oSIST prEN 1914:2026

• Abstract:

  This document applies to:; - ship's boats that can be carried on inland navigation vessels according to ES-TRIN;; - lifeboats if no special life-saving equipment (e.g. ADN1) is specified for the area of use;; - work boats for the transport of a limited number of persons or smaller working loads in the construction site area and over comparatively short distances.; This document does not apply to:; - recreational craft according to Directive 2013/53/EU;; - firefighting and water rescue boats.

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 14-Sep-2026
• ICS: 47.060 - Inland navigation vessels
• ICS: 47.080 - Small craft
• Technical Committee: I13 - Imaginarni 13
• Current Stage: 4020 - Public enquire (PE) (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 15-Jul-2026
• Due Date: 02-Dec-2026
• Completion Date: 15-Sep-2026
• Ref Project: prEN 1914 - Inland navigation vessels - Work boats, ship’s boats and lifeboats

• Revises: SIST EN 1914:2016 - Inland navigation vessels - Work boats, ship's boats and lifeboats
• Effective Date: 09-Jul-2025

oSIST prEN 1914:2026 is the Slovenian adoption of the CEN draft European Standard prEN 1914:2026, published by SIST. It specifies safety requirements, testing, designation and marking for inland navigation work boats, ship’s boats and lifeboats.

This document is written for boats used on inland waterways and for construction-site work. In practice, it tells manufacturers, builders, operators and inspectors what a compliant boat must be able to carry, how it must perform, how it is tested, and how it is identified.

What does oSIST prEN 1914:2026 specify?

oSIST prEN 1914:2026 specifies the requirements for ship’s boats carried on inland navigation vessels according to ES-TRIN, lifeboats used where no special life-saving equipment is required for the area of use, and work boats used to transport a limited number of persons or smaller working loads over comparatively short distances.

The document excludes recreational craft under Directive 2013/53/EU and firefighting and water rescue boats.

It is organized into the following clauses and annex:

Part	What it covers
Clause 1	Scope
Clause 2	Normative references
Clause 3	Terms and definitions
Clause 4	Symbols
Clause 5	Safety requirements
Clause 6	Materials
Clause 7	Equipment
Clause 8	Testing
Clause 9	Designation
Clause 10	Marking
Annex A	Examples and preferred dimensions for a boat with rigid hull

Annex A is informative and gives examples for rigid-hull boats together with preferred dimensions.

What are the key requirements of oSIST prEN 1914:2026?

Dimensions, buoyancy and stability

oSIST prEN 1914:2026 links the main dimensions of the boat to its deadweight and requires the boat to meet defined proportions in Clause 5.1. Annex A gives preferred dimensions for rigid-hull boats, which helps designers choose practical sizes that fit the standard.

The standard also requires a minimum freeboard, sufficient boat volume, reserve buoyancy distributed across the boat, and adequate stability. In practice, this means the boat must stay safely above water, keep enough reserve floatation when flooded, and remain usable under loading and test conditions.

Clause 5.6 ties the permissible number of persons to deadweight, boat volume and seating. The boat must provide seats for at least three persons, and the lowest limiting factor governs the final passenger number.

Hull fittings, surfaces and buoyancy arrangements

Clause 5.7 requires a drainage device made of corrosion-resistant material, with a permanently attached plug that cannot open unintentionally. Clause 5.8 covers buoyancy units, including sealed units and units filled with expanded materials, and requires inspection access and protection of the material from fuel and UV light where relevant.

Clause 5.9 requires non-slip surfaces on the floor, deck, footholds and treads. Clause 5.10 adds lifelines all round when the gunwale cannot be gripped or the empty freeboard is high. These points matter because they reduce slip, fall and boarding risks during normal use and rescue work.

Performance, motors and inflatable boats

Clause 5.11 covers rowing, powered handling and recovery. The boat must row and steer steadily, complete a turning circle and Z-manoeuvre without stability problems, stop without taking in water, reverse on a steady course, and allow a person in the water to be recovered by two people in the boat.

Clause 5.12 limits motor installation and maximum motor rating, and it restricts electric motor systems to voltages of 48 V or less. Clause 5.14 requires inflatable boats to be brought from storage to ready-for-use condition by one person within 60 s. For users, this means the boat must be practical to launch, control and recover in real operating conditions.

