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Regulatory Requirements
Minimum Required Safety Equipment Checklist for Recreational Boats
Defined by Size of Vessel
For vessels larger than 65 feet, passenger carrying and other commercial vessels have different and/or additional requirements. For more information, call the Florida Marine Patrol (*FMP) or the United States Coast Guard (800-368-5647).
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Equipment |
Class A
Less than 16 feet (4.9 m) |
Personal
Flotation
Devices (PFDs)
Must say USCG Approved,
Must be in serviceable condition,
Must be properly stowed. |
One approved Type I, II, or III PFD for each person on board or being towed on water skis, etc.
Note: A type V hybrid may be substituted for a Type I, II, or III device but it must be worn whenever the vessel is under way and the person is not in the cabin or other enclosed area. Every person under six years of age on board must wear an approved Type I, II or III PFD while vessel is under way. Skier: Every person skiing or aquaplaning must wear an approved Type I, II or III PFD. |
| Fire Extinguisher
Must say USCG Approved,
Must be in serviceable condition.
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At least one Type B-1 USCG approved hand portable fire extinguisher.
Note: Not required on outboard motorboats less than 26 feet and not carrying passengers for hire if the construction of such motorboats will not permit entrapment of explosive or flammable gasses or vapors and if fuel tanks are not permanently installed. |
Visual Distress
Signal
Required on the high sea and coastal waters only. |
Carry visual distress signal for daytime and nighttime use.
Coastal waters means the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and all bay sounds, harbors, rivers, inlets where any entrance is over 2 miles wide to the first point where the distance between shorelines narrows to 2 miles. |
| Bell and Whistle (Sound Producing Devices) |
Must carry sound producing device required by the Navigation Rules. |
Backfire Flame
Control
Must say USCG Approved |
An effective means of controlling backfire flame of all gasoline engines installed after April 25, 1940, except outboard motors. |
| Ventilation
Boats built before Aug. 1, 1980
Boats built on Aug. 1, 1980 or later
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At least two ventilator ducts filled with cowls of their equivalent for the purpose of properly and efficiently ventilating the bilges of every closed engine and fuel-tank compartment of boats constructed or decked over after Apr. 25, 1940, using gasoline as fuel or other fuels having a flash point of 110o or less.
At least two ventilator ducts for the purpose of efficiently ventilating every closed compartment that contains a gasoline engine and every closed compartment containing a gasoline tank, except those having permanently installed tanks which vent outside the boat and contain no unprotected electrical devices. Also, engine compartments containing a gasoline engine having a cranking motor must contain power operated exhaust blowers which can be controlled from the instrument panel.
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|
Equipment |
Class 1
16 feet (4.9 m) to less than 26 feet (7.9m) |
| Personal
Flotation
Devices (PFDs)
Must say USCG Approved,
Must be in serviceable condition,
Must be properly stowed. |
One approved Type I, II, or III PFD for each person on board or being towed on water skis, etc.
One throwable Type IV device.
Note: A type V hybrid may be substituted for a Type I, II, or III device but it must be worn whenever the vessel is under way and the person is not in the cabin or other enclosed area. Every person under six years of age on board must wear an approved Type I, II or III PFD while vessel is under way. Skier: Every person skiing or aquaplaning must wear an approved Type I, II or III PFD. |
| Fire
Extinguisher
Must say USCG Approved,
Must be in serviceable condition.
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At least one Type B-1 USCG approved hand portable fire extinguisher
Note: Not required on outboard motorboats less than 26 feet and not carrying passengers for hire if the construction of such motorboats will not permit entrapment of explosive or flammable gasses or vapors and if fuel tanks are not permanently installed. |
| Visual Distress
Signal
Required on the high sea and coastal waters only. |
Carry visual distress signal for nighttime use.
Coastal waters means the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and all bay sounds, harbors, rivers, inlets where any entrance is over 2 miles wide to the first point where the distance between shorelines narrows to 2 miles. |
| Bell and Whistle (Sound Producing Devices) |
Must carry an efficient sound-producing device required by the Navigation Rules. |
| Backfire Flame
Control
Must say USCG Approved |
An effective means of controlling backfire flame of all gasoline engines installed after April 25, 1940, except outboard motors. |
| Ventilation
Boats built before Aug. 1, 1980
Boats built on Aug. 1, 1980
Or later |
At least two ventilator ducts filled with cowls of their equivalent for the purpose of properly and efficiently ventilating the bilges of every closed engine and fuel-tank compartment of boats constructed or decked over after Apr. 25, 1940, using gasoline as fuel or other fuels having a flash point of 110o or less.
At least two ventilator ducts for the purpose of efficiently ventilating every closed compartment that contains a gasoline engine and every closed compartment containing a gasoline tank, except those having permanently installed tanks which vent outside the boat and contain no unprotected electrical devices. Also, engine compartments containing a gasoline engine having a cranking motor must contain power operated exhaust blowers which can be controlled from the instrument panel. |
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Equipment |
Class 2
26 (7.9m) to less than 40 feet (12.2 m) |
| Personal
Flotation
Devices (PFDs)
Must say USCG Approved,
Must be in serviceable condition,
Must be properly stowed. |
One approved Type I, II, or III PFD for each person on board or being towed on water skis, etc.
One throwable Type IV device.
