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The Steam Boat Association of Great Britain |
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| Promoting safety afloat! | ||||||
There is nothing quite like messing about in boats and steam boats in particular. A quiet summer's day on the river in the company of friends and fellow steam boaters is difficult to beat. Unfortunately, life is full of risks and pitfalls for the unwary and steam boating is no exception. However, with help from the SBA, and fellow members, these can be avoided or mitigated. Safety, from the viewpoint of the SBA is about more than simply meeting regulations. It is about approaching the hobby from an informed perspective and applying best practice in a manner that becomes second nature. The addition of appropriate insurance cover to these actions should mean that you have done all that could reasonably be expected. We see that this involves paying attention to:
These issues are explored in more in subsequent pages detailed below: |
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| Insurance | The Association has arranged special insurance facilities for members' boats & machinery which meet the requirements for vessels attending SBA rallies. It now includes £3M third-party indemnity. | |||||
| Steam Launch Designs | The popularity of the hobby means that there are now a number of suppliers of steam launch hulls or hull designs. Some are offered commercially, whilst there is also an "affordable steam launch" that has been developed by a group of SBA members. | |||||
| Launch Engines and Boilers |
Steam launch engine are available ready made from a small number of sources. The Funnel classified advertisements regularly carry advertisements for engines. However, there are a number of proven engine designs available that can be built in even the most most modest home workshop. Steam launch boilers come in all shapes and sizes. However, in every case boilers need to have engineering and insurance company approval for the design. For those wishing to build or commission a new boiler, the SBAS Boiler Design Library is a good starting point.(See Below) |
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| Seamanship | Whilst most skippers make the task look easy, managing both the steam plant and the launch is not easy. For inland waterway navigation, which is probably the major activity of steam boaters, a useful qualification is the RYA Inland Waterways Helmsman's Certificate. This covers the basics of canal and river navigation and is suited to the novice steam boater. | |||||
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SBA Services Ltd is an independent company formed to undertake non-statutory boiler inspections for members in accordance with the recommendations of the SBA. SBAS maintains a library of approved boiler designs for sale to members. The SBA also maintains a register of surveyors & examiners who are experienced at assessing steamboats for the BW/EA Boat Safety Scheme. |
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| Event Rules - SBA events and those of Other Organisations |
In order to ensure that SBA events are safe for both participants and bystanders, the Association has established a number of rules and guidelines. These include the Requirements For Members And Boats Attending SBA Events and the SBA Boat Owners Declaration. These rules are mandatory for SBA events. For non-SBA events boat owners must abide by the rules of the organising body. However, the Association expects that all members will treat its rules as the standard to be followed should the non-SBA event organiser appear to be requiring less exacting requirements. |
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| Services for Members | ||||||
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