Specifications

52 53

TheUSCoastGuardwouldliketoseeall
vesselsincompliancewithequipmentcarriage
requirementsandsafelyoperatedIfyouare
uncertainaboutthesafetyrequirementsfor
yourvessel,onewaytomakesureyouarein
complianceistoscheduleaVesselSafetyCheck(VSC),offeredas
afreepublicservicebytheUnitedStatesCoastGuardAuxiliaryand
UnitedStatesPowerSquadrons®,volunteerorganizationsdedicated
toassistingtheUSCoastGuardinpromotingboatingsafetyOther
federalandstateagenciesmayalsoconducttheseVesselSafety
Checks(Findoutmoreatwwwsafetysealnet)
AVSCisalawenforcementaction;however,insomestates
qualifiedmarinelawenforcementpersonnelmayconductVesselSafety
ChecksQualifiedexaminerswillcometoyourvesselandconduct
acourtesyexaminationofsafetyequipmentcarriedorinstalledand
certainaspectsofthevessel’soverallconditionVSCrequirements
parallelfederalandstaterequirementswithregardtoequipmentand
vesselconditionThosevesselsthatpasswillbeawardedaVSCdecal
indicatingasuccessfulcheck
TheitemscheckedduringaVSCare:
• Navigationlights
• Soundproducingdevices/bell
• Voicecommunications
• Lifejacketsandthrowableflotationdevices
• Fireextinguishers
• Visualdistresssignals
• Backfireflamecontrol
• Overallvesselcondition,includingelectric-fuelsystems,
galley-heatingsystems,deckfreeofhazards/cleanbilge
• Ventilation
• Properdisplayofnumbers
• Pollutionplacard(oilywastedischarge)
• MARPOLtrashplacards(garbagedumpingrestriction)
• Marinesanitationdevice
• Registration/documentation
• NavigationRulesbook
• Stateand/orlocalrequirements

Whilenotrequired,thefollowingarealsostronglyrecommended:
• VHF-FMMarineRadiowithDigitalSelectiveCallingSystem
• DewateringDeviceandBackup
• MountedFireExtinguishers
• AnchorandLine
• FirstAidKit
• Person-in-Water(PIW)Kit
• CapacityPlates
DuringtheVesselSafety
Check,thevesselexaminer
willdiscusswiththerecre-
ationalboaterthepurposeof
specificmarinesafetyequip-
ment,willclarifyfederaland
stateregulations,willdiscuss
certainsafetyprocedures,and
willansweranyboating-related
questionsSomeofthetopicsdiscussedare:
• Accidentreporting/ownerresponsibility
• ChartsandAidstoNavigation
• Offshoreoperation
• Inflatableliferafts
• Immersionsuits
• Survivaltips
• Firstaid
• Floatplans
• Weatherandseaconditions
• Insuranceconsiderations
• Fuelingandfuelmanagement
• Boatingchecklist
• Availabilityofboatingsafetyclasses
• America’sWaterwayWatch

ToscheduleaVesselSafetyCheck,orformoreinformationonthe
VesselSafetyCheckProgram,contactyourlocalUSCoastGuard
AuxiliaryorUnitedStatesPowerSquadrons,stateboatingagency,or
visittheVesselSafetyCheckwebsiteatwwwsafetysealnet