In accordance with the requirements of the directive, recreational craft are divided into four main categories.

Category A – Ocean: Vessels designed for extended ocean voyages, capable of withstanding winds of Force 8 or above and wave heights of 4 metres or more, with most supplies self-sustained on board.

Category B – Offshore: Vessels designed for offshore navigation, capable of withstanding marine conditions with winds up to and including Force 8 and wave heights up to and including 4 metres.

Category C – Coastal: Vessels designed for coastal waters, large bays, estuaries, lakes and river basins, capable of withstanding aquatic conditions with winds up to and including Force 6 and wave heights up to and including 2 metres.

Category D – Sheltered: Vessels designed for small lakes, rivers and canals, capable of withstanding aquatic conditions with winds up to and including Force 4 and wave heights up to and including 0.5 metres.

In addition, all types of vessels must satisfy technical requirements such as stability, buoyancy characteristics and other relevant performances (specific requirements apply to specific products).

HWD-HuaWayDa can assist you in preparing stability calculation reports, buoyancy calculation reports, noise test reports, vibration test reports, as well as emission tests, safety tests and electromagnetic compatibility tests for marine engines.

1) Scope of Products Covered by the RCD Directive:

• Recreational craft and partially completed recreational craft;

• Private craft and partially completed private craft;

• Components listed in Annex II when they circulate separately as goods on the EU market. (The term "components" hereinafter shall have the same definition as herein);

• Propulsion engines that are installed, or intended for installation but not yet fitted on or inside craft;

• Propulsion engines installed on or inside craft for engine refitting of vessels;

• Craft subject to refitting or change of primary intended use.

2) Scope of Products Excluded from the RCD Directive:

• Craft intended solely for racing, including racing shells and training boats marked as such by the manufacturer;

• Craft designed to be propelled solely by human power (canoes, dinghies), gondolas and pedal boats;

• Windsurf boards designed to be propelled solely by wind and controlled by one or more persons;

• Powered surfboards, personal watercraft and other similar motorised craft;

• Historic craft built mainly from original materials and marked by the manufacturer as designed before 1950, or their individual replicas;

• Experimental craft not placed on the Community market;

• Craft built for personal use, provided they are not placed on the Community market within five years of being put into service;

• Passenger vessels constructed for commercial use, regardless of passenger capacity, without prejudice to paragraph 2 and in particular the definition laid down in Directive 82/716/EEC of 4 October 1982 laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels;

• Submarines;

• Hovercraft;

• Hydrofoils;

• Vessels powered by external combustion steam engines fuelled by coal, coke, wood, oil or petrol;

• Amphibious craft.

*Note: Craft constructed for sports and training purposes shall be subject to this Directive when placed on the Community market for recreational purposes.

The main certification modules for recreational craft are Module Aa and Module B, with design categories including A, B, C and D.

• Module Selection

Generally, recreational craft less than 12 metres in length shall be certified under Module Aa, while those with a length of 12 metres or above shall adopt Module B for certification.

• Vessel Inspection

Only one vessel inspection is required for Module Aa, whereas a minimum of two inspections are mandatory for Module B.

• Design Category

Normally Category C or D is selected for Module Aa, and Category A or B for Module B.