There seems to be the same old issues of a boiler certificate being required. My understanding is that under the 3 bar litre rule if a boiler capacity is under that figure (working pressure in bars x capacity in litres) than a test certificate is not required for public use. Whether this is wise is a different kettle of fish, but to summarise:
1) If under 3 bar litres you can use it on a public pond. A certificate is not legally required. The 3 bar litre rule is european law and its actually illegal to impose other laws but see below.
2) If you join a model club/engineering club then you have to obey their rules and requirements which means you will doubtless need a test certificate to qualify for their insurance scheme
3) Curiously this means as a club member sailing on a public park you need a test certificate but if sailing on the same water (at the same time) in a private capacity you do not.
4) If you want to sail at an MPBA event then a certificate is typically required
5) If you want to sail at a private event it depends on the organisers whether they want a certificate or not. Its their call.
6) Check your household insurance as mine covers me for accidents arising out of my hobbies which includes model boats and planes under a certain size with no restrictions. If it's not excluded it is covered and there is case law on this.
7) Some clubs over complicate the issue and indeed want a sample of the boiler material and to be involved in seeing it under construction. This is overkill and just not required.
For example we had a visit some years ago from a guy at an engineering club and he stated this to the extent he would refuse to test a Cheddar boiler as he did not have a sample of the copper it was made from and anyway as it was commercially built for profit it probably wasn't very good!!! Utter rubbish. As a club we just ignored it and got on with our modelling.
9) As this thread is meant for beginners lets try not to put them off steam by making it too complicated.
10) As above whether this is wise is irrelevant, the law is the law
I shall now await the tirad of abuse!!
Just enjoy the hobby and use your common sense. In ten years of steam I have never been asked for a certificate (I do have one by the way but that was because I wanted to sail an an event that required it).
Enjoy
Geoff