Coast Guard Compliant?

[Steve Miklos]

Guys are your boats CG approved?

We have some great resources on here who are or have been USCG. CG rules and requirements are not bad things. Items like anti syphon valves CG fuel approved pumps, tanks even wire can make the difference between life and death. These are not luxury items or safety bonuses they are the law.

Another consideration is that every insurance policy I have ever read requires your vessel meet all USCG specifications. Guy's like Brad Shoenwald Tres etc are a wealth of information. Reviewing your boats rigging could save your life or prevent an insurance claim from being declined.

Just because a boat is "as shipped"does not mean it complies. I have witnessed boats gaining serious magazine praise with no mention of the failure to to meet USCG specifications.

Do yourself and your riding crew a favor review your boats fuel systems wiring etc. and fix anything that is not up to USCG specifications.

Thansk
Steve

[THEJOKER]

Welcome oh great one! Thanks for the info.

[fund razor]

Great thread.

I just took delivery of a new to me perf boat.

I decided to go through the list like I had boarded me. Found all kinds of marine requirements defeated or removed. It was an eye opener.

It will be tight and right before it ever hits the water again:
But here is where I gigged myself:

failed-100% ignition protected components.
failed-USCG wire and hoses, and flame arrestor.
failed-crackcase vent to flame arrestor.
failed-Fuel pump recovery line to carb.
failed-all lights in place and working.
failed-proper bilge blower hose routing.
failed-adequate fire supression and hand held extinguishers (accessible... not stowed.)
failed-hailing horn

Then there are the flares, distress flag, throwable line and ring with 50' of line.

[Formula 382 sr-1]

We get the boat inspected every year by the USCG .

[RumRunner]

There are tons of boats out there that won't pass tech, and the owners don't know this. Some people say no big deal. The problem comes in if you're in some sort of accident where you need to use your insurance. All policies state that you have to meet USCG requirements, well if you don't they can null and void your insurance which could leave you personally having to pay millions in the case of a death...

[BRAD SCHOENWALD]

Hey Steve,

Thanks for the plug. We are ramping up for next years Bimini Run so get ready.

In regards to compliance, Rum Runner is right on. This goes beyond the carriage requirements and falls to 33 CFR.

Manufactuers Product liability insurance have warranties calling for compliance. No oversight exists other than the integrity of the boat builder and their personal core values. The Coast Guard does conduct random visits but many things are missed or overlooked.

Of greater concern to me is when a boat owner builds or rebuilds a boat. As soon as this boat is sold to another owner the "Back Yard Boat Builder" becomes responsible and accountable to build the boat in compliance of the rules and could face significant consequences if the boat suffers a catastrophic failure. This primarily applies to fuel systems as the rules are very old and not restrictive in anyway.

BeSafe

[baywatch]

Can someone put up a link to the area on the USCG site that lists everything.

Thanks

[Twin27Advantage]

This links you to the pdf's:

http://www.uscgboating.org/regulations/regulations.htm

Allot of people run stainless braided line or run return lines, which are not allowed. A guy (near me) with a cruiser many years ago ran electric pumps with regulators that return to the tank. A cell phone charger shorted and set the boat on fire. It also burned a few surrounding boats. His insurance did not cover anything because he used non uscg fuel line and the pumps were not mounted within 12" of the block.

It helps to read through the rules. Several boat manufactures are non compliant.

[Smitty1035]

We get the boat inspected every year by the USCG .

Same here...the CBPBA usually requests members of the Coast Guard Aux to attend our first couple of events to get these inspections done.

[RumRunner]

A few other thoughts:

First just because your boat passes a USCG Aux inspection doesn't make it legal!!!
Now with that being said I don't know how most people would actually know or find out if their boat is legal. This is something we as a group should come up with an idea on how to fix.

Lastly keep in mind that no matter who built your boat it may not be legal (and they may not know) just because the builder purchased an engine and drive package from someone doesn't mean it's legal. Heck I know there is stuff that comes out of Fond-Du-lac that is not 100% within the law...

