Courtney Thomas wrote:
I'm looking to acquire a copy of the ABYC Standards and can buy a 1985
version for about $25 vs $400 to join and buy the latest.

My boat is not the latest anything, and having never seen a copy of the
standards,
..... is the additional expense worth it or does the older version
sufficiently cover the basics to be adequate for a pre-1985 boat ?

You can't possibly need ALL the standards. Nor do you have to spend $400
to join ABYC...boat owner (not in the marine biz) memberships are much
less. Buy only the standards you need. Or better yet...

Unless you're doing a complete rehab, it's far more important that there
be nothing that puts your boat at risk than it is for every system to
meet current standards. So find a NAMS certifed or SAMS accredited
surveyor and pay 'em $100-$150 to check out the critical systems--fuel,
electrical, below waterline connections etc. If you're doing a rehab,
make friends with 'em and take 'em to lunch to pick his/her brain as you
need to. The best surveyors love to educate.

That's MY $.02 worth.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304