What's the minimum requirement...

[me4drvr]

For a coast guard inspection...
All I can think of is:
Fire extinguisher
Throw cushions
Flares - Flare Gun
Air Horn
Life jackets
Is there anything else??
Also if the engine compartment has a halon system, is an extinguisher still required?
Thought this would be a good reminder for everyone since it sounds like a crack down in havi town this weekend.

[UnionJack]

Are we talking inland waters? The are different depending where you operate your vessel.

[Supultlbich]

I think you need something to paddle with other than your hands

[RiverDave]

Cooler full of beer. :)
Atleast a 50/50 ratio on board, but never a sausage fest..
RD

[me4drvr]

Inland waters - Havi in particular. Never been inpected there before.
Paddle?? Isn't that what the wife is for :rollside:

[9er]

A drivers license and current registration is always good.

[BADBLOWN572]

You definitely need an onboard fire extinguisher (additional from the halon) inside of the boat. Boats over 25' are required to have two. I believe on boats larger than 25' the halon counts as one.
Thowable cushion
USCGA Approved life jacket
Nose making device (air horn, whistle)
Flare gun (required in some cases, but definitely recommended)
Paddle
Registration
Recommended is First Aid kit.
I belive there is more, but not sure

[MRS FLYIN VEE]

registration ( we usually miss place ours) :220v:
first aid kit
and a driver LOL!!
happy safe boating
:p

[Biglue]

You definitely need an onboard fire extinguisher (additional from the halon) inside of the boat. Boats over 25' are required to have two. I believe on boats larger than 25' the halon counts as one.
Thowable cushion
USCGA Approved life jacket
Nose making device (air horn, whistle)
Flare gun (required in some cases, but definitely recommended)
Paddle
Registration
Recommended is First Aid kit.
I belive there is more, but not sure
Coast guard approved PFD's for EVERY passenger on board is the actual requirement. :wink:
Other than that, you pretty much covered it.

[boatpoor]

Hmmm how about a legal drivers license, proof of insurrance and the ability to speak and understand the ENGLISH language. The 12pack is optional!

[bohica]

A paddle is not a required item.
Some other things they will check for in an Coast Guard safety inspection is
Proper ventilation of the fuel system
Backfire or Flame arrestor

[HMF'er]

When I received the free courtesy inspection, they also checked to see if my blower (bilge ventilation fan - not the wife) worked.

[beyondhelpin]

In Oklahoma a paddle is required equipment. If I remember right it was required in Cali when I lived in SD a few years back.

[Rocket-J]

They require a cover on the battery or at least the battery terminals and a manual bailing device. A hand pump or bucket or plastic jug to bail water. They also ask about mufflers but did not do a noise check. Al

[98 Vector 21]

Dont forget the boat....its needed in orderd to get the inspection!

[Boatcop]

Flares (Visual Distress Signals) are not required on inland waters. Only on coastal waters and the Great Lakes.
Required:
USCG Approved wearable PFD of proper size for each person on board. readily accessible. (12 and under must wear)
USCG Approved Type IV Throwable cushion or Ring Buoy. Immediately Available. (Not required on boats less than 16')
Under 26' - 1 USCG Approved B1 Fire Extinguisher.(Portable required with fixed system) Over 26' (less than 40') 2 BI Fire Extinguishers or 1 B2 Fire Extinguisher. A fixed system in the engine compartment takes the place of 1 BI Fire Extinguisher. Readily accessible.
Original current Registration on board
Numbers properly displayed with current decal.
Backfire Flame arrestor (inboards)
Exhaust properly muffled
Ventilation in engine and fuel compartments
Ski Flag & Observer (If skiing)
Sound Producing device (On Federal Waters)
Pollution decal near helm (boats over 26')
Designated Sober Driver
Recommended:
First Aid Kit
Extra drinking water
Paddle
Anchor with chain and sufficient length of line. (7 times the depth of the water)
Bucket or other manual means to bail out the boat
Sunscreen
Extra emergency rations (Power Bars, granola bars, etc)
Plan for any imaginable emergency and pack accordingly

[bohica]

In Oklahoma a paddle is required equipment. If I remember right it was required in Cali when I lived in SD a few years back.
Paddle requirement is an urban myth. :rollside: While in some boats it might do some good to have one in case of a breakdown, I'd like to see someone try to paddle at 30+ foot boat anywhere haha.
Here's a link to Oklahoma safety requirements, you won't find a paddle mentioned anywhere.
OK (http://www.boatercertificate.com/Oklahoma/02_LawsAndSafetyEquipment/01_Laws.aspx)

[OutCole'd]

Pollution decal near helm (boats over 26')
What is this?

[Huckleberry]

Allan,
I have a few Q's for ya on the requirements. My boat is CG documented. For the life of me I cannot find where/if the numbers are painted on the hull anywhere. The previous owner is a d***head and will not answer emails just asking him if they are on the hull or not. Is this a big deal? How about the beautiful pollution placard? Are cites really issued for not having that gem proudly displayed near the helm?

[bohica]

Allan,
I have a few Q's for ya on the requirements. My boat is CG documented. For the life of me I cannot find where/if the numbers are painted on the hull anywhere. The previous owner is a d***head and will not answer emails just asking him if they are on the hull or not. Is this a big deal? How about the beautiful pollution placard? Are cites really issued for not having that gem proudly displayed near the helm?
Boats that are documented will have no numbers painted on the hull. You should have the documetation number affixed somwhere on the interior of the boat, along with the name and hailing port painted on the back of the boat.

