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. In this discussion of the Vessel Safety Check (VSC), we will discuss the requirements for overall vessel condition.

Overall Vessel Condition
The vessel must have a safe overall material condition in order to meet the final requirement for the vessel safety check decal. Applicable items below are critical to the safety of the vessel and must be acceptable before the vessel examiner awards the vessel safety check decal.

Deck Free of Hazards and Clean Bilge
The boat must be free from fire hazards, in good overall condition, with bilges reasonably clean, and visible hull and structure generally sound. The use of automobile parts on boat engines is not acceptable. The engine horsepower should not exceed what is shown on the capacity plate. Capacity plates are required on mono-hull vessels less than 20 feet in length. If there is no capacity plate, the maximum number of persons that can be safely carried in calm weather can be determined by using the following formula: number of persons equals length of the boat in feet times the width of the boat in feet and dividing that by 15. For example, my boat is 17 feet by 54 inches (known as a 1754 in the trade). I would divide 54 by 12 to get 4.5 feet. 17 times 4.5 = 76.5. 76.5 divided by 15 = 5 people, rounding off the fraction.

Electrical and Fuel Systems
The electrical system must be protected by fuses or manual reset circuit breakers. Switches and fuse panels must be protected from rain or water spray. Wiring must be in good condition, properly installed with no exposed areas or deteriorated insulation. If the vessel is equipped with a shore power connection, the examiner will check the plug and the receptacle for evidence of charring, brown, or corrosion around the prongs. This results from tiny arcing at the connection and a poor contact. Often the securing ring is not used or not tight. Time creates more and more arcing, a faulty connection, and a heating up of the plug, receptacle and wiring near the site. No open knife switches may be located in the bilge, engine spaces, or fuel tank compartments.

A large percentage of fires on board vessels are electrical. Additionally, electric shock drowning (ESD) is the result of the passage of a typically low level alternating current (AC) through the body while immersed in fresh water, with sufficient force to cause skeletal muscular paralysis, with drowning the eventual result. An invisible killer in freshwater ESD most frequently strikes near marinas and people should be aware of the risk of swimming near them.

Batteries should be secured and terminals covered to prevent accidental arcing. Covering just the positive terminal is acceptable to prevent accidental arcing. However, some states may require that both the positive and negative terminals be covered to prevent accidental arcing. Vessels with outboards are exempt from this requirement. If installed, self circling or kill switch mechanisms must be in proper working order. All personal watercrafts require an operating self circling or kill switch mechanism. Portable fuel tanks with a seven gallon capacity or less must be constructed of non-breakable material and be free of corrosion and leaks. A full seven gallon tank will weigh about 50 pounds, which is about the maximum that can be conveniently loaded aboard a boat after filling on the dock. All vents must be capable of being closed. The tank must be properly secured to the deck and have a vapor-tight, leak proof cap. Each permanent fuel tank must be properly ventilated.

Galley and Heating System
Systems and fuel tanks must be properly secured with no flammable materials nearby. Adequate ventilation must be provided for all appliances and their fuel source. Appliance shutoff valves must be readily accessible.

Helicopter Demonstration
People riding the ferry this Saturday were surprised to see one of our 45-foot patrol boats and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter performing a rescue demonstration just off the ferry landing. We had a Sea Scout jamboree on base all day, and two rescue swimmers jumped out of a helicopter to rescue a “man” overboard, or Oscar, as we call our practice dummies.

My team demonstrated pyrotechnic distress signals. Although we had rockets and aerial flares, because of the wind we were limited to demonstrating handheld orange smoke flares and red flares. All of the Sea Scouts got to personally operate one of our handheld flares. We did have a supply of commercial SOLAS flares, which are 10 times as bright (and hot) as recreational boating flares. SOLAS is the Convention for the Safety of Lives at Sea, and it is an international maritime treaty which requires its member countries to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with minimum safety standards in construction, equipment and operation. The “minimum safety standards” are much more rigid and complicated than recreational boating standards.

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]. I am available to perform free Vessel Safety Checks, and I will come to your location to perform them. SAFE BOATING!

[10-30-2017]