013/53/EU on recreational craft and personal watercraft

1.2.8 Marine Equipment Directive

and construction of leisure boats and personal watercraft between 2.5 metres and 24 metres in length, such as sailing craft, motor boats and jet skis. It also lays down particular requirements for manufacturers, importers, private importers and distributors of watercraft. The following watercraft products come within the scope of the Directive:

Directive 2014/90/EU sets the performance and testing standards for marine safety equipment. Equipment complying with the Marine Equipment Directive is marked with a distinctive ships wheel mark. The Directive has been given effect in Irish law through the European Union (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 177 of 2017), as amended.

▪Recreational craft of hull length

from 2.5 metres to 24 metres;

▪Personal watercraft of less than 4

When purchasing marine equipment other than PFDs, ensure it always carries the approval wheel mark shown below as required by legislation.

metres in hull length;

▪Partly completed watercraft,

being either a recreational craft or personal watercraft;

▪Components, listed in Annex II

of the Directive, when placed separately on the EU market;

Marine Equipment Directive approval Wheelmark

▪Propulsion engines installed or

intended to be installed on or in watercraft;

▪Propulsion engines installed

or specifically intended for installation in or on watercraft, or subject to major engine modification;

In the case of a PFD, ensure it always carries the approval CE mark shown opposite or the approval wheel mark shown above.

▪Watercraft subject to major craft

conversion.

Under Directive 2013/53/EU, any watercraft falling under its scope (whether new or second-hand) that is placed on the EU market for the first time must comply with the essential requirements as set out in the Annexes to the Directive. This guarantees their suitability for sale or use in the EU. The essential

1.2.9 Directive 2013/53/EU on recreational craft and personal watercraft

Summary of Directive Directive 2013/53/EU updates legislative requirements in Ireland dating from June 1998 for the design

materials and labelled as such by the manufacturer.

requirements cover technical, safety and environmental specifications.

Legislation

▪Experimental watercraft, provided

Directive 94/25/EC, amended by Directive 2003/44/EC, continues to apply to recreational craft, personal watercraft, components or propulsion engines placed on the EU market for the first time before 18 January 2017.

that the watercraft is not placed on the Union market.

▪Watercraft built for own use,

provided that they are not subsequently placed on the Union market during a period of five years from the putting into service of the watercraft.

Exempted watercraft Directive 2013/53/EU does not apply to some watercraft products intended for sports and leisure purposes as listed in Article 2.2 of the Directive. However, particular products are required to be labelled as specified in the Directive. With regard to the design and construction requirements, specified in Part A of Annex 1, the Directive does not apply to the following products:

▪Watercraft specifically intended to

be crewed and to carry passengers for commercial purposes.

▪Submersibles, air cushion vehicles,

and hydrofoils.

▪Amphibious vehicles, i.e. wheeled

or track-laying motor vehicles, which are able to operate both on water and on solid land.

▪External combustion steam

powered watercraft, fuelled by coal, coke, wood, oil or gas.

▪Watercraft intended solely for

racing, including rowing racing boats and training rowing boats labelled as such by the manufacturer.

Certain exemptions with regard to exhaust and noise emission requirements also apply as set out in the Directive.

▪Canoes and kayaks designed to be

propelled solely by human power, gondolas and pedalos.

Design categories for watercraft coming within the scope of the Directive The Directive specifies design categories (A, B, C and D) for watercraft based on suitability for navigation conditions such as ranges of wind force and significant wave height. Further information on these design categories can be found in Part A of Annex 1 to the Directive,

▪Surfboards designed solely to

be propelled by wind and to be operated by a person or persons standing.

▪Surfboards.

▪Original historical watercraft

and individual replicas thereof designed before 1950, built predominately with original

where it is not possible to affix the CE mark to the product, it shall be affixed to the packaging and to the accompanying documentation.

and they are summarised as follows:

▪Category A Recreational craft designed for winds that may exceed wind force 8 (Beaufort scale) and significant wave height of 4 m and above but excluding abnormal conditions, such as storm, violent storm, hurricane, tornado and extreme sea conditions or rogue waves.

In summary, the CE marking must be affixed to:

▪all newly manufactured watercraft,

components and propulsion engines, whether manufactured in the Member States or in third countries;

▪Category B Recreational craft designed for a wind force up to and including 8, and significant wave height up to and including 4 m.

▪all used and second-hand products

when imported from third countries and placed on the EU market for the first time;

▪modified products that, as new,

▪Category C Watercraft designed for a wind force up to and including 6, and significant wave height up to and including 2 m.

are subject to this Directive and which have been modified in a way that could affect the safety or the compliance of the product with the EU legislation.

▪Category D Watercraft designed for a wind force up to and including 4, and significant wave height up to and including 0.3 m, with occasional waves of 0.5 m maximum height.

Other essential requirements in the Directive include:

▪an identification number for each

watercraft and a requirement to carry the craft’s builder’s plate;

CE marking and essential requirements All watercraft, components and propulsion engines are subject to CE marking, indicating that a product complies with the Directive. In the case of a watercraft, CE marking must be affixed to the Watercraft Builder’s Plate, mounted separately from the craft’s identification number, and in the case of a propulsion engine, directly on the engine. In the case of a component,

▪the need for watercraft to be

designed to minimise the risk of falling overboard and to allow for easy re-boarding;

▪good all-round visibility for the

operator, under normal conditions;

▪a written manual in a language

easily understood by the end-user, to accompany all watercraft to ensure their safe use;

▪sufficient structure, stability and