Watercraft manufacturers mark their products with the CE marking and draw up a declaration of conformity to demonstrate that their products meet all the requirements related to design and structure. If a watercraft is substantially modified after manufacture, the original CE marking will no longer be valid, and the manufacturer is not liable for any changes made. In these cases, a Post Construction Assessment (PCA) is required.
A substantial change can for example include changes to the propulsion or engine or other changes that may impact safety or affect the fulfilment of environmental requirements by the watercraft. Such changes include increasing the maximum permitted engine power or number of persons on board beyond the limits specified by the manufacturer.
The PCA is always carried out by a notified body that verifies that the structures and technology of the boat comply with the requirements of the Recreational Craft Directive. The process is described in section 4.2 of the regulation on the safety of recreational craft and emission requirements.
The European Commission maintains a list of notified bodies carrying out PCAs. The national notified body in Finland is Eurofins Expert Services, and we also have inspectors from at least two other bodies.