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Legal Requirements & Regulations |
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Vessel Owners & Operators must:
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Following these
Boating Safety Guidelines plus
Good Practices & Tips
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U.S. Coast Guard Lifesaving & Fire Safety Standards
The following are some examples of additional items that may be needed:
Lifejackets or Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) One Type I, II, III or V Lifejacket is required for each person onboard or being towed. Lifejackets should be worn when underway. If they are not going to be worn, prior to getting underway a specific Lifejacket should be assigned to each person, properly adjusted for them and put on by that person to make sure they know how to use it. Store Lifejackets in a clean, dry, well ventilated and easily accessible storage area to keep them in good serviceable condition. A lifejacket that has been crammed into a dirty locker, soaked with dirty bilge water or used as an anchor cushion is not likely to be worn and may not function properly when needed. Fire Extinguishers Fire extinguishers are required on watercraft with enclosed engine compartments, enclosed living spaces or permanent fuel tanks. A fixed mounted extinguishing system reduces the number of fire extinguisher required, but does not eliminate the need. Preventing a fire is the best course of action. So, be sure to store flammable materials away from flame, spark or heat sources and insure that shifting cargo doesn't accidentally activate aerosol spray cans. Extinguishers are classified by type of fires they will putout and amount of extinguishing agent they contain:
Fire extinguishers rated AB should only be used on Class A and B fires while ones rated ABC can be used on any type of fire. Thus, ABC rated extinguishers should be carried on watercraft or vessels. Backfire Flame Arrestor Vessels with gasoline engines installed after April 25, 1940 (excluding outboard motors) are required to have a Backfire Flame Arrester or a mechanical device located on the carburetor to prevent flames from engine backfires from reaching the engine compartment and possibly causing an explosion. Sailboats with an engine are considered a motorboat. Flame Arresters must be USCG approved. Ventilation Closed engine compartments containing a gasoline engine with a starter motor must have a power operated exhaust blowers that can be controlled from the instrument panel and at least two ducts (intake and exhaust) routed to the outside of the vessel for the purpose of ventilating the closed compartment (and fuel tank unless it is permanently installed, vent outside the vessel and contain no unprotected electrical devices or connections). The boat operator is responsible for keeping the ventilation systems in good operating condition (making sure openings are free of obstructions, ducts are not blocked or torn, blowers are operating properly and worn out components are replaced). Navigation Lights When underway between sunset and sunrise or when visibility is poor, vessels are required to display lights in a distinct pattern recognized by mariners (Navigation Lights & Shapes). Knowing these light patterns could save your life (Navigation Lights Test). Anchor lights are mandatory for boats lying on a hook and day shapes are to be displayed when anchored, fishing or not under control. Sailboats must carry port and starboard sidelights as well as a stern light. A sailboat under sail should not display a masthead light as this light is shown only by powered machinery. A tricolor masthead light may be used, as may a red over green light at the masthead to denote a sailing vessel, although the two cannot be used simultaneously. When a sailboat is motoring, it is required to exhibit a steaming light. Visual Distress Signals Vessels used on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, territorial seas, and those waters connected directly to them up to the point where a body of water is less than two miles wide, must be equipped with US Coast Guard approved Visual Distress Signals (VDS) classified for day, night or combination day/night use. Each device must be in serviceable condition, readily accessible and certified by the manufacturer as complying with Coast Guard requirements. Distress flares, smoke flares and meteor rockets have expiration dates of 42 months after the date of manufacture. Visual distress signals alert other people to the fact that you are in trouble and provide a location for rescuers to find you. Day Signals - Any kind of smoke on the water is considered a sign of distress. Smoke flares throw off bright orange smoke that is highly visible in daylight hours. An orange flag with a black circle and black square is an internationally recognized day distress signal. Also, a US flag flown up-side-down is universally recognized. A small signal mirror can reflect sunlight in the direction of rescuers to attract their attention. Night Signals - There are three different types of flares available - handheld flares which burn for up to 120 seconds; meteor flares which burn for up to eight seconds at an altitude of 250 to 400 feet; and parachute flares are medium-duration high-altitude signals that reach 1,000 feet in altitude and stay in the air for at least 25 seconds. Three day and three night or three combination day/night signals are required for recreational watercraft over 16 feet, a level wise to exceed considering the short duration flares burn and that they can become non-functional. The farther offshore or the larger the body of water, the larger your visual distress arsenal should be. The following vessels are only required to carry VDS day signals, however, if operated from sunset to sunrise they must carry appropriate VDS Night Signals:
