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DESIGN CATEGORIES
Category A: Ocean
A boat given design category A is considered to be designed to operate
in winds up to where conditions may exceed wind force 8 (Beaufort scale)
and significant wave heights of 4 m and above, and vessels largely self-
sufficient. Abnormal conditions such as hurricanes are excluded. Such
conditions may be encountered on extended voyages, for example across
oceans, or inshore when unsheltered from the wind and waves for several
hundred nautical miles.
Category B: Offshore
A boat given design category B is considered to be designed to operate
in winds up to Beaufort force 8 and the associated wave heights (Significant
wave height up to 4 m, see note below). Such conditions may be
encountered on offshore voyages of sufficient length or on coastal waters
when unsheltered from the wind and waves for several dozens of nautical
miles. These conditions may also be experienced on inlandseas of sufficient
size for the wave height to be generated.
Category C: Inshore
A boat given design category C is considered to be designed to operate
in winds up to Beaufort force 6 and the associated wave heights (Significant
wave height up to 2 m, see note below). Such conditions may be
encountered on exposed inland waters, in estuaries, and in coastal waters in
moderate weather conditions.
Category D: Sheltered waters
A boat given design category D is considered to be designed to operate
in winds up to Beaufort force 4 and the associated wave heights (Occasional
waves of 0,5 m height). Such conditions may be encountered on sheltered
inland waters, and in coastal waters in fine weather.
(D) The significant wave height is the mean height of the highest one
third of the waves, which approximately corresponds to the wave height
SOME WAVES WILL BE DOUBLE THIS HEIGHT
estimated by an experienced observer.
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