By Bob Currie, Vessel Examiner
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 081-06-08
USCG Auxiliary Flotilla 081-06-08 is based at Coast Guard Station Galveston. The Auxiliary’s vessel examiners perform safety checks on all types of recreational boats. Boats for hire fall under a different set of regulations and have more extensive requirements and inspections than we provide. The Vessel Safety Check (VSC) is a free inspection by a qualified vessel examiner. It is not for regulatory purposes, but is a checklist provided for your information.
The VSC has two different parts. The first part consists of a checklist of the regulatory requirements for operating a recreational boat. If all requirements of this part are met, a Vessel Safety Check decal for the current year is issued. The second part is a list of recommended and discussion items intended to enhance the safety of your boating experience, such as having a marine radio aboard. There is a separate VSC checklist for paddle craft such as kayaks, canoes, row boats, and paddleboards. The Coast Guard has recognized the increased popularity of paddle crafts, and feels that safety checks for paddle craft represent important opportunities to share requirements and safety recommendations. We will first discuss the VSC for personal water crafts (PWC), power boats, and sail boats. This week I will list the requirements. Next week we will begin discussing them in detail. As you may guess, not all items apply to some vessels.
Vessel Safety Check Decal Requirements
- Display of Numbers
- Registration/Documentation
- Personal Flotation Devices (PFD)
- Visual Distress Signals (VDS)
- Fire Extinguishers
- Ventilation
- Backfire Flame Control
- Sound Producing Devices/Bell
- Navigation Lights
- Pollution Placard
- MARPOL Trash Placard
- Marine Sanitation Devices
- Navigation Rules
- State and/or Local Requirements
- Overall Vessel Condition
A future column will discuss medical issues on the water. It will be written by one of our flotilla medical doctors.
For more information on boating safety, please visit the Official Website of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division at www.uscgboating.org.
Questions about the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or our free Vessel Safety Check program may be directed to me at [email protected]. SAFE BOATING!
[8-21-2017]
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