Every year many boating-related fatalities result in drownings because the individuals were not wearing life jackets. To ensure you and your passengers have a fun and safe day on the water, here are the basic life jacket rules you need to follow. Show
All required life jackets and throwable device must be in good and serviceable condition. This means that all buckles and straps must be in good condition and not ripped or torn; seams and material must be intact; no rips or tears in the fabric or coating; buoyant material is intact and has not hardened, become water-logged, soiled or become oil-soaked Inflatable Life JacketsInflatable life jacket are lightweight, comfortable to wear and take up about one-tenth of the storage room of conventional foam-filled life jackets. Inflatable life jackets are only approved for persons age 16 or older. Be sure to check the label for usage limitations such as whitewater activities, water skiing, or riding on a PWC. Inflatable life jackets must meet all the requirements for wearable life jackets listed above plus the following:
Federal Life Jacket Rule for Children Under 13 Years OldNo person may operate a recreation vessel on federal waters with any child under age 13 on the vessel unless each child is either:
Fitting Your Life JacketLife Jackets come in a variety of sizes and size ranges. The life jacket label will provide the size of the life jacket along with information about the life jacket approval and approved uses of the life jacket (some life jackets are not approved for use on PWCs, towed watersports, or white water activities). After you check the label, be sure to try it on! Before every boating trip, try on your life jacket to make sure it fits correctly. What does a correct fit mean? It should be snug, but not tight. Lift your arms over your head – can you turn your head left, right, and over your shoulder, or does the life jacket ride up and in the way of moving your head? For children, have them stand with their arms at their sides. Lift the jacket up by the shoulders. The life jackets should not move more than 3 inches, no higher than the child’s ears. If the life jacket does move up more than 3 inches, it is too big and the child can slip out of their life jacket. A life jacket for a young child will include a crotch strap. The crotch strap will insure the life jacket stays on. A final test of the life jacket is to try it on in the water. The life jacket should be snug enough to not ride up over the chin or ears when in the water. Fire ExtinguishersAll boats over 26 feet must have USCG approved, adequately charged fire extinguishers aboard (see the chart for specific safety requirement). In addition, all motorboats under 26 feet that have one or more of the following conditions must also carry fire extinguishers:
All fire extinguishers must be U.S. Coast Guard approved, must have an efficient charge, and must be in good and serviceable condition. Backfire Flame ArrestorAll powerboats, except outboards, that are fueled with gasoline must have a USCG approved backfire flame arrestor on each carburetor. VentilationAny boat using a fuel with a flashpoint of 110° or less (gasoline but not diesel) that has any enclosed engine or fuel tank spaces (not open to the atmosphere) , must have an efficient ventilation system to disperse explosive gases. Natural ventilation consists of at least two ventilation ducts fitted with cowls or their equivalent. At least one exhaust duct extending to the lower portion of the bilge and at least one intake (supply) duct extending to a point midway to the bilge or at least below the level of the carburetor air intake is required. Boats built after July 31, 1980 are required to have powered ventilation (exhaust blower) for engine compartments that are not open to the atmosphere. WARNING: Gasoline vapors can explode. Before starting the engine, operate blower for at least four minutes and check engine compartment bilge for gasoline vapors. All owners are responsible for keeping their boat’s ventilation systems in operating condition. This means, making sure openings are free of obstructions, ducts are not blocked or torn, blowers are operating properly, and worn out components are replaced with equivalent marine type equipment. Sound-Producing DevicesAll vessels, including paddlecraft, must carry a sound-producing device. The navigation rules require sound signals to be made under certain circumstances. Meeting, crossing, and overtaking situations described in Navigation Rules are examples of when sound signals are required. Recreational vessels are also required to sound fog signals during periods of reduced visibility. Having some means of making an efficient sound signal capable of a 4-second blast audible for 1/2 nautical mile is required. A whistle or air horn is acceptable if your vessel is not equipped with a horn. Muffling DeviceThe exhaust of an internal combustion engine on any motorboat