In Canada, USCG approved flares are not acceptable. Vessels must comply with Canadian Coast Guard approved Requirements & Standards. Canadian Coast Guard approved flares are considered good for 48 months after the date of manufacture. Sound Producing Device Every watercraft is required to have a whistle, horn or other devices capable of making an efficient sound to communicate intentions when meeting, crossing and overtaking other vessels as well as indicating position and headway during periods of reduced visibility. Through a series of long and short blasts, boat operators are able to communicate how they intend to pass each other, if they are going in reverse, are aground or if the risk of collision exists. The specific sound signals legally required to be made during periods of reduced visibility such as fog, rain or snow as well as when maneuvering in close quarters, in crossing and overtaking situations are specified in the Navigation Rules. Sound producing devices can be manually or propellant activated. Propellant activated sound signals should be regularly checked to ensure they haven't lost their sound producing ability. Care should be taken with all sound producing devices to avoid damaging the hearing by activating them close to the ears. |
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Minimum Federal Requirements by Vessel Class or Length
Class A (less than 16 feet)
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Class A (Boats less than 16 feet) One Type I, II, III or V PFD is required for each person on the boat or being towed At least one type B-I fire extinguisher is required on boats with enclosed engine compartments, enclosed living spaces, or permanent fuel tanks Recreational boats less than 16 ft long or manually propelled are only required to carry Day Signals or a means to signal for help during daylight hours, however, if operated from sunset to sunrise they must carry appropriate VDS Night Signals. Only non-motorized open sailboat less than 26 ft Horn, whistle, or any device capable of making an efficient sound signal Vessels with gasoline engines are required to have a mechanical device located on the carburetor to prevent engine backfires possibly causing an explosion Vessels with a gasoline engine in an enclosed compartment are required to have a power operated ventilation systems Many states require all sailboats to carry sidelights and a stern light, but sailboats under 23 feet are not required to do so by the Inland Rules of Navigation. If a small sailboat does not have navigation lights, the Rules require a flashlight or other white flare-up light to be exhibited in sufficient time to avoid a collision. |
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Class 1 (Boats 16 to 26 feet) One Type I, II, III or V PFD is required for each person on the boat or being towed, plus one Type IV throwable device At least one type B-I fire extinguisher is required Vessels used on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, territorial seas, and those waters connected directly to them up to the point where a body of water is less than two miles wide, must be equipped with visual distress signals. Open sailboats less than 26 feet in length not equipped with propulsion machinery are only required to carry day signals, however, if operated from sunset to sunrise they must carry appropriate VDS Night Signals. Horn, whistle or any device capable of making an efficient sound signal Vessels with gasoline engines are required to have a mechanical device located on the carburetor to prevent engine backfires possibly causing an explosion Vessels with a gasoline engine in an enclosed compartment are required to have a power operated ventilation systems When underway between sunset and sunrise or when visibility is poor, Navigation Lights must be displayed. Many states require all sailboats to carry sidelights and a stern light, but sailboats under 23 feet are not required to do so by the Inland Rules of Navigation. If a small sailboat does not have navigation lights, the Rules require a flashlight or other white flare-up light to be exhibited in sufficient time to avoid a collision. |
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Class 2 (Boats 26 to 40 feet) One Type I, II, III or V PFD is required for each person on the boat or being towed, plus one Type IV throwable device At least one B-II or two B-I class approved hand-portable fire extinguishers are required. If the vessel has a fixed fire extinguishing system, at least one B-I class approved hand-portable fire extinguisher is required. Vessels used on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, territorial seas and those water connected directly to them up to the point where a body of water is less than two miles wide, must be equipped with visual distress signals. Horn, whistle, or any device capable of making an efficient sound signal Vessels with gasoline engines are required to have a mechanical device located on the carburetor to prevent engine backfires from possibly causing an explosion Vessels with a gasoline engine in an enclosed compartment are required to have a power operated ventilation systems When underway between sunset and sunrise or when visibility is poor, Navigation Lights must be displayed |
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Class 3 (Boats 39.4 to 65.6 feet) One Type I, II, III or V PFD is required for each person on the boat or being towed, plus one Type IV throwable device At least three B-I or one B-I class plus one B-II class approved hand-portable fire extinguisher are required. If the vessel has a fixed fire extinguishing system, at least two B-I class or one B-II approved unit is required. Vessels used on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, territorial seas and those water connected directly to them up to the point where a body of water is less than two miles wide, must be equipped with visual distress signals These boats must carry a whistle and bell. The whistle must be audible for 1/2 nautical mile and the mouth of the bell must be at least 200mm in diameter. Vessels with gasoline engines are required to have a mechanical device located on the carburetor to prevent engine backfires from possibly causing an explosion Vessels with a gasoline engine in an enclosed compartment are required to have a power operated ventilation systems When underway between sunset and sunrise or when visibility is poor, Navigation Lights must be displayed |
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