Materials, equipment, testing and marking

Clause 6 requires materials that resist sea water, mineral oil, UV light and the specified temperature range, and it calls for proof of conformity for fibreglass-reinforced plastics and for inflatable-boat materials to EN ISO 6185. Clause 7 lists the basic equipment, extra equipment for motor boats and inflatable boats, and the instructions for use that must accompany the boat.

Clause 8 defines the verification methods: visual examination, measurement, calculation, loading tests, practical trials, drop and towing tests, and a recovery test. Clauses 9 and 10 set the designation format and the marking content, including retro-reflective strips, a lifejacket warning sign and a permanent manufacturer’s plate.

What terms does oSIST prEN 1914:2026 define?

• Boat - a work boat, ship’s boat or lifeboat used for transport, rescue, recovery and work.
• Work boat - a boat for transporting persons and working loads and for operational tasks in construction site areas.
• Ship’s boat - a boat carried on an inland navigation vessel.
• Lifeboat - a boat for rescuing and recovering crew, passengers and third parties.
• Reserve buoyancy (A) - the buoyancy of the unmanned flooded boat.
• Deadweight (TF) - the permissible mass the boat can carry, including persons, equipment, motor and working load.
• Freeboard (Fb) - the distance from the water surface to the lowest opening or top edge of the shell when loaded to deadweight.

Who uses oSIST prEN 1914:2026?

Manufacturers and boat builders use this standard to design and build compliant inland navigation boats. Test laboratories and inspection bodies use it to check dimensions, buoyancy, stability, performance, equipment and marking.

It is also used by operators, buyers and quality managers in inland navigation, construction-site transport and rescue-related boat applications. For them, the document defines what to ask for, what to verify on delivery, and what to record during acceptance and periodic checks.

What changed in oSIST prEN 1914:2026 from the previous edition?

oSIST prEN 1914:2026 will supersede EN 1914:2016. The foreword states that the technical changes include updated fire protection requirements and references in Clause 6, updated normative references and bibliography, and editorial changes.

Which standards are used with oSIST prEN 1914:2026?

• EN 22768-1 - provides general tolerances for linear and angular dimensions.
• EN ISO 6185 (all parts) - provides requirements for inflatable boats and is used for inflatable-boat materials.
• EN ISO 7019 - provides registered safety signs and safety colours.
• ES-TRIN - provides the technical requirements framework used for ship’s boats carried on inland navigation vessels.
• EN ISO 8665 - gives marine propulsion engine power measurements and declarations.
• EN ISO 11592 - gives the method for determining maximum propulsion power rating.
• ISO 20712-1 - provides the warning sign referenced for lifejacket use.

What does the oSIST prEN 1914:2026 document contain?

The document contains the main dimensions figure, a symbols table, and a manufacturer’s plate table. It also includes a set of test methods for design data, reserve buoyancy, stability, practical handling, motor behaviour, strength and recovery.