Note: A type V hybrid may be substituted for a Type I, II, or III device but it must be worn whenever the vessel is under way and the person is not in the cabin or other enclosed area. Every person under six years of age on board must wear an approved Type I, II or III PFD while vessel is under way. Skier: Every person skiing or aquaplaning must wear an approved Type I, II or III PFD. |
| Fire
Extinguisher
Must say USCG Approved,
Must be in serviceable condition.
|
At least two Type B-1 USCG approved hand portable fire extinguishers or at least one B-II type approved hand portable fire extinguisher.
Note: Not required on outboard motorboats less than 26 feet and not carrying passengers for hire if the construction of such motorboats will not permit entrapment of explosive or flammable gasses or vapors and if fuel tanks are not permanently installed. |
| Visual Distress
Signal
Required on the high sea and coastal waters only. |
Carry visual distress signal for nighttime use.
Coastal waters means the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and all bay sounds, harbors, rivers, inlets where any entrance is over 2 miles wide to the first point where the distance between shorelines narrows to 2 miles. |
| Bell and Whistle (Sound Producing Devices) |
Must carry an efficient sound-producing device required by the Navigation Rules. |
| Backfire Flame
Control
Must say USCG Approved |
An effective means of controlling backfire flame of all gasoline engines installed after April 25, 1940, except outboard motors. |
| Ventilation
Boats built before Aug. 1, 1980
Boats built on Aug. 1, 1980
Or later |
At least two ventilator ducts filled with cowls of their equivalent for the purpose of properly and efficiently ventilating the bilges of every closed engine and fuel-tank compartment of boats constructed or decked over after Apr. 25, 1940, using gasoline as fuel or other fuels having a flash point of 110o or less.
At least two ventilator ducts for the purpose of efficiently ventilating every closed compartment that contains a gasoline engine and every closed compartment containing a gasoline tank, except those having permanently installed tanks which vent outside the boat and contain no unprotected electrical devices. Also, engine compartments containing a gasoline engine having a cranking motor must contain power operated exhaust blowers which can be controlled from the instrument panel. |
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Equipment |
Class 3
40 (12.2 m) to less than 65 feet (19.8 m) |
| Personal
Flotation
Devices (PFDs)
Must say USCG Approved,
Must be in serviceable condition,
Must be properly stowed. |
One approved Type I, II, or III PFD for each person on board or being towed on water skis, etc.
One throwable Type IV device.
Note: A type V hybrid may be substituted for a Type I, II, or III device but it must be worn whenever the vessel is under way and the person is not in the cabin or other enclosed area. Every person under six years of age on board must wear an approved Type I, II or III PFD while vessel is under way. Skier: Every person skiing or aquaplaning must wear an approved Type I, II or III PFD. |
| Fire
Extinguisher
Must say USCG Approved,
Must be in serviceable condition. |
At least three Type B-1 USCG approved hand portable fire extinguishers or at least one B-I type.
One B-II USCG approved hand portable fire extinguisher.
Note: Not required on outboard motorboats less than 26 feet and not carrying passengers for hire if the construction of such motorboats will not permit entrapment of explosive or flammable gasses or vapors and if fuel tanks are not permanently installed. |
| Visual Distress Signal
Required on the high sea and coastal waters only. |
Carry visual distress signal for nighttime use.
Coastal waters means the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and all bay sounds, harbors, rivers, inlets where any entrance is over 2 miles wide to the first point where the distance between shorelines narrows to 2 miles. |
| Bell and Whistle (Sound Producing Devices) |
Must carry a whistle and a bell. The whistle must be audible for ½ nautical miles. The mouth of the bell must be at least 7.87 inches ( 200 mm) in diameter. |
| Backfire Flame
Control
Must say USCG Approved |
An effective means of controlling backfire flame of all gasoline engines installed after April 25, 1940, except outboard motors. |
| Ventilation
Boats built before Aug. 1, 1980
Boats built on Aug. 1, 1980
Or later |
At least two ventilator ducts filled with cowls of their equivalent for the purpose of properly and efficiently ventilating the bilges of every closed engine and fuel-tank compartment of boats constructed or decked over after Apr. 25, 1940, using gasoline as fuel or other fuels having a flash point of 110o or less.
At least two ventilator ducts for the purpose of efficiently ventilating every closed compartment that contains a gasoline engine and every closed compartment containing a gasoline tank, except those having permanently installed tanks which vent outside the boat and contain no unprotected electrical devices. Also, engine compartments containing a gasoline engine having a cranking motor must contain power operated exhaust blowers which can be controlled from the instrument panel. |
Marines Sanitation Devices
- On a vessel, other than a houseboat, the toilet may be portable or permanently installed
- All waste from portable toilets shall be disposed in an approved waste reception facility
- Every permanently installed toilet shall be attached to the appropriate U.S. Coast Guard approved Marine Sanitation Device
- Every houseboat* shall be equipped with at least one permanently installed toilet which shall be connected to a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type 3 Marine Sanitation Device(MSD) or plumbed to shoreside facilities.
- All Type 3 MSDs shall be disposed in an approved sewage pumpout facility
* Any vessel which is used primarily as a residence for a minimum of 21 days during any 30 day period, in a county of this state and this residential use of the vessel is to the preclusion of the use of the vessel as a means of transportation.
Other Suggested Equipment
-anchor with sufficient amount of anchor line
-de-watering device, such as a bilge pump in the event of flooding
-oar, paddle or other alternative means of propulsion in case your engine fails
-GPS or Loran, VHF Radio, and Cellular Telephone
-spill control plan (bucket & sponge)
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