Certification of Productions – Licensed Builders
1. Principle
According to the Class Rules, Appendix 1, Boats may be produced by licensed builders. Boats built after January 1st, 2005 as a part of a new production are submitted to certification by an International Measurer of the Class. If the Boats are found compliant, the manufacturer shall sign an agreement with IMCCA and shall further be considered by IMCCA as “Licensed Builders” until the agreement is terminated by one of the parties.
2. Procedures
a. The application for certification shall be made by e-mail to the Technical Committee of IMCCA. The Technical Committee shall appoint an International Measurer to measure the first boats of the production, ask for corrections and make a report on compliance for this boat.
b. The application message should be accompanied by:
full identification of the manufacturer, including post adress, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address and Web site (if any, but strongly recommended);
short description of the boat, intended division, set of plans as PDF format A4;
short description of production methods, materials, scantlings (thicknesses);
the plans shall include details of sailplan, ballast configuration, buoyancy volumes including materials used for buoyancy;
identification of designer, including name, post adress, phone, fax, and any useful contact with good knowledge of English language, if none at least French, Dutch or German language or any other language spoken by an International Measurer of the Class.
c. The applicant shall pay a certification fee to IMCCA according to current tariffs.
d. The applicant shall invite the International Measurer in charge of certification to make a full measurement of a reference boat, ashore and afloat, and control production tool to ensure a production of at least 10 boats is intended (duration may be 2 days).
e. The International Measurer in charge of certification shall measure the first boats of the production, ask for corrections and make a report on compliance for this boat to the Technical Committee.
f. The Technical Committee may grant a final certification for the production, if the reference boat is found compliant and a production of at least 10 boats is achieved.
If a production of 10 boats is not achieved, the certification shall be provisional for an initial period of 2 years. The Technical Committee may re-conduct the certification by periods of 1 year if there is evidence that the production did not reach the level of 10 boats, but is going on and there is good reason to believe that the level will be achieved.
If the production is suspended or ceased, existing boats may be granted the status of production boats. If the reference boat is found non-compliant and non compliances are not minor and could affect performance, certification shall not be granted and a further visit of the International Measurers may be required, or other measurement tasks may be conducted by a national measurer, appointed by the Technical Committee, until the certification is granted or refused.
3. Licensed builders
Manufacturers building a certified boat shall be considered as licensed builders as soon as the boat is provisionally or definitely certified.
They shall:
a. sign an agreement with IMCCA about conditions of production;
b. abstain of any discrimination related to nationality of customer;
c. affix an International plaque on all boats certified boats produced, according to IMCCA Regulation F;
d. as evidence of their intention to build at least 10 boats and continue production, purchase an initial stock of 10 International plaques, and keep their stock of plaques at a level of at least expected production for the next 6 months;
e. send to IMCCA an annual report of their production with a list of boat type and version, serial number, number of ISAF plaque affixed, sail number, boat name and name of first owner.
4. Suspension of license and certification
IMCCA shall suspend the license and certification if:
a. the manufacturer changes significantly the specifications without prior agreement or control of the Technical Committee;
b. the manufacturer doesn’t provide all boats produced with a Certificate of Compliance;
c. the manufacturers doesn’t keep the stocks of International plaques at normal level.
5. Withdrawal of license and certification
IMCCA shall withdraw the license and certification if:
a. the production is found non-consistent, some boats being customised on request of the owner (other materials or thicknesses), and these changes are affecting significantly performance;
b. the manufacturer refuses to sell boats to some customers, on base of nationality, religion, language, ethnic group;
c. the manufacturer re-sells International plaques to owners of non-certified boats;
d. the manufacturers takes any action, harmful for the patrimonium or the reputation of the Class.
6. Control of compliance
a. the International, National and other official Measurers may at any time control the compliance of boats, plaques and documents as required in article 3 of the present Regulation;
b. when they think there is a breach of the present Regulation, Race Committees and competitors shall report immediately to the Technical Committee.
7. Publication
a. Certified boats and licensed builders shall be displayed as so in IMCCA publications as the Web site, including list of builders and Document 4 appended to the Class Rules;
b. suspension or withdrawal of status shall be immediately reported by e-mail to all official measurers and national associations, it shall be displayed on the related pages of the Web site;
c. withdrawal may be announced on the home page of the Web site.