Safety Certifications & Registrations - Required by law or just good to have?

[Passages]

Bought my 63' few months ago and I'm getting mixed messages from the "experts" on the dock. Is everything listed below essential and in need recertification, registration or licensing?

6 person life raft - cert expired in 2016
EPIRB - Battery expiration date was 2017 - but can't find a source for new battery. Not registered under my name
Fire extinguishers - Mostly Kidde Mariners not part of recall. Last inspection was 2016
Fireboy HFC227, 70 lb Auto/Manual in ER. Tag says cert expires 12 months from punched date (July 2016)
SSB Radio - Sea 223 - Not registered
VHF MMSI - Not registered under my name.

So what's the real deal for a recreational vessels under 65'? I don't go offshore. Coastal cruising only. Thinking I can get rid of the EPIRB, SSB and life raft as I should always be in VHF range.

Thoughts and advice appreciated.

[carolinacoast]

I am not an expert, but given your use, you may just want to comply with your Insurance carriers recommendations. On ours, I removed the liferaft. there is a process for 'checking ' your fire extinguishers for up to 5 years or so.
epirb- I got just a PLB and registered it. SSB - no license required. we have one, but I never got it to work. the tank in the engine room is the most problematic.

[Scarlett]

You are not required to have a life raft or an EPIRB. If you fire extinguishers are the refillable type they need to be certified yearly, if the are the disposable type they are good for 10 years if the gauge is green. SSB should be included in the ships FCC license for all electronics, which a lot of people do not keep current and usually no one cares. The engine room system needs to be weighed yearly and as long as it is within a certain % of the correct weight it is ok(can’t remember the percentage). You can do that yourself and make your own tag. Hope this helps. John

[Cricket]

So I'm trying to understand the concept of always being in VHF range and not having a life raft? Was on a 43' sportfish that sank in a few minutes, after we knew there was a problem, 3 or 4 mile off the beach about 45 years ago and to this day I'm sure glad they had a life raft. There was only time for a mayday call, pull the ripcord, and to get in the raft, there's no way to guarantee there's gong to be power to run the vhf etc when things go bad.

[Pascal]

The SSB is indeed not needed but nobody is going to care if its on board and unused

I would absolutely keep the life raft, even if not recently inspected. Actually most people don t get them done every year unless running commercial. We have a pair of Zodiac 6 pax rafts on the boat i run and the inspection is around $1200 each... i only do it every year because in the bahamas they check th dates when we renew the annual charter license.

Afaik you cant replace the epirb batteries yourself. Cheap enough to get it done and noaa registration is simple and done online. Even staying near shore, why would you not want an epirb and why would you want authoritoes to try to conctact a previous owner? If you get a fir that take out your electrical system, your VHF isnt going to do you any good...

Fire extinguisher, check locally but the annual certification and ER bottle check is too cheap to mess with this

[bobk]

That big CO2 bottle needs to come off the boat periodically (10 years??) for a pressure test. That's a big expense.

Bobk

[Fanfare]

Current fire extinguisher certification is one of the prime matters my insurance company insists upon. So I do it. I think it makes sense as a fire on a fiberglass and wood boat gives only a very short window before the alternative is abandoning ship.

A few years ago I was touring a USCG cutter when what turned out to be a false alarm sounded. The crew mustered with full breathing gear, hoses and extinguishers FIRST even before checking for the source. I learned a lesson from that. I don't have a safety panel on the flying bridge so it takes me a minute to get down and check the lights. If it says fire I now run with a 10 lb dry powder extinguisher through the boat until I am sure it is a false alarm.

[Canuck Dennis]

I was informed by a surveyor in Florida that if an item is on the vessel then it has to work and/or be in certification.

If survey pointed out these defects Ins Co normally requires fixing or rectification or coverage not in effect should any of those defects cause a claim.

[Briankinley2004]

To the best of my memory of the items you listed only the fire extinguishers are required for RECREATIONAL use by the Coast Guard. All the items are good ideas. As stated above the insurance company may require them to work if on board. The VHF is mandatory at 65', I think, but under that just a good idea. If you are carrying passengers for hire all that changes with it being more stringent if you carry more than 6 then your vessel would have to be inspected by the USCG. Also check your local regulations as they may require more than the USCG

[Briankinley2004]

I just googled and found this page below which tells the "must haves"

http://www.unitedmarine.net/boating_...equipment.aspx