 Vessel Safety Check
USPS ®, working in partnership with the United States Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, provides free vessel safety checks for any small boat.
A Vessel Safety Check is a courtesy examination of your boat (Vessel) to verify the presence and condition of certain Safety Equipment required by State and the Federal regulations. The Vessel Examiner is a trained specialist and is a member or the US Power Squadrons or 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 helps you be prepared so that if a boarding does occur it will be a positive encounter.
Some of the items we check in a Vessel Safety Check are:
- Proper display of numbers
- Registration/Documentation
- Personal Flotation Devices; Life Jackets
- Visual Distress Signals
- Fire extinguishers
- Ventilation
- Backfire flame control
- Sound producing devices
- Navigation lights
- State requirements
- Overall vessel condition
If a vessel meets all of the Vessel Safety Check (VSC) requirements it is awarded a VSC decal. Boating Safety Education During the Vessel Safety Check, the vessel examiner will discuss with the recreational boater the purpose of specific marine safety equipment, will clarify various federal and state regulations, will discuss certain safety procedures and practices, and will answer any boating related questions. Some of the topics discussed are;
- Accident reporting
- Charts and aids to navigation
- Survival tips
- Fueling and fuel management
- Float plans Weather and sea conditions
- Availability of boating safety classes
Power Squadron members or Coast Guard Auxiliary members who are certified vessel examiners will gladly inspect your boat to ensure that it meets safety requirements.
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