scope:

Introduction

The year 2022 edition of the Guide for Building and Classing Yachts consists of the seven (7) booklets. With regard to three booklets, Part 1, Part 2, and Part 7:

a) The purpose of the generic title ABS Rules for Conditions of Classification (Part 1) is to reflect the expanded contents of PART 1, as a result of including consolidated requirements for "Classification" applicable to all types of and sizes of yachts. The supplemental requirements previously contained in this Guide have been consolidated into Chapter 9 of Part 1.

b) The purpose of the generic title ABS Rules for Materials and Welding of PART 2 is to emphasize the common applicability of the requirements to ABS-classed vessels, other marine structures and their associated machinery, and thereby make PART 2 more readily a common "PART" of various ABS Rules and Guides, as appropriate.

c) The purpose of the generic title ABS Rules for Survey After Construction (Part 7) is to reflect the expanded contents of PART 7, as a result of including consolidated requirements for "Surveys After Construction" applicable to all types and sizes of vessels, barges and specific shipboard arrangements/systems, etc., as specified in Part 7, Chapter 1, Section 1.

The effective date of the indicated Rule Changes is 1 July 2022, unless specifically indicated otherwise.

The effective date of each technical change since 1993 is shown in parenthesis at the end of the subsection/paragraph titles within the text of each Part. Unless a particular date and month are shown, the years in parentheses refer to the following effective dates:

(2000) and after 1 January 2000 (and subsequent years)

(1999) 12 May 1999

(1998) 13 May 1998

(1997) 19 May 1997

(1996) 9 May 1996

(1995) 15 May 1995

(1994) 9 May 1994

(1993) 11 May 1993

For certain changes that have a major impact on shipyards, designers and vendors, ABS has instituted a two-year Rule cycle to give the industry more time to prepare for these changes. The text of these changes will appear in a box along with the effective date just under the existing requirement.

The listing of CLASSIFICATION SYMBOLS AND NOTATIONS is available from the ABS website for download.