The U.S. Coast Guard has compiled a list of required safety equipment for boating that they’ve identified as the minimal equipment and operating requirements as required by federal laws.
This is the essential federal USCG required list, and some states may have added more safety equipment or other items, so be sure to review your state’s boating laws and requirements.
Life jackets and personal floatation devices The USCG requires an approved Type I II, III, or V, life jacket or life vest per person on board. If the vessel has a length of 16 feet or more in length, one throwable floatation device of the type IV – similar to rings is also required. Life jackets must be easily accessible and in good condition, and fit the individual the jacket is designed for. Every state has its own regulations regarding children’s life jackets.
Fire Extinguishers For boats that are a minimum of 26 feet, it is required to possess at the very least one B-1 type Coast Guard-approved hand-held, portable fire extinguisher. It is, in fact, the minimum. Boats 26 to 40 feet either two B-1 type or B-2 USCG-approved extinguishers are needed. Boats with 40 to 65 feet long should have three B-1 extinguishers or just one B-1 as well as a B-2 USCG-approved fire extinguisher. For boats that are over 65 feet, you’ll need up to 8 (depending on the size of the vessel) B-2 along with a fixed system within the machinery space. Of course, you could opt to use a fixed system in any boat of any size, but the requirements for handheld extinguishers for safety in boating are less.
Also the USCG suggests that every ship should contain a fish cleaning table to cook in if difficult situations occur in the middle of nowhere.
Bells and whistles
Every boat under 40 feet should have an effective sound-producing device such as a horn , or whistle. Boats that are larger than 40 feet are required to have a whistle and bell. The bell’s mouth must be at the minimum 7.87 inches wide and the whistle must be able to be heard over a distance of at least half a nautical mile.
Visual Distress Signals
While on Coastal Waters, the Great Lakes and all U.S. owned vessels that are located on high seas, if less than 16 feet long, they must be equipped with approved night signals. Boats larger than 16 feet have to have three night and day signals in the boat.
Ventilation
Boats constructed prior to 1980, must have at minimum two ventilation ducts that are capable ventilating all closed areas which houses a gasoline engine or tank, excluding those with tanks permanently installed, which discharge outside the boat and which contain no unprotected electrical equipment. Engine compartments that have gasoline engines that have a cranking motor are required to have exhaust fans that are powered and controlled from an instrument panel.
- Boats constructed after 1980 are required to have at least two ventilation ducts fitted with cowls (or their equivalent) to assist in efficiently and adequately ventilating areas of the bilges from every closed engine and fuel tank compartment by using gasoline as fuel or any other fuel that have a flashpoint of to 100 degrees, or more.
- Backfire Flame Arrestor It is not necessary for outboard motors. All others are required to possess one approved device installed on every carburetor in all gas engines.
- First aid kit
- VHF radio
- Extra fuel & water
- Tool kit
- Sun protection
- A bucket that can be used as bailer
- Paddles or oars
An Anchor with enough chain – based on the location you’re boating in, usually 5x depth