Annex A adds example hull forms and preferred dimensions for rigid-hull boats. The bibliography points to related vessel, propulsion and regulatory references that support design and conformity work.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-september-2026
Plovila za celinske vode - Delovni, pomožni in reševalni čolni
Inland navigation vessels - Work boats, ship’s boats and lifeboats
Fahrzeuge der Binnenschifffahrt - Arbeits-, Bei- und Rettungsboote
Bateaux de navigation intérieure - Bateaux-ateliers, canots de service et canots de
sauvetage
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 1914
ICS:
47.060 Jezerska in rečna plovila Inland navigation vessels
47.080 Čolni Small craft
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
July 2026
ICS 47.060 Will supersede EN 1914:2016
English Version
Inland navigation vessels - Work boats, ship's boats and
lifeboats
Bateaux de navigation intérieure - Bateaux-ateliers, Fahrzeuge der Binnenschifffahrt - Arbeits-, Bei- und
canots de service et canots de sauvetage Rettungsboote
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 15.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 1914:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Symbols . 6
5 Safety requirements . 7
5.1 Dimensions. 7
5.2 Freeboard . 8
5.3 Boat volume . 8
5.4 Reserve buoyancy A . 8
R
5.5 Stability . 8
5.6 Permissible number of persons . 8
5.7 Drainage device . 9
5.8 Buoyancy units . 9
5.8.1 Hermetically-sealed buoyancy units . 9
5.8.2 Buoyancy units filled with expanded materials . 9
5.9 Non-slip surfaces . 9
5.10 Gunwale . 9
5.11 Performance characteristics. 10
5.11.1 General. 10
5.11.2 Rowing . 10
5.11.3 Additional requirements for boats with motor fitted . 10
5.11.4 Recovery . 10
5.12 Motor rating . 10
5.12.1 Installation . 10
5.12.2 Maximum motor rating . 10
5.12.3 Electric motors and starters . 10
5.13 Towing ring, mooring and heating devices . 11
5.14 Additional requirements for inflatable boats . 11
6 Materials . 11
7 Equipment . 11
7.1 Basic equipment . 11
7.2 Additional equipment for boats with motor fitted . 11
7.3 Additional equipment for inflatable boats . 12
7.4 Instruction for use . 12
8 Testing . 12
8.1 General. 12
8.2 Verification of design data . 12
8.3 Verification of reserve buoyancy . 13
8.4 Verification of stability . 13
8.5 Practical test . 13
8.6 Trial without motor fitted . 13
8.7 Trial with motor fitted . 13
8.7.1 Motor rating . 13
8.7.2 Turning circle . 13
8.7.3 Z-manoeuvre . 13
8.7.4 Stopping test . 13
8.7.5 Reversing . 14
8.8 Strength test . 14
8.8.1 General . 14
8.8.2 Drop test . 14
8.8.3 Towing test . 14
8.9 Recovery test . 14
9 Designation . 14
10 Marking . 14
Annex A (informative) Examples and preferred dimensions for a boat with rigid hull . 16
Bibliography . 18

European foreword
This document (prEN 1914:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 15 “Inland
navigation vessels”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 1914:2016.
a) requirements and references regarding fire protection in 6 Materials changed and updated;
b) Normative references and bibliography updated;
c) Editorial changes.
This document was written up for ship's boats, for inland navigation vessels and maritime construction
company work boats.
This document specifies requirements for ship's boats covered in Article 13.07 of European Standard
laying down Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation vessels (ES-TRIN). The latter is mandatory
for inland navigation vessels in accordance with Directive (EU) 2016/1629 and the Rhine Vessel
Inspection Regulations.
1 Scope
This document applies to:
— ship's boats that can be carried on inland navigation vessels according to ES-TRIN;
— lifeboats if no special life-saving equipment (e.g. ADN ) is specified for the area of use;
— work boats for the transport of a limited number of persons or smaller working loads in the
construction site area and over comparatively short distances.
This document does not apply to:
— recreational craft according to Directive 2013/53/EU;
— firefighting and water rescue boats.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 22768-1, General tolerances – Part 1: Tolerances for Linear and Angular Dimensions without Individual
Tolerance Indications (ISO 2768-1)
EN ISO 6185 (all parts), Inflatable Boats (ISO 6185)
EN ISO 7019, Graphical symbols - Safety colours and safety signs - Registered safety signs (ISO 7010
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
boat
work boat, ship's boat or lifeboat used for transportation, rescue, recovery and work
3.2
work boat
boat for the transportation of persons and working loads and for operational working tasks in
construction site areas
3.3
ship's boat
boat carried on an inland navigation vessel

European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways
3.4
lifeboat
boat for the rescue and recovery of crew and passengers and rescue and recovery of third parties
3.5
Boat volume
V
water displacement to the lowest point at which water can enter the vessel
3.6
permissible number of persons carried
maximum number of persons allowed in the boat
3.7
reserve buoyancy
A
R
buoyancy of the unmanned flooded boat
3.8
deadweight
TF
permissible mass that can be carried by the boat comprising persons, equipment, motor and working
load
3.9
freeboard
F
b
distance between the water surface and the lowest opening or top edge of the shell when loaded to the
deadweight
3.10
residual freeboard
FR
distance between the water surface and the lowest opening or upper edge of the shell when loaded during
the stability test
3.11
rowlock
movable holding device for the oars
3.12
gunwale
upper edge of the side to which the rowlock is attached
4 Symbo
...