Requirements
for a Courtesy Marine Examination
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Coast Guard
Approved Equipment. The
following equipment must be Coast Guard approved or meet Coast Guard
standards:
Personal
Flotation Devices
Fire
Extinguishers
Flame
Arresters
Visual
Distress Signals
Marine
Sanitation Devices
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Numbering and
Documentation.
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Registered Boats.
The boats number must be permanently attached to each side of
the forward half of the boat. Numbers
are to read from left to right, be plain vertical block characters, a
color contrasting with the background, distinctly visible and legible
and no less than 3 in height. The
appropriate state documents must be aboard
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Documented Boats.
The boats name and hailing port must be plainly marked on the
exterior part of the hull in clearly legible letters not less than four
inches in height. The
official number of the vessel, preceded by the abbreviation No.
must be marked by any permanent method which cannot be obliterated or
obscured, in block type Arabic numerals not less than three inches in
height on some clearly visible interior structural part of the hull. The original
documentation papers must be on board.
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Navigation
Lights. Boats over
16 in length must have operable navigation lights.
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Sound
Producing Devices
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All boats must
carry some type of sound producing device, capable of a
four-second-blast audible for ½ mile.
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All boats 39.4
feet or longer must also carry a bell, in operating condition, at least
5 inches in diameter at the mouth.
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Personal
Flotation Devices.
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PFDs must be
Coast Guard approved, in good and serviceable condition and suitable for
the wearer.
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Boats 16 feet or
longer must have one TYPE I, II or III PFD for each person on board and
one TYPE IV (throwable)
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Fire
Extinguishers.
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Boats must be
equipped with fire extinguishers as follows:
Boat
Length |
w/o
Fixed System |
w/Approved
Fixed System |
<
26 |
1
B-1 |
1
B-1 |
26
to < 40 |
2
B-1 or 1 B-II |
1
B-1 |
40
to 65 |
3
B-1 or 1 B-II & 1 B-1 |
2
B-1 or 1 B-II |
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Fire
extinguishers must be firmly mounted and readily accessible in case of
fire.
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CO2 extinguishers
plus Dry Chemical fire extinguishers without gauges must have been
weighed and tagged within the last six month.
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Automatic HALON
(and like compounds) below decks must have the discharge light at the
helm.
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Visual
Distress Signals
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All recreational
boats must carry day and night VDS.
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VDS must be Coast
Guard approved and in serviceable condition
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The devices are
marked with an expiration date, which must not have passed.
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Ventilation.
Not required in diesel engine boats.
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Backfire Flame
Arrester. Not required
in diesel engine boats.
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Fuel System.
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Fuel tanks and
lines must be free of excessive corrosion or any cracking and must not
leak.
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The fuel fill
pipe must be tightly fitted to the fill plate and must be located
outside of a closed compartment.
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Spill fuel must
be directed overboard.
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Fuel tanks must
be grounded.
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Anchor and
Anchor Line.
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All boats must be
equipped with an adequate anchor and anchor line of suitable size and
length for the boat.
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Dewatering
Device.
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All boats must
carry at least one effective manual dewatering device (bucket, can,
etc.).
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If installed, an
electrical or mechanical bilge pump must be in satisfactory operating
condition.
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General
Condition.
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Boat must be free
from fire hazards, in good overall condition, with bilges reasonable
clean, and the visible hull and structure generally sound.
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Galley equipment
must be properly secured and fuel tanks must not leak.
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No flammable
material in the immediate vicinity of stoves or heaters.
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LPG gas cylinders
(empty or full) must not be installed in closed compartments.
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CNG shall be
located in a well-ventilated area.
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CNG cylinders
shall not be installed in compartments containing an internal combustion
engine.
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Electrical
Systems.
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All general
wiring should be in good condition, neatly bundled and clamped to
suitable support to prevent damage.
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Battery cables
must be securely connected.
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The battery must
be clamped down or otherwise secured.
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Marine
Sanitation Devices.
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A Type II toilet
discharge valve must be sealed or operating handles removed so that
accidental discharge overboard cannot be initiated.
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Type I and II
processing toilets must have a plaque attached to the unit, showing the
type and Coast Guard approval.
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Garbage
Dumping Restrictions Placard.
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All boats 26
and over must display a proper size Garbage Dumping Restrictions Placard
in a place clearly visible to all passengers.
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Boats 40 and
over, that are ocean going or on the Great Lakes, must also have a
written trash management plan.
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Oily Waste
Discharge Placard.
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All boats 26
and longer, with machinery compartments, must display a placard at least
5x8 stating that the discharge of oil is prohibited.
The placard must be displayed in a conspicuous place in the bilge
area or at the pump control station.
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Inland
Navigation Rules.
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Boats 39.4 or
more are required to carry a complete copy of the Inland Navigation
Rules.