July 19, 2007, Annapolis, MD: The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) announced today that an online searchable database of archived standards has just hit the 'electronic highway' and is now available in the Ship's Store at www.abycinc.org. Copies of the ABYC standards from 1972 through 2001, and soon to be 2006, are obtainable for the first time online by going to the ABYC Web site, clicking on the ABYC Store and then clicking on the Archived Standards. This online access to the archived standards allows the purchaser to search by keyword, standards number and/or volume, or view a full listing, and then download the document(s) immediately. This service is available to anyone visiting the ABYC Web site. All available standards are in Adobe PDF format, and can be purchased individually.

John Adey, ABYC's technical director, said, "Builders, attorneys, surveyors and investigators are in constant need of information that pertains to older boat models. This product will give easy access to the standards they need, and is yet another step toward increased accessibility to the standards used for building and repair in the marine industry. It is something that has been needed for some time, and we are very pleased that it is now live."

In the past, those in need of older standards were charged for not only the standards, but also for the research time needed to determine the proper version, and finally shipping for a paper copy. Now, with a few clicks of a mouse the research will be done by the user, online, resulting in the ability to purchase the desired document for download immediately.

ABYC has been developing, writing and updating the safety standards for boat building and repair in the United States for over 50 years. ABYC is actively involved with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as well as education and certification programs for marine technicians. These standards are available on CD-ROM, online (Web-STIR and the ABYC Standards Powered by Rulefinder.net) and in printed form. Membership and general information can be requested by visiting the ABYC Web site at www.abycinc.org.