shall be effectively muffled. The muffling device shall exhaust at or below the water line or it shall be equipped with mechanical baffles. The use of cutouts is prohibited. Engine Cutoff Switch (ECOS)Every year people are injured and killed in boating incidents that could have been prevented by the use of a simple engine cutoff switch. A new federal law requires that vessel operators of boats less than 26 feet use (attach to person) the engine cutoff switch when traveling on plane or above displacement speed. This applies to boats equipped with a functioning engine cutoff device or boats manufactured after January 2020. In addition, state law requires that all operators of personal watercraft attach the engine cutoff switch to their person. For more information about the new federal law, go to https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/engine-cut-off-switch-faq.php. Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)Vessels with installed toilets and marine sanitation devices shall be in compliance with federal regulations which set standards for sewage discharges from marine sanitation devices. Vessels without installed toilets or without installed marine sanitation devices shall not directly or indirectly discharge sewage into state waters. Sewage and other wastes from self-contained, portable toilets or other containment devices shall be pumped out at pump-out facilities or carried ashore for treatment in facilities approved by the Virginia Department of Health. Smith Mountain Lake is a “No Discharge Zone.” Pump-Out StationsA complete list of pump-out stations is available by contacting the Virginia Department of Health at 804-864-7473 or online at www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-health/marina-program/maps-marina. Visual Distress SignalsAll power boats 16 feet or greater in length shall be equipped with visual distress signaling devices at all times when operating on coastal waters. This regulation applies to all coastal waters and those rivers 2 miles or more wide at the mouth and up to the first point the river narrows to less than 2 miles. Boats less than 16 feet, manually propelled boats (rowboats, canoes, kayaks, etc.), and open sailboats under 26 feet with no motor, are required to carry only night visual distress signals when operated on coastal waters at night. Recreational boaters may carry additional visual distress signals over the minimum number of VDS required. Note: It is illegal to display a visual distress signal unless immediate assistance is needed. If using pyrotechnic signals, must have 3 night signals plus 3 day signals or 3 day/night combination signals. If using non-pyrotechnic signals, you must have 1 day signal and 1 night signal. Pyrotechnic visual distress signals must be:
USCG approved Pyrotechnic Visual Distress Signals include:
Non-pyrotechnic visual distress signaling devices must:
USCG approved non-pyrotechnic visual distress signals include:
The following points will be used as the “cutoff points” for enforcement of the visual distress signal regulations on the coastal waters in Virginia. These points can be found on the appropriate nautical chart.
Navigation LightsRecreational boats, while underway, are required to display navigation lights between sunset and sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility (see navigation lights, pg. 63). No other lights shall be exhibited that could impair the visibility of required running lights or impair the visibility of approaching vessels. Lights Used When AnchoredAn anchor light is a 360 degree (all-round) white light exhibited where it can best be seen and visible for 2 miles. Special Lights for Enforcement VesselsEnforcement vessels of the DWR, the USCG, and other law enforcement agencies may display a rotating or flashing blue light. When such a light is observed you should stop immediately and maneuver in such a way as to permit the boarding officer to come alongside or aboard. By federal law, blue lights may only be displayed by enforcement vessels of the federal, state or local governments, and have the same effect on the water as the rotating or flashing blue lights on law enforcement cars traveling our highways. Vessels Less Than 12 Meters (39.4 ft.) in Length
The white masthead light or all around white light must be at least 1 meter (3.3 ft.) higher than the colored sidelights. Vessels 12 Meters but Less Than 20 Meters (65.5 ft.) in Length
The white masthead light or all around white light must be at least 1 meter (3.3 ft.) higher than the colored sidelights. Unpowered VesselsA vessel under oars and sailboats less than 7 meters (23 feet) in length may display those lights prescribed for a sailing vessel, but it they do not, they shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern (Figure 8) shining a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision. International Rules
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