Previously, to help private boat owners recognise Mandatory and Advisory Check List items, particular words and phrases have been used. Owners of non-private boats had to 'read past' this phrasing and ignore the nuances.

All descriptions of Mandatory items contain the instruction “must”. For example,
in Part Two, which covers inboard engines, the following can be found:

All flexible hoses perish over time as a result of the hose material reacting with
the fuel. To minimise leaks the fuel filling hose must be made from a material
that's suitable for the fuel that it carries.

Descriptions of Advisory items use phrases such as “it's a good idea...” or “it's
recommended that...”. For example, in Part Two again, the following appears:
Cross contamination, such as petrol being added to the water system, can
become a fire hazard. It's recommended that your boat's deck and filling
connections are set up in such a way to minimise the risk of this happening.

Owner of boats that remain within scope of these 2002 BSS Standards must ignore this phrasing and continue to comply with all applicable standards.