Information for boat builders, importers and dealers

An ABP must display the following information:

• Name of builder.
• Maximum outboard engine power rating.
• Maximum outboard engine/s mass (if vessel designed to be fitted with outboard engine/s).
• Maximum number and weight of persons (in kilos).
• Maximum load (including weight of all outboard engines, mass of maximum person capacity, total mass of carry on safety equipment/ tools/ food/ fishing tackle/ fuel tanks etc).
• Buoyancy performance (if vessel is less than 6 metres long) - either Level or Basic.
• Warning statements.
• The build date and/ or Hull Identification Number (HIN).
• The specified Standard used in determining the information on the ABP.

Anyone can attach an ABP, but it is the vessel builder’s responsibility to:

• determine the information to be displayed on the APB, and
• ensure that the information is in full compliance with the ABP Standard. 

If you are not competent to make the determination, the services of a competent person must be used.

A competent person is someone who has acquired through training, qualification and/or experience the skills and knowledge to competently determine and approve this information. This include naval architects, marine surveyors and some vessel designers and builders.

If you’re an owner-builder building to a vessel design you have purchased, check that it has all the required information for the ABP, such as carrying capacity, maximum outboard power rating,  maximum outboard mass, maximum loading, and if the vessel is less than 6 metres in length, a buoyancy statement.

If you are designing the vessel, you must calculate the required information and test the vessel before completing the ABP.

A competent person must assess the vessel and determine the information to display on the ABP.  

Dealers, agents, distributors or brokers may modify a vessel before on-selling it to a customer, for example, by fitting side screens to a centre-console, installing a larger engine or a kill tank.  

If you modify it, you must have the vessel assessed to check if the modification invalidates the ABP information as it may affect the carrying capacity of the vessel.

You must have the vessel re-assessed by a competent person, either in cooperation with the builder or by hiring an independent assessor.

Once the competent person has recalculated the information, if it is no longer correct you must attach a new ABP with the updated information, in full compliance with the ABP Standard.

Dealers, agents, distributors or brokers may modify a vessel before on-selling it to a customer, for example, by fitting side screens to a centre-console, installing a larger engine or a kill tank.  

If you modify it, you must have the vessel assessed to check if the modification invalidates the ABP information as it may affect the carrying capacity of the vessel.

You must have the vessel re-assessed by a competent person, either in cooperation with the builder or by hiring an independent assessor.

Once the competent person has recalculated the information, if it is no longer correct you must attach a new ABP with the updated information, in full compliance with the ABP Standard.

Blank ABP are available from various companies.

Builders, dealers and importers may engage a sign maker to produce blank ABP.

The ABP Standard provides some templates for guidance in producing an ABP. There are a few types, including those for:

• powered vessels under 6m in length;
• non-powered vessels under 6m;
• powered vessels 6m or more in length; and
• non-powered vessels 6m or more.