Rules & Regulations for Recreational Boats is published by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) to provide an economical and convenient source for the laws and regulations, which govern the design, construction and use of boats. These excerpts from the United States Code and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs) contain all the amendments, which were available as of the date of publication. The ABYC, which was formed in the 1950's in response to the emerging recreational boating market, focuses on the developing safety standards for the design, construction, repair and maintenance of recreational boats. The first book of standards was published in 1956 and only included guidelines for life saving equipment and battery chargers. The current ABYC book of Rules & Regulations for Recreational Boats includes more than 65 different standards covering nearly every aspect of boat construction.