A vessel
safety check (VSC) is a courtesy examination of your
recreational boat to verify
the presence and condition of certain safety equipment required by
state and federal regulations. The vessel examiner is a trained
specialist and is a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. They will
also make certain recommendations and discuss certain safety issues
that will make you a safer boater.
This is not boarding
or a law enforcement issue. No citations will be given as a result
of this encounter. We will supply you with a copy of our evaluation
so that you may follow some of the suggestions given. Vessels that
pass will be able to display our distinctive VSC decal. This does
not exempt you from law enforcement boarding, but you can be prepared
to make this a positive encounter.
If you would be interested
in a courtesy VSC conducted for your recreational boat, please check the table
below for dates and contact information.
Please also feel free to visit the national
VSC website.
Charter Captains
-
UPV= uninspected passenger vessel's (or also known as the 6 pac)
Charter boats require a
Charter Exam. Contact: D. Celani, 716-694-2856
or
Dcelcsea@aol.com
Division 3 Staff Officer for Vessel Examinations:
SO-VE
VSC
schedule for 2008
Print friendly 2008 VE schedule.
Contact the
SO-VE for
availability.
Use scroll bar to
navigate calendar
à
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BOATING STATISTICS
• In 2005, States and jurisdictions reported a total of 12,942,414
registered
recreational boats compared to 12,781,476 in 2004. The 4,969 boating
accidents reported in 2005 resulted in 697 fatalities, 3,451
injuries, and
$358,721,088 in property damage.
• Approximately seventy percent of all fatal boating accident
victims
drowned (491 out of 697). Moreover,
eighty-seven (87%) percent of the victims
who drowned were not wearing their
personal flotation device (PFD or
lifejacket). Overall, fatal accident
data show approximately 426 lives could
have been saved last year if boaters
had worn their lifejackets.
• The most reported type of accident was a collision with another
vessel.
However, capsizing and falls overboard are the most reported types
of fatal
accidents and accounted for the vast majority (59%) of all boating
fatalities.
Boat operators need to pay attention to the capacity label on their
boat and be
careful not to overload small boats (less than 16 feet) with
passengers and/or
gear.
• Overall, carelessness/reckless operation, operator inattention,
excessive
speed and operator inexperience are the leading contributing factors
of all
reported accidents.
• The most common types of boats involved in reported accidents were
open motorboats (45%), personal watercraft (PWC) (26%) and cabin
motorboats (14%).
• Increases were observed in the number of reported fatalities
involving PWC (65),
cabin motorboats (54), inflatables (22), sailboats (16), and
houseboats (10) from 2004.
• A decrease was observed in the
number of fatalities involving canoes/kayaks (78) and rowboats (39)
from the number of fatalities reported in 2004.
• The number of reported non-fatal injuries (1,007) involving PWC
use
increased for the first time since 1996.
• Twenty-one (21) children age 12 and under lost their lives while
boating
in 2005 compared to 14 children in 2004.
• Approximately 70% of all reported
fatalities occurred on boats where the
operator had not received boating
safety instruction.
• Alcohol use was either a direct or
indirect contributing factor in
approximately one-quarter (25%) of
all boating fatalities in 2005.
TOP TEN CONTRIBUTING
FACTORS
1 CARELESS/RECKLESS OPERATION 639 ACCIDENTS 40 FATALITIES
2 OPERATOR INATTENTION
568 44
3 EXCESSIVE SPEED
432 39
4 OPERATOR INEXPERIENCE
429 65
5 PASSENGER/SKIER BEHAVIOR 384
28
6 ALCOHOL USE
366 143
7 HAZARDOUS WATERS
327 40
8 NO PROPER LOOKOUT
314 12
9 MACHINERY SYSTEM FAILURE 273 23
10 WEATHER
143 46
PRE-FLOAT
CHECKLIST
Lives are property are
often risked because of small oversights. Having a good pre-float
checklist can help minimize the risk of overlooking important steps
in trailering and launching. Click here
to download a checklist developed by local Auxiliarists (Adobe Acrobat
format, 1.3 MB).
QUALIFICATIONS
FOR THE VSC DECAL
You can use the following
guidelines to pre-examine your boat. It's suggested that you print
out this page while performing your self-inspection. While it is not
an exhaustive list, it will point out any major deficiencies ahead
of your VSC.
1. Display of
Numbers. The boat’s registration number must be permanently
attached to each side of the forward half of the boat They must be
plain, vertical, block characters, not less than three (3) inches
high, and in a color contrasting with the background. A space or hyphen
must separate the letters from the numbers. Place state tax sticker
according to state policy (e.g., FL 1234 AB or FL-1234-AB).
2. Registration
/ Documentation. These papers must be on board and available.
Documentation numbers must be permanently marked on a visible part
of the interior structure. The documented boat’s name and hailing
port must be displayed on the exterior hull in letters not less than
4 inches in height. To be documented a boat must be five (5) net tons
or greater.
