Marine technologies change in cycles, and so do the boating-safety standards that support them. Whether those cycles are evolutionary or revolutionary, keeping current is crucial for boatbuilders, equipment manufacturers, dealerships and service yards.

In July, ABYC published Supplement 63 of its Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft, including revisions to 14 of its standards. A live webinar providing a full summary of the changes is set for Aug. 16. (Register free at abycinc.org/standardsupdate.)

Since 1954, ABYC has developed voluntary global safety standards for the design, construction, maintenance and repair of recreational boats. ABYC standards have always been living documents that evolve over time. ABYC project technical committees, made up of volunteers from the boating industry, review or revise each standard at least every five years; these committees review some standards every three years.

An example of a new requirement announced in Supplement 63 comes in the latest version of Standard A-33 Emergency Engine/Propulsion Cutoff Devices: “33.8.2 Passenger protection devices shall be visually identifiable from other operator devices.”

This new requirement resulted from a law requiring manufacturers to install an emergency cutoff switch — a propulsion “kill switch” — on some boats after Dec. 4, 2019. A subsequent law, which went into effect April 1, 2021, requires the operator of boats with an installed ECOS to use the ECOS link. Each of these laws came in response to operators being ejected from the vessel or thrown within the vessel, sometimes resulting in serious injury or death. “If the operator is ejected from the vessel,” read a Coast Guard statement when the ECOS law went into effect, “the shutdown may prevent the operator from impacting the vessel’s spinning propeller, and may aid the operator in safely returning to the drifting vessel.”

The new requirement in ABYC A-33 introduces an additional layer of safety. “As passenger protection devices only set off an alarm when activated, the new requirement is intended to prevent an operator from accidentally using a passenger protection device in a wireless system,” says Brian Goodwin, American Boat and Yacht Council technical director.

Additionally, Supplement 63 of the Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft revises the following standards: A-1 Liquified Petroleum (LPG) Systems; A-4 Fire Fighting Equipment; A-6 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Equipment; A-23 Sound Signal Appliances; A-26 LPG and CNG Fueled Appliances; A-30 Cooking Appliances with Integral LPG Cylinders; A-33 Emergency Engine/Propulsion Cutoff Devices; E-11 AC & DC Electrical Systems on Boats; H-32 Ventilation of Boats Using Diesel Fuel; P-17 Manual and Assisted Mechanical Steering Systems; P-18 Cable Over Pulley Steering Systems for Outboard Engines; P-22 Steering Wheels; and S-33 On-water Engines Emissions Testing.

These kinds of changes are important information for marine technicians on factory floors and in service yards. The changes are also important for students who are training to join the ranks of industry workers.

Mike Esterline, who teaches a 13-month post-secondary marine service technologies program at Fort Myers Technical College in Florida, says he instills in students the value of keeping up with changes in technology and standards.

“Basically, when they’re done with me, they’ve got a year experience,” Esterline says. “With me, they can make mistakes.” Alongside basic mechanical skills, Esterline prepares his students for certifications through manufacturer-specific programs, such as Mercury’s and Yamaha’s, as well as ABYC Marine Electrical and Marine Systems certifications.

ABYC certifications remain valid for five years, after which techs must demonstrate 10 hours of continuing-education credits and pass a new exam. Such requirements ensure that certified techs keep current with changes.

The Great Lakes Boat Building School in Cedarville, Mich., requires students to pass the ABYC Standards Knowledge Certification to graduate; the school also offers preparation and testing for Marine Electrical, Marine Engine and Fuel Systems, and Marine Systems certifications.

“When we started our Marine Service Technology program, we actually built our curriculum around providing the hands-on components to help students pass their ABYC certifications,” says president Nikki Storey. Both of the school’s lead instructors are ABYC master technicians who “turn around and teach on what they’re learning, too.”

For the latest changes in the ABYC standards, visit abycinc.org 

Tim Murphy develops curriculum for the ABYC. He is the author of Fundamentals of Marine Service Technology and Adventurous Use of the Sea.

This article was originally published in the August 2023 issue.