ABYC and U.S. Coast Guard to Address Navigation Lights and Battery Systems
Risk Mitigation Series webinar on Nov. 5 for marine industry professionals
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Oct. 1, 2026) – The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) will bring industry experts together to share important safety requirements and best practices for navigation lights and battery systems during the 11th installment of the free USCG/ABYC Risk Mitigation Series. “Enlightening the Industry on Lights and Batteries” takes place Nov. 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. EST.
Highlighting the importance of battery system safety, webinar speaker Jochen Czabke, partner at Seaman Consultants, said, “Modern energy storage systems hold substantial amounts of electrical and chemical energy and create new opportunities for comfort and convenience on board. If handled or configured incorrectly, they can cause severe injuries, fires or property damage. This webinar should be of interest to all marine professionals working with battery banks and new battery technology.”
Webinar topics include:
- Introduction and USCG update — Brian Goodwin, ABYC’s vice president of standards and compliance, shares the latest on standards development. Jeff Ludwig, chief of the Coast Guard’s Recreational Boating Product Assurance Branch, follows with an update on Coast Guard activities, policies and testing procedures.
- Navigation lights — Get a closer look at the factors behind a compliant navigation light, including visibility, wiring and interference. The first panel also explores how lights are designed and built to comply with ABYC Standard C-5 and what boat manufacturers should consider during installation. Panelists are Kim Horn of Malibu Boats, Chris Bostwick of Navico Group and Will Hillyer of the Coast Guard.
- Battery dos and don’ts — Explore best practices for battery system design, selection, testing and installation. The panel also takes on common questions about battery bank architecture, system protection, switching and integrating lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries in the same system. Panelists are Jochen Czabke of Seaman Consultants, Ben Stein of Panbo and Mike Pendleton of Element Materials Technology.
Manufacturers, compliance professionals and others across the marine industry can register for the free webinar at www.abycinc.org/riskmitigation11.
The Risk Mitigation Series is a free online event dedicated to improving safety in recreational boat design and construction. This session will be recorded for later viewing, and attendees will earn two continuing education units.
To access past recordings, visit www.abycinc.org/USCGwebinars.
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Since 1954, the nonprofit American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) has developed safety standards for boat design, construction, equipage, repair and maintenance. The essential global source of marine industry technical information, ABYC’s product safety standards, credentialing, education, training, and other tools help members make boating safer.
The mission of the Coast Guard’s Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety is to minimize the loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and environmental impact associated with the use of recreational boats, through preventive means, in order to maximize safe use and enjoyment of U.S. Waterways by the public