3. Personal
Flotation Devices (PFDs). Acceptable PFDs (also known as
life jackets) must be U.S. Coast Guard approved, in good and serviceable
condition, and of suitable size for the each person on the boat. Children
must have properly fitted PFDs designed for children. Wearable PFDs
shall be "readily accessible." Throwable devices shall be
"immediately available." PFDs shall not be stored in unopened
plastic packaging. For personal watercraft (PWC) riders, the PFD must
be worn and indicate an impact rating. Boats 16 feet or longer must
also have one Type IV PFD.
4. Visual Distress
Signals (VDS). Recreational boats 16 feet or longer used
on coastal waters or the Great Lakes are required to carry a minimum
of either (1) three daytime and three nighttime pyrotechnic devices,
(2) one daytime non-pyrotechnic device (e.g., flag) and one nighttime
non-pyrotechnic device (auto SOS light), or (3) a combination of items
(1) and (2). Recreational boats measuring less than 16 feet on coastal
waters or the Great Lakes need only carry nighttime visual distress
signals when operating from sunset to sunrise.
It is recommended, but
not required, that boats operating on inland waters should have some
means of making a suitable daytime and nighttime distress signal.
The number and type of signals is best judged by considering conditions
under which the boat will be operating. Alternatives to pyrotechnic
devices (flares) include:
Night |
Day |
Strobe
light |
Signaling
mirror |
Flashlight |
Red
or orange flags |
Lantern |
Hand
signals |
5. Fire Extinguishers.
These are required if one of the following conditions exists: (1)
an inboard engine, (2) closed compartments that store portable fuel
tanks, (3) double-bottom hulls not completely sealed or not completely
filled with flotation materials, (4) closed living spaces, (5) closed
stowage compartments that contain flammable materials, or (6) permanently
installed fuel tanks. Fire extinguishers must be readily accessible
and verified as serviceable. The following table shows the minimum
number of extinguishers required for vessels of variatious lengths:
Boat
Length |
No
Fixed System |
Fixed
System |
Less
than 26 feet |
one
B-1 |
none |
26
to 39 feet |
two
B-1 or one B-2 |
one
B-1 |
40
to 65 feet |
three
B-1 or one B-1 and one B-2 |
two
B-1 or one B-2 |
6.
Ventilation. Boats with gasoline engines in closed compartments,
built after 1 Aug, 1980, must have a powered ventilation system. Those
built prior to that date must have natural or powered ventilation.
Boats with closed fuel tank compartments built after 1 Aug 1978, must
meet requirements by displaying a "certificate of compliance."
Boats built before that date must have either natural or powered ventilation
in the fuel tank compartment.
7. Backfire
Flame Arrester. All gasoline-powered inboard/outboard or
inboard motor boats must be equipped with an approved backfire flame
control device.
8. Sound-Producing
Devices / Bell. To comply with Navigation Rules and for distress
signaling purposes, all boats must carry a sound-producing device
(whistle, horn, siren, etc.) capable of a four-second blast audible
for one-half mile. Boats larger than 39.4 feet are also required to
have a bell (see Navigation Rules).
9. Navigation
Lights. All boats must be able to display navigation lights
between sunset and sunrise and in conditions of reduced visibility.
Boats 16 feet in length or more must have properly installed, working
navigation lights and an all-around anchor light capable of being
lit independently from the red, green and white "running"
lights.
10. Pollution
Placard. Boats 26 feet or longer with a machinery compartment
must display an oily waste "pollution" placard.
11. MARPOL Trash
Placard. Boats 26 feet or longer must display a MARPOL trash
placard. Boats 40 feet or longer must also display a written trash
disposal plan.
12. Marine Sanitation
Devices. Any installed toilet must be a Coast Guard approved
device. Overboard discharge outlets must be capable of being sealed.
13. Navigation
Rules. Boats 39.4 feet or longer must carry a current copy
of the Navigation Rules aboard.
14. State /
Local Requirements. These requirements must be met before
the VSC decal can be awarded. A boat must meet the requirements of
the state in which it is being examined. Please check with your local
marine law enforcement agency for specific details.
15. Overall
Condition. Including, but not limited to:
(A) Deck free
of hazards and clean bilge. The boat must be free from fire
hazards, in good overall condition, with bilges reasonably clean
and visible hull structure generally sound. The use of automobile
parts on boat engines is not acceptable. The engine horsepower must
not exceed that shown on the capacity plate.
(B) Safe electrical
and fuel systems. The electrical system must be protected by
fuses or manual reset circuit breakers. Switches and fuse panels
must be protected from rain or water spray. Wiring must be in good
condition, properly installed and with no exposed areas or deteriorated
insulation. Batteries must be secured and terminals covered to prevent
accidental arcing. If installed, self-circling or kill-switch mechanism
must be in proper working order. All PWCs require an operating self-circling
or kill-switch mechanism. Portable fuel tanks (normally seven-gallon
capacity or less) must be constructed of non-breakable material
and free of corrosion and leaks. All vents must be capable of being
closed. The tank must be secured and have a vapor-tight, leak-proof
cap. Each permanent fuel tank must be properly ventilated.
(C) Safe galley
and heating systems. System and fuel tanks must be properly
secured with no flammable materials nearby.
