Re: ABS/Lloyds certification

[Phil Nuytten <72020.572@compuserve.com>]

Hi, Richard:
        After the standard ( and,seemingly, obligatory) disclaimer that  I
offer you neither advice nor opinion as to what you should do  with regard
to submersible certification, I can describe what I would do if I were
building strictly for my own use and not for sale, hire, or the transport
of others:
        I would design to Lloyd's or ABS standard, as found in their
respective handbooks. I would have all the NDT done and logged by a
qualified testing company. I would have the test depth pressure tests to
agency standard carried out either in a test facility, lake, or ocean and
have the tests witnessed by a surveyor from the agency of  my choice ( I
would  only have to pay for that one day - although I may find that the
surveyor will not do a pressure witness only, if they don't have the full
certification account . .in which case, I would use a registered
professional engineer to seal a document which makes no claim other than
that the engineer was " present during a pressure test and observed . . .")
I would then put all of this stuff in a file that may some-day be used to
apply for certification, or to go with the sub when it's sold to some-one
else who may wish to apply, or to show my insurers in the event I may wish
to get third party liability insurance/ hull insurance/ all risk etc.   . .
.I would then go out and dive my brains out in my little submarine! 

Regards,
Phil Nuytten