Summertime to be safer with less polluting leisure boats

The European Commission has proposed new legislation that will make the use of jet skis and sailing boats less harmful for European waters. Scientific studies show lakes and seashores can be seriously polluted by the concentration of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions resulting from some six million jet skis and motor and sailing boats cruising in the EU.

The proposed revision of the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) sets stricter limits for NOx, hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matters for new recreational crafts. The proposal also improves market surveillance, for example by updating the rules on CE marking. Member States will have to ensure that adequate checks are performed both at the EU external borders and within the Union itself, also through visits at the premises of economic operators that will guarantee the immediate prohibition and confiscation of non conform recreational boats.

European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship said, “The fact that recreational boats are becoming more sustainable, will not only benefit our health and the preservation of the marine environment, but also improve the quality of holiday resorts and boost job creation in the tourism industry. In addition, recreational craft enterprises will save costs and become more competitive, as they will be able to serve the world market with a single production line.”

The Recreational Craft Directive covers recreational craft (motor boats, sailing boats etc), personal watercraft (jet skis), their engines and the components which are not used for commercial purposes. It lays down the safety requirements that manufacturers shall respect when designing and manufacturing craft as well as the limits for exhaust and noise emissions from marine propulsion engines. It also foresees the relevant procedures for demonstrating the conformity of products to these requirements, including the affixing of the CE marking.

Producers and importers of boats need to respect essential safety requirements for boats as well as reinforced limits for exhaust and noise emissions from marine propulsion engines, if they wish to place their products on the EU market. Under the revised text, propulsion engines will have to be designed and constructed to emit 20% less of HC+NOx emissions and 34% less of particulate matters.

Improved market surveillance is necessary to guarantee a level playing field. To achieve this, the obligations for manufacturers, importers and distributors are strengthened in the proposal to better guarantee compliance with the new requirements for market surveillance in force since 01 January 20102. The proposal contains stricter obligations for private importers as well, as recreational crafts are quite often imported by individuals from third countries to the EU for their own use.

Momentary Switch for Actuator (Engine Hatch) - Performance Boats ...

Ive been looking for a 4-prong single pole, double throw momentary switch for my engine hatch. I find 3 prong switches everywhere. The uncommon thing about the switch is that it has to have a hot/ground and two momentary (up & down) prongs. I went to a few stores yesterday, including farm equip supplies & off-road stores looking for the switch with no luck. im sure the boat manufacturers know where to find them, but i cant. any help or link is appreciated. 5 wire alternating 12v. use the 3 pin switch and wire it up as the alarm output would suggest with a ground input on the center pole of your switch..put the relays back by the battery and you will only need to run 2 ground output wires to the switch from the relay bank(green and blue) this will keep all the current load from the switch, and eliminate extra wire runs. you could also add a contact style switch to the hatch to stop the actuaters at a preset location(magnet style or spring pressure contact. 5 wire alternating 12v. use the 3 pin switch and wire it up as the alarm output would suggest with a ground input on the center pole of your switch..put the relays back by the battery and you will only need to run 2 ground output wires to the switch from the relay bank(green and blue) this will keep all the current load from the switch, and eliminate extra wire runs. you could also add a contact style switch to the hatch to stop the actuaters at a preset location(magnet style or spring pressure contact.

Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics

Popular Science

Popular Science