| U.
S. COAST GUARD MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR RECREATIONAL
VESSELS |
| EQUIPMENT |
Less
than 16ft/4.9m |
16
to less than 26 ft/7.9m |
26
to less than 40 ft/12.2m |
40
to not more than 65 ft/19.8m |
Personal
Flotation
Devices
(PFDs)
 |
One
approved Type I, II, III or V(must be worn) PFD for each person
on board or being towed on water skis, tubes, etc. |
One
approved Type I, II or III PFD for each person on board or being
towed on water skis, etc.; and one throwable Type IV device.
( A type V PFD may be used in lieu of any wearable PFD, if approved
for the activity in which the boat is being used. A
TYPE V HYBRID MUST be worn to be legal.) |
| Check state laws for PFD wearing requirements for children and for certain water craft and sports. Federal Regulations mandate that states without child life jacket laws require that youths under 13 wear an approved PFD whenever a recreational vessel is underway, unless below decks or in a closed cabin. States with existing regulations are not required to alter their status. Make sure you check your state regulations before getting underway with children onboard. |
Bell,
Whistle |
Every
vessel less than 39.4 ft (12 meters) in length must carry an
efficient sound producing device. |
Every
vessel 39.4 ft (12 meters) or larger in length must carry a
whistle and a bell. The whistle must be audible for 1/2 nautical
mile. The mouth of the bell must be at least 7.87 inches (200mm)
in diameter. |
Visual
Distress
Signals
(Coastal Waters, the Great Lakes &
US owned boats on the high seas) |
Required
to carry approved visual distress signals for night-time use. |
Must
carry approved visual distress signals for both daytime and
night-time use.
|
Fire
Extinguisher
(Must be Coast
Guard approved) |
One
B-I type approved hand portable fire extinguisher. (Not required
on outboard motorboats less than 26 ft in length if the construction
of the motorboat is such that it does not permit the entrapment
of explosive or flammable gases or vapors and if fuel tanks
are not permanently installed.) |
Two
B-I type OR one B-II type approved portable fire extinguishers. |
Three
B-I type OR one B-I type PLUS one B-II type approved
portable fire extinguishers. |
|
When
a fixed fire extinguishing system is installed in machinery
spaces it will replace one B-I portable fire extinguisher.
|
Ventilation
(Boats built
on or after
8/1/80) |
At
least two ventilation ducts capable of efficiently ventilating
every closed compartment that contains a gasoline engine and/or
tank, except those having permanently installed tanks which
vent outside of the boat and which contain no unprotected electrical
devices. Engine compartments containing a gasoline engine with
a cranking motor are additionally required to contain power
operated exhaust blowers which can be controlled from the instrument
panel. |
Ventilation
(Boats built
before
8/1/80) |
At
least two ventilation ducts fitted with cowls (or their equivalent)
for the purpose of efficiently and properly ventilating the
bilges of every closed engine and fuel tank compartment using
gasoline as fuel or other fuels having a flashpoint of 110 degrees
or less. Applies to boats constructed or decked over after April
25, 1940. |
Back-fire
Flame
Arrestor |
One
approved device on each carburetor of all gasoline engines installed
after April 25, 1940, except outboard motors. |
|
Note:
Some states have requirements in addition to the federal requirements.
Check your state's boating laws for additional requirements.
|
Section
2a - Required Equipment
