Whether you are going on recreational fishing or venturing on a sailing holiday, you have to make sure that all parts of your boat are in their best condition. After all, it is no fun to be sailing in the middle of the ocean with the boat motor suddenly stopping for unknown reasons. Even boat accessories such as your boat water filters, gas stove, and boat battery charger can spell the difference in making your trip smooth-sailing.
For starters, certain standard boating equipment needs to be on board the vessel during travel. The US Coast Guard Auxiliary, for example, has checklist of these required boating equipment. These regulations apply on Federally Controlled Waters: coastal waters, the great lakes, territorial seas, and waters which are at least two miles wide and connection to any of the previous three mentioned. Other states/territories may have other boating equipment requirements but here are the basics.
The BoatEd website provides the following detailed information about required boating equipment:
Lights -- All vessels must be equipped with prescribed navigation lights when operated at night.
Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) – should be wearable and throwable and easily accessible. Below are the more technical specifications:
· Vessels less than 4.9 meters (16 feet) in length will have aboard a type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device for each person. Vessels 4.9 meters (16 feet) and over in length shall have aboard a type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device for each person and at least one type IV on board as a throwable device.
· Each person operating, riding on, or being towed by a personal watercraft must wear a personal flotation device approved by the U. S. Coast Guard.
· All persons under eight (8) years of age, on any vessel, must, at all times, wear a U. S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device that must be strapped, snapped, or zipped securely in place; except, that no personal flotation device should be required when inside an enclosed cabin or enclosed sleeping space.
Fire Extinguishers – the number, size and class of the fire extinguisher should be right for the boat. The boat owner must make sure that it is charged, not corroded, and readily accessible. More specifically, it should meet the following guidelines:
1. All inboard and inboard/outboard vessels, regardless of size, and all motor vessels having closed compartments wherein portable fuel tanks are stored or having permanently installed fuel tanks shall have a hand portable or semi-portable fire extinguisher using carbon dioxide (CO2), foam, or other chemical ingredient such as is commonly used for extinguishing gasoline fires or petroleum product fires. Such fire extinguisher shall be approved by the U. S. Coast Guard.
2. All vessels equipped with any butane gas, propane gas, kerosene, gasoline or petroleum product consuming device except outboard motors, such as a stove or lantern shall have a hand portable or semi-portable fire extinguisher using carbon dioxide (CO2), foam, or other chemical ingredient such as is commonly used for extinguishing a fire produced by the use of such device. Such fire extinguisher shall be approved by the U. S. Coast Guard.
3. All motor vessels having closed or semi-closed cabins and any vessel with sleeping accommodations shall have a hand portable fire extinguisher or semi-portable fire extinguisher using carbon dioxide (CO2), foam, or other chemical ingredient such as is commonly used for extinguishing fires. Such fire extinguisher shall be approved by the U. S. Coast Guard.
*Flammable liquids include gasoline, kerosene, oil and stove alcohol.
Flame Arrestor
Every motorboat using gasoline as fuel, except outboard motors, shall have the carburetor or carburetors of every engine therein equipped with a U. S. Coast Guard approved flame arrestor or backfire trap.
Emergency Cut-off Switch
No person shall operate or give permission to operate any vessel less than 7.3 meters (24 feet) in length, having an open cockpit and having more than fifty (50) horsepower, unless said vessel is equipped with an emergency engine or motor shut-off switch. The shut-off switch shall be a lanyard-type and shall be attached to the person, clothing, or personal flotation device of the operator. It shall be installed so that when any removal of the operator from the normal operating station will result in the immediate shut-off of the engine.
Any person operating a personal watercraft that does not have self-circling capabilities, must have a lanyard-type engine shut-off switch, which must be attached to the person, clothing, or personal flotation device of the operator.
Sound Device
All vessels 4.9 meters (16 feet) or more in length must have on board the proper signal device for use during nighttime operation or inclement weather where visibility is greatly reduced.
Visual Distress Signals (Flares)
Visual Distress Signals (VDSs) allow boat operators to signal for help in the event of an emergency. VDSs are classified as day signals (visible in bright sunlight), night signals (visible at night) or both day and night signals. VDSs are either pyrotechnic (smoke and flames) or non-pyrotechnic (non-combustible).
Pyrotechnic Visual Distress Signals
· All boats used on federally controlled waters must be equipped with U. S. Coast Guard-approved (day and night) visual distress signals.
· All boats on federal waters are required to carry night signals when operating between sunset and sunrise. In addition, the following boats must also carry day signals:
o Recreational boats 16 feet or longer
o Non-motorized, open sailboats 26 feet or longer.
· If pyrotechnic VDSs are used, a minimum of three must be carried in the boat. Pyrotechnic VDSs must be U. S. Coast Guard-approved, in serviceable condition, and readily accessible.
· The following combinations of signals are examples of VDSs that could be carried onboard to satisfy U. S. Coast Guard requirements:
o Three hand-held red flares (day and night) or...
o Three orange smoke signals (day only) and one electric light (night only).
· It is prohibited to display visual distress signals on the water except when assistance is required to prevent immediate or potential danger to persons onboard a boat.
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Boat Accessories 