European CE Rating/ Category Question

First time I've ever heard this relating to boats. CE is kind of Eurpoe's version on UL. I'd be more incline to consider price, sea keeping abilities, range, motors, equipment, fit & finish and reputation, etc.. It sounds like you're looking for that info boiled down to a rating letter and I don't know that's possible. However if you plug the name of some manufacturers into the SEARCH feature above there's a good chance you'll read the good, bad and ugly about many of them. 18' beam shouldn't be hard to find in that size boat.

Maybe this will help out. I believe it's the American version of what you're looking for:
https://abycinc.org/page/StandardsSupp58

Ignoring Nycap's post

• Category A – Ocean: covers largely self-sufficient boats designed for extended voyages with winds of over Beaufort Force 8 (over 40 knots), and significant wave heights above 13 feet, but excluding abnormal conditions such as hurricanes.
• Category B – Offshore: includes boats operating offshore with winds to 40 knots and significant seas to 13 feet.
• Category C – Inshore: is for boats operating in coastal waters and large bays and lakes with winds to Force 6, up to 27 knots, and significant seas 7 feet high.
• Category D – Inland or sheltered coastal waters: is for boats in small lakes and rivers with winds to Force 4 and significant wave heights to 18 inches.

Now I wouldn't say to cross the Atlantic just because a boat is a Category A, but I do think comparative ratings give some information. Not gospel but comparative. I would have real questions about the rough water capabilities of a 64' boat only rated a B. These are design criteria and do reflect the use a boat is designed for.

It's not cheaper things or things like how many bilge pumps. It's basic hull design and stability that influences it mostly. Now number of people on board impact it as well. For instance, a 60' boat may get an A with up to 12 people and with the 13th person fall to B. If you'll look at the Beneteau lines they do an excellent job of showing variable ratings of each boat.

That said, we have a 44' Riva rated a Category A and in rough water you can feel why it got that rating. Meanwhile we're reading posts of how wet a Galeon is. Combined with user reviews and ratings, I think it's easy to conclude that Galeon is not a good rough water boat but is a Coastal boat and one likely to spend more time on the ICW than running outside. Today would be a great example. Fort Lauderdale has 3-4' at 5 seconds, likely a day you'd stay inside in a Galeon.

No need for rudeness olderboater. I'm exploring, trying to find an answer that neither the OP or I know. You did; we learned. Thank you.

Then, if you don't know, simply don't answer by going off on European equivalent of UL. I simply said ignoring your post which it merited.

Some of us come here to give of our knowledge. Some come to learn. Some of us both. In this case I was trying to help the OP so we could both learn.

What they are not doing is reaching standards of buoyancy, stability and safety. As to the details, you'd need to go through every page and see all the design details of the boat. Here is the directive establishing the CE requirements and here is where you can see what is included. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013L0053

To know exactly where Galeon comes up short, you'd have to ask them, but you'd likely get an excuse, not the reason. They likely just don't meet the stability and buoyancy requirements, but I can't tell you specifically where they come up short. Perhaps stability. Perhaps buoyancy impacted by equipment weight vs. flotation. I can just tell you I know of no other 78 foot boat that is B rated and that would absolutely prevent me from buying a Galeon. Either they can't or they choose not to take the steps to be A rated. Even if they deem it unimportant, I don't want a builder who chooses not to do so. I've ridden in A's and B's and C's and I've felt the difference in rough water. Now I prefer to run offshore. If you prefer to run the ICW then that may mean you're ok with lower certifications.

I wouldn't plan on waves over 5-6' in one. It's a lot easier to design a good looking boat than to design and build a good boat.

You know you've fallen in love with Galeon. Seems more than one of you have. You've been told it's a wet boat, you've been told it's a Cat B. You've not pointed out other Cat B's. It probably does compare with those. Sells in the price range with those. It is what it is. Not a Princess or Sunseeker or Riva or Ferretti, but may suit your purposes well. Norseman points out his 28' handles coastal cruising well and it is likely to do the same. As I said earlier, it's a matter of the way you like to boat. Today, we're running offshore in 3-4' waves. Many are running the ICW. It's a choice of use. We might not even be out today if it wasn't our last chance this year.

No, I'd be what would fall apart. lol. I also know to adjust speed based on the conditions.

I can second everything Mapism said. CE Category A or B has become a marketing tool. There are many boats on the market, classed in the Cat A, that I would never go even into a Cat C weather situation with.

Sorry Mapism but especially Rina seems to be easier on giving Cat A then other agencies like the Dutch Lloyd or the NVGL. I own a Dutch build 14.99 meter steel full displacement motorboat. This boat is, except for some little updates in the external and internal design, in production for over 30 years. The length of 14.99 allows me and my sons to go internal (commercial) waterways and navigable rivers, as we do not have commercial Inland navigation licenses. I can for example command any size of vessel with my commercial skipper license on the Elbe River up to Hamburg but above Hamburg, where the Elbe Changes from an international waterway into a national navigable river, I have to stick to the 15 meter rule.

This boat was licensed in Cat A for many years. A very strong, very high quality and very seaworthy vessel with external stabilisation and Gyro stabilisation. An then the Yard went down from Cat A to Cat B with the same boat.
Not because they had bad happenings or accidents, no, they felt responsible for their clients and just did not want them to go into Cat A weather with any of their boats.

If I look at my son in laws Prestige 780 IPS planning boat, I am absolutely convinced that this assembly of plastic fantastic would fall apart completely when hitting a 13 ft wave at anything over 10 to 15 Kts. And my son in law would get definately an devorse trying that with my daughter and my grandchildren on board.

Bottom line: A Cat A safety classification is by no means a quality statement or classification. And like Mapism said, the only vessels capable of going planning speeds in Cat A weather are those Search and Rescue vessels. But their crews are strapped in completely and sitting on hydraulic dampened pilot chairs, otherwise, the would break their spinal column during their missions.

What is said about severe turbulence in commercial aviation: "Persons and loose items are tossed about and serving of food and drinks are impossible" .

Just my 2 (Euro) cents

HTMO9

RINA is known for being a bit more friendly and willing to discuss with yards. But I am with You, they will not sacrify safety more then neccessary.

But on one other subject, they are definately much more "flexible" than the NVGL. The interpreatation of the London Load Line Lenght. The longest boats available on the market within the official 24 meter regime are certified by RINA . But this is not unsafe to any extend. The 24 meter border for pleasure boats is obsolete and BS anyhow.