PART 7 SAFETY EQUIPMENT
The U.S. Coast Guard requires sailboats to carry certain safety equipment. If you’re not sure that you have all the items you need to meet the official requirements, you can obtain the pamphlet entitled “Federal Require- ments for Recreational Boats” from your local chandlery, U.S. Coast Guard stations or by searching the website (
www.uscg.mil). Listed here is a summary of the minimum required safety gear, which should be supplemented by the boat owner. Also, local governments may have their own safety requirements to which you should comply.
• U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets, of Type I, II, III, or V are required for each person aboard the vessel. At least one Type IV (throwable) must also be on board. The life jackets need to be readily accessible and of the appropriate size for passengers on the boat. The Type IV life jacket must be immediately available while underway.
• Boats less than 39 feet must carry a whistle or horn or some other efficient sound producing device. All boats 39 feet and longer must have a whistle or horn with a range of at least 1/2 mile or more (for larger vessels), as well as a bell.
• U.S. Coast Guard approved Visual Distress Signals must be carried by all boats except those that are: less than 16 feet in length, participating in organized events such as regattas, open sailboats less than 26 feet in length without auxiliary power, or manually propelled boats. Don’t display any of these signals unless you need emergency assistance.
• U.S. Coast Guard approved fire extinguishers must be carried aboard all auxiliary powered vessels.
• Boats less than 26 feet long must have one Type B-1. Boats 26 to 40 feet long must have two Type B-1s or one Type B-2.
• Navigation lights must be displayed between sunset and sunrise while underway or anchored.
• A boat sailing and being propelled by an engine at the same time (motorsailing) must display, where it can best be seen, an inverted conical shape. (Boats less than 12 meters long are exempted from this require- ment).
• Boats with inboard gasoline engines must have flame arrestors. Most boats with auxiliary engines must also be ventilated.
• During the day, sailboats at anchor shall exhibit for- ward, where best seen, a ball shape.
• Vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver because of diving operations or activity must display a rigid replica of the code flag “A”.
Recommended Safety Gear • Additional means of propulsion, including oars, paddles or an outboard motor.
• Manual bailing devices, such as buckets or bilge pumps.
• A basic first aid kit with instructions. • An anchor and anchor line. • A radar reflector.
• A tool kit, spare parts and through-hull plugs. • A portable VHF radio. • Navigation charts and compass. • Lifesling, a flotation device with attached line for retrieving crew from the water. Especially useful when sailing with just one or two crew.
A radar reflector hung in the boat’s rigging will alert other vessels of your presence in periods of restrict- ed visibility.
104
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129
