REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

For the purpose of equipment requirements, motorboats are divided into four classes, according to length. The length of a boat is the distance from stem to stern measured over the deck, excluding sheer.

CLASSES OF VESSELS

PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES (PFD)

Personal Flotation Devices are classified by "Type." The number and "type required on a vessel depends on the length of the vessel and whether the vessel is used for recreational or commercial purposes.

Recreational Vessels

1. All recreational vessels must have one Type I, II, or III, PFD of a suitable size for each person aboard and each skier being towed.

2. All recreational vessels sixteen (16) feet in length and over must have one Type I, II, or III PFD of suitable size for each person aboard and each skier being towed, and in addition, one throwable Type IV PFD.
3. No person may use a recreational vessel unless each child under 13 years old on board is wearing an appropriate PFD approved by the Coast Guard unless:

• Each child not wearing such a PFD is below decks or in an enclosed cabin.
• The vessel is not underway. (Vessels that are anchored or tied to shore are not underway.)
  
  This law does not apply to commercial vessels.

Commercial Vessels

1. Each commercial vessel not carrying passengers for hire less than forty (40) feet in length must have at least one Type I, II, or III PFD of a suitable size for each person on board.
2. Each commercial vessel forty (40) feet in length or longer not carrying passengers for hire must have at least one Type I, PFD of a suitable size for each person on board.
3. Each commercial vessel twenty-six (26) feet in length or longer must have a least one ring life buoy on board.

Types of Personal Floatation Devices

	Type I A Type I PFD is an approved device designed to turn an unconscious person in the water from a face downward position to a vertical or slightly backward position, and to have more than 20 pounds of buoyancy.
	Type II A Type II PFD is an approved device designed to turn an unconscious person in the water from a face downward position to a vertical or slightly backward position, and to have more than 15.5 pounds of buoyancy.
	Type III A Type III PFD is an approved device designed to turn an unconscious person in the water from a face downward position to a vertical or slightly backward position, and to have more than 15.5 pounds of buoyancy. While the Type III PFD has the same buoyancy as the Type II PFD, it has less turning ability. It does, however, allow greater wearing comfort and is particularly useful when water skiing, sailing, hunting, or engaged in other water sports.
	Type IV A Type IV PFD is an approved device designed to thrown to a person in the pounds of buoyancy. The most common Type IV PFD is a buoyant cushion. A ring buoy is also a Type IV PFD. All Type I, II, and III PFDs must be U.S. Coast Guard approved, in good and serviceable condition, readily accessible, and of appropriate size for the wearer. Type IV PFDs must be U. S. Coast Guard Approved, in good and serviceable condition, and immediately available.
	Type V A Type V PFD must be Coast Guard Approved. It is a restricted device that is acceptable only when the wearer is engaged in the activity for which the device is intended. Some restricted PFDs must be worn to be acceptable. Always check the label of a restricted PFD; the label will show the water sports for which the PFD is authorized and will list all other restrictions. Note: North Carolina law now applies to all vessels to include canoes and kayaks. Federal law requires all vessels on waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to carry the appropriate type and number of PFDs. There also are local laws on the Catawba River chain that require PFDs on all vessels.

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

A vessel of Classes A and 1 (less than 26 feet) must carry at least one Coast Guard Approved "B-1" type fire extinguisher unless (a) it has an approved built-in fire extinguishing system in the engine compartment, or (b) it is an outboard vessel of open construction and does not carry paying passengers.

For the purpose of determining if an outboard vessel is of closed construction, it is considered to be of closed construction if it has one or more of the following features:

Closed compartment under seats or elsewhere wherein portable fuel tanks may be stored. Double bottoms not sealed the hull or which are not completely filled with flotation material. Closed living spaces. Closed stowage compartments in which combustible or flammable materials are stored. Permanently mounted fuel tank.

The following construction features do not of themselves require that a fire extinguisher be carried:

Bait wells. Glove or map compartments. Buoyant flotation materials. Open slatted flooring. Ice chests.

Class 2 vessels must carry one type "B-II" or two type "B-1" extinguishers, unless equipped with an approved built-in extinguishing system, in which case one type "B-1" extinguisher will suffice.

Class 3 vessels must carry at least three "B-1" extinguishers or one type "B-1" and one type "B-II" extinguishers. If equipped with an approved built-in extinguishing system, two type "B-1" or one type "B-II" extinguishers will suffice.

SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES

Sound-producing devices include horns or whistles and bells. Vessels less than 12 meters (39.4 feet) in length, while not required to have a horn or whistles and bells, shall be provided with some means of making an efficient sound signal.

A vessel that is 12 meters, but less than 20 meters (65.6 feet) must carry a horn or whistle that can be heard for one-half mile. It also must carry a bell that has a diameter of at least 200 mm (7.87 inches) across the mouth. Vessel operators may substitute mechanical or electronic sound signal appliance for required sound producing devices is such appliances have similar sound characteristics, provided that manual sounding of the required signals must be possible.

FLAME ARRESTORS

The carburetors on inboard gasoline engines must be equipped with Coast Guard approved backfire flame arrestors or an arrangement of the carburetor or engine air induction system that will disperse any flames caused by engine backfire. The flames must be dispersed to the atmosphere outside the vessel in such a manner that the flames will not endanger the vessel, persons on board, or nearby vessels and structures All attachments shall be of metallic construction with flame tight connections and firmly secured to withstand vibration, shock, and engine backfire.

VENTILATION

Inboard vessels using gasoline or fuel with a flash point of less than 110 degrees Fahrenheit and outboard vessels which have enclosed bilges or fuel tank compartments or other compartments into which explosive or flammable gases may flow and be trapped must have each engine and fuel tank compartment equipped with two or more cowled ventilators arranged and ducted for efficiently evacuating such vapors. The ventilation requirement is in addition to, and not in lieu of, the fire extinguisher requirements.

EXHAUST MUFFLERS

Vessel engines with open-air exhausts and the capacity to operate at more than 4000 RPM must have effective muffling equipment installed on each exhaust manifold stack. Excepted are licensed commercial fishing boats.

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