The provisions of this section of Part 2 in the 2002 BSS Standards are mandatory for non-private boats where applicable.
The build-up of static electricity, from fuel flowing through the filling pipe, has been known to cause a significant spark at the filling point, which in turn has ignited petrol vapour in the area. To reduce the risk of this happening petrol tanks must be electrically bonded to their deck filling connections by low resistance metallic conductors.
If the boat has a non-conducting deck or hull, such as wood or glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP), fuel tanks must also be electrically bonded to an earthpoint, e.g. sea cock or stern gear, which is in direct electrical contact with the surrounding water, creating an earth and discharging any static electricity. If the filling pipe is already of a conducting material, such as copper, there is no need to provide an additional conductor. It's recommended that you follow these precautions if your boat has diesel fuel systems. [2.10]