Section 1 General
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Clasifications Register Rules and Regulations - Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Special Service Craft, July 2022 - Part 1 Regulations - Chapter 4 Periodical Survey Regulations for Yachts - Section 1 General

Section 1 General

Parent topic: Chapter 4 Periodical Survey Regulations for Yachts

1.1 Frequency of surveys

1.1.1 The requirements of this Chapter are applicable to the Periodical Surveys set out in Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys. Except as amended at the discretion of the Committee, the periods between such surveys are as follows:

  1. Annual Surveys if required, see Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.2.

  2. Intermediate Surveys as required by Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.5.

  3. Bottom Surveys as required by, Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.6 and Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.7.

  4. Special Surveys at five-yearly intervals, see Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.11. For alternative arrangements, see also Ch 2,Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.12, Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.13 and Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.18.

  5. Complete Surveys of machinery at five-yearly intervals, see Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.20. For alternative arrangements, see also Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.21, Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.22, Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.25, Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.26 and Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.26.

1.1.2 For yachts assigned the Laid-up notation, in order to maintain the yacht in class a general examination of the hull and machinery is to be carried out in lieu of the normal Intermediate Survey requirements and in addition an Underwater Examination (UWE) is to be carried out in lieu of the normal Special Survey requirements, see Pt 1, Ch 4, 2.1 General 2.1.2, Pt 1, Ch 4, 4.1 General 4.1.5 and Pt 1, Ch 4, 6.1 Intermediate and Bottom Surveys 6.1.3.

1.1.3 When it has been agreed that the Complete Survey of the hull and machinery may be carried out on the Continuous Survey basis, all compartments of the hull and all items of machinery are to be opened for survey in rotation to ensure that the interval between consecutive examinations of each part will not exceed five years, see Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.19 and Pt 1, Ch 2, 4.5 Existing service craft and yachts - Periodical Surveys 4.5.22.

1.1.4 For the frequency of surveys of screwshafts, tube shafts, propellers and water jet units, see Pt 1, Ch 4, 10 Screwshafts, tube shafts, propellers and water jet units.

1.2 Surveys for damage or alterations

1.2.1 At any time when a yacht is undergoing alterations or damage repairs, any exposed parts of the structure normally difficult to access are to be specially examined, e.g. if any part of the main or auxiliary machinery is removed for any reason, the hull structure in way is to be carefully examined by the Surveyor, or when cement in the bottom or sheathing on decks is removed the structure in way is to be examined before the cement or sheathing is relaid.

1.3 Unscheduled surveys

1.3.1 In the event that Lloyd’s Register (hereinafter referred to as ‘LR’) has cause to believe that its Rules and Regulations are not being complied with, LR reserves the right to perform unscheduled surveys of the hull and machinery as well as the applicable statutory requirements whether or not the appropriate statutory certificate has been issued by LR.

1.3.2 In the event of significant damage or defect affecting any yacht, LR reserves the right to perform unscheduled surveys of the hull or machinery of other similar yachts classed by LR and deemed to be vulnerable.

1.4 Surveys for the issue of Convention certificates

1.4.1 Surveys are to be held by LR when so appointed, or by the Exclusive Surveyors to a National Administration or by an IACS Member when so authorised by the National Authority, or, in the case of Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificates or Safety Management Certificates, by any organisation authorised by the National Authority. In the case of dual classed craft, Convention Certificates may be issued by the other Society with which the craft is classed provided this is recognised in a formal Dual Class Agreement with LR and provided the other Society is also authorised by the National Authority.

1.5 Definitions

1.5.1 A Ballast tank is a tank which is used primarily for salt water ballast.

1.5.2  Spaces are separate hull compartments including integral tanks.

1.5.3  Suspect areas are locations within the hull structure vulnerable to increased likelihood of structural deterioration and may include:

  1. For steel hulls, areas of substantial corrosion and/or fatigue cracking.

  2. For aluminium alloy hulls, areas of fatigue cracking and areas in the vicinity of bimetallic connections.

  3. For composite hulls, areas subject to impact damage.

  4. For wood hulls, areas subject to decay as a result of fresh water ingress or poor ventilation.

  5. For high speed craft (as defined in Pt 1, Ch 2, 2.2 Definitions 2.2.7), areas of the bottom structure forward prone to slamming damage.

  6. For sailing craft, areas subject to high local stresses due to rigging loads and ballast keel attachments.

1.5.4  Substantial corrosion is wastage of individual steel or aluminium plates and stiffeners in excess of 75 per cent of allowable margins, but within acceptable limits.

1.5.5  Protective coatings for steel craft should usually be hard coatings. Other coating systems (e.g. soft coating) may be considered acceptable as alternatives provided they are applied and maintained in compliance with the manufacturer's specification.

1.5.6  Coating condition for steel yacht is defined as follows:

GOOD Condition with only minor spot rusting.
FAIR Condition with local breakdown of coating at edges of stiffeners and weld connections and/or light rusting over 20 per cent or more of areas under consideration, but less than as defined for POOR condition.
POOR Condition with general breakdown of coating over 20 per cent or more of areas or hard scale at 10 per cent or more of areas under consideration.

1.5.7 A Prompt and Thorough Repair is a permanent repair completed at the time of survey to the satisfaction of the Surveyor, therein removing the need for the imposition of any associated condition of class or recommendation.

1.5.8  Air pipe heads installed on the exposed decks are those extending above the freeboard deck or superstructure decks.

1.6 Repairs

1.6.1 Any damage in association with wastage over the allowable limit (including buckling, grooving, detachment or fracture), or extensive areas of wastage over the allowable limits, which affects or, in the opinion of the Surveyor, will affect the yacht’s structural, watertight or weathertight integrity, is to be promptly and thoroughly repaired. Areas to be considered include, (where fitted):

  • side shell frames, their end attachments and adjacent shell plating;
  • deck structure and deck plating;
  • bottom structure and bottom plating;
  • side structure and side plating;
  • inner bottom structure and inner bottom plating;
  • inner side structure and inner side plating;
  • watertight or oiltight bulkheads;
  • hatch covers and hatch coamings;
  • the weld connection between air pipes and deck plating;
  • air pipe heads installed on the exposed decks;
  • ventilators, including closing devices.

For locations where adequate repair facilities are not available, consideration may be given to allow the yachts to proceed directly to a repair facility. This may require discharging the cargo and/or temporary repairs for the intended voyage.

1.6.2 Additionally, when a survey results in the identification of structural defects or corrosion, either of which, in the opinion of the Surveyor, will impair the yacht’s fitness for continued service, remedial measures are to be implemented before the yacht continues in service.

1.6.3 Where the damage found on structure mentioned in Pt 1, Ch 4, 1.6 Repairs 1.6.1 is isolated and of a localised nature which does not affect the yacht’s structural integrity (as, for example, a localised, isolated and very minor hole in a deck), consideration may be given by the Surveyor to allow an appropriate temporary repair to restore watertight or weathertight integrity after careful evaluation of the surrounding structure and impose an associated Condition of Class with a specific short-term time limit in order to complete the repair and retain classification.

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