[Phat Matt]

Allan,
I have a few Q's for ya on the requirements. My boat is CG documented. For the life of me I cannot find where/if the numbers are painted on the hull anywhere. The previous owner is a d***head and will not answer emails just asking him if they are on the hull or not. Is this a big deal? How about the beautiful pollution placard? Are cites really issued for not having that gem proudly displayed near the helm?
I don't think you need numbers if it is CG documented. Just a name and port.

[Boatcop]

Allan,
I have a few Q's for ya on the requirements. My boat is CG documented. For the life of me I cannot find where/if the numbers are painted on the hull anywhere. The previous owner is a d***head and will not answer emails just asking him if they are on the hull or not. Is this a big deal? How about the beautiful pollution placard? Are cites really issued for not having that gem proudly displayed near the helm?
On the Documented Vessel the numbers aren't supposed to be painted on. They are supposed to be attached to the interior of the hull (main hull, not the cabin or other "add-on" piece. The attachment has to be made in a fashion that will cause damage if they are removed or tried to be removed. Carved, etched, permanent plate riveted and epoxied, etc. Pretty much the same way the HIN is supposed to be applied. That number stays with the boat forever.
When the boat is sold, the number passes to the new owner, but the Documentation doesn't. The new owner has to apply for the Document in his own name. When the boat is sold the current Document is automatically voided.
Of course, the official name and hailing port have to be displayed on or near the stern of the vessel, and the original document has to be carried on board. If all three of those things aren't present (Name displayed, number attached, and original document in the current owner's name) we are to treat it as an unregistered boat.
This is the Pollution Placard:
http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/boating/discharge_placard.gif
Federal Law says it must be posted at or near the helm, where the operator can clearly see it from the normal operating position. If there is a remote switch for the bilge pump, it needs to be posted by that, too. (Boats over 26' only)
It's a Federal Law, so we don't worry about it, but the Coast Guard will zero in on it in a nano-second if you're boarded by them on the Lake or off-shore. Major and expensive ticket.

[Huckleberry]

Thanks for the replies. The boat has the name and hailing port on the stern, I just cannot find where he has affixed the CG Documentation number. I've had it documented in my name for about a year now, just can't find the dang number. So I can go to the local trophy shop and have them engrave a metal plate with the number and then epoxy it inside the engine compartment, and I'll be okay?
Those dang pollution placards are fugly! Velcro???

[LakeRacer]

Thanks for the replies. The boat has the name and hailing port on the stern, I just cannot find where he has affixed the CG Documentation number. I've had it documented in my name for about a year now, just can't find the dang number. So I can go to the local trophy shop and have them engrave a metal plate with the number and then epoxy it inside the engine compartment, and I'll be okay?
Those dang pollution placards are fugly! Velcro???
If I remember correctly the numbers have to be block style and at least three inches in height.

[LakeRacer]

For a coast guard inspection...
All I can think of is:
Fire extinguisher
Throw cushions
Flares - Flare Gun
Air Horn
Life jackets
Is there anything else??
Also if the engine compartment has a halon system, is an extinguisher still required?
Thought this would be a good reminder for everyone since it sounds like a crack down in havi town this weekend.
Call me a dickhead, but if you don't know all of the requirements it's time to take a safe boating course....at the very least, break out the rules and regs booklets for AZ, CA and Federal Waters and study them. I understand that you are asking here for help. But as you can see, you won't get all of the straight answers you need....except for BoatCop of course!

[Huckleberry]

If I remember correctly the numbers have to be block style and at least three inches in height.
Won't THAT look just special! :yuk:

[Boatcop]

LakeRacer (the Dickhead :D) is right. This is from the Vessel Documentation FAQ:
The official number assigned to documented vessels, preceded of the abbreviation "NO." must be marked in block-type Arabic numerals at least three inches high on some clearly visible interior structural part of the hull. The number must be permanently affixed so that alteration, removal, or replacement would be obvious and cause some scarring or damage to the surrounding hull area.

[Patyacht]

When the boat is sold the current Document is automatically voided.
I don't think this is correct. The CG Doc Center has to be notified and there is a fee. If new owner is documenting the boat, the fee is incorporated in the new documentation but if new owner isn't going to document the boat, there is a cancellation fee to the seller. See this link and go to fee schedule: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/vdoc/nvdc.htm
Also every state has its own requirements, so you best check each state that you will operate in. Boater education is now a big thing and many state are now requiring that you attend a certified course and have a special permit showing you have passed the course. Generally, it is age dependant and is being phased in over time. WA and OR are implementing mandatory boater education now. Link to State Ed Reqirements: http://www.boat-ed.com/
Also, some state require Documented Vessels to still be state registered and display the registration decal but not the state numbers like AZ, NV, CA or WA numbers. I know NV and WA require this so they can collect the annual excise tax.
Other Federal Requirements that you may need to comply with include the requirement to have a Discharge of Gargage Placard for vessels 26' or larger and a waste management plan for vessels 40' or larger. The bottom line since most of us trailer our boats to different states and different areas like lakes and oceans, we need to know and comply with the laws of the area we are operating in. I did not know won't cut it, especial if you've had a few cocktails.
For Federal and State Laws: http://www.uscgboating.org/regulations/regulations.htm
For AZ: http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/boating_rules.shtml
For NV: http://www.ndow.org/boat/
For CA: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/boatsinfo/boat.htm
For WA: http://www.boat-ed.com/wa/handbook/
For OR: http://www.boatescape.com/
Hope this helps.