[scottc]

I have passed with every boat each year. Once you do it, it's easy to keep it up. They will even come to your boat at your house or dock. Sure beats getting stopped on the water and getting checked.

[RumRunner]

Sure beats getting stopped on the water and getting checked.

No doubt... I had a summer as a kid where the USCG would stop me every couple of weeks (38 Cigarette SE) and board me with M16's looking for drugs. I guess being a wiseass kid didn't help...

[Steve Miklos]

Great link.
If you read the fuel section you can see where many boats do not meet the specifications.
Steve

[Twin27Advantage]

With the power some boats come with I don't think the hull can handle it according to this:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_20...3cfr183.53.htm

I doubt builders can show they passed. I would like to see this turn test done at 100mph. Not many would pass...race boats are excluded.

Another is tank materials and installation.

[BRAD SCHOENWALD]

With the power some boats come with I don't think the hull can handle it according to this:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_20...3cfr183.53.htm

I doubt builders can show they passed. I would like to see this turn test done at 100mph. Not many would pass...race boats are excluded.

Another is tank materials and installation.

This is true however the first step is to review applicability. Safe Powering and safe loading is a manufactuer requirment and only applicable to mono-hulls less than 20 feet in length.

183.51 Applicability.
This subpart applies to monohull boats less than 20 feet in length, except sailboats, canoes, kayaks, and inflatable boats, that are designed or intended to use one or more outboard motors for propulsion.

The fuel sysem requirements are applicable to inboard powered boats, for example a 28 foot outboard would not have to comply. Remember these rules are old, when they were written outboard powered boats used six gallon metal cans for fuel.

[RumRunner]

Another is tank materials and installation.

Yup we're seeing this with some boats right now that don't actually have fuel cells or bladders. The tanks are just a glassed in portion of the hull...

[Sea-Dated]

We don't have the Coast Gaurd on our lake but the Coast Gaurd Auxillary does free inspections every year and I make sure mine is inspected and passes. I failed last year but only because I did not have a copy of my registration in the boat.

[NOMOGOFAST]

My dad is a member of the auxilary in Tarpon Springs Florida and they do over 1000 inspections a year just out of that location. It also helps to have the current coast guard sticker posted when the law cruises bye.

[CAPO71]

If you contact you local USCG station they will give you the conact info for the local AUX. They should be more then willing to perform safety checks at any local dock or marina if you request and schedule it. It doesn't hurt to have the safety inspection sticker on the vessel.

[MANITIE]

It is very easy to have a Vessel Saftey Check done.....also to take a boating safety course online...we have been working with insurance companys to give a discount to anyone who takes the course and recieves there certificate.....when we built the Dragon Super Vee, on the fuel cell we had to have the C.G. approve the tank and meet there guide lines...but the vessel saftey check is not indept...there has been some talk to having a more indept inspection...but it will suprise you on how many people do not take advantage of the free inspection the way it is....there main concern and awareness they are trying to get out is wearing life jackets....over 70% of last years deaths could have been prevented if only they had on a life jacket on...yes there have been accidents with equipment failures....mostly with carbondioxide and fuel ventilation failures resulting in explosions but on a much lower %....the biggest problem in boating safety today is the most simplest fix and dose not cost anything, over 95% of boating fatalities boats were properly equipped....but just not used...like the life jacket....Its a great idea to go over your boats electronics like mention above...and yes you will find a high % of them will not meet safety standards....it reminds me of cars on the road in some states you need a yearly inspection for safety reasons....and yet I have been taking in trades from other states that do not need yearly inpections and they were death traps on our roads today....I brought this up in a Safety Summit meeting a few years back...about having a yearly inspection sticker done on boats like cars do in some states....but if the states don't regulate it on cars in there states..they certainly won't do it on boats.....Steve this is a good topic you bring up...