Vessel Safety Check
Program
The United States Power Squadrons® has
teamed up with the U. S. Coast Guard and the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in a Memorandum
of Understanding to support and become active partners in a national program to perform
Vessel Safety Checks (VSC). All active USPS® members, 18 years and
older, are eligible to train and become qualified as Vessel Examiners (VEs)). A VSC
decal is issued when a vessel has been inspected and met all required elements listed on
the Vessel Safety Checklist.
USPS and the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary have been
pioneers in Safe Boating Education and have enjoyed good relations over the years and
often our members are also members in the U. S. Coast Guard and vice versa. With
this new program, USPS is taking an active role in training their members to become
qualified vessel examiners. Our local squadrons and the local CG Auxiliary flotillas
can now have joint vessel safety stations, train each other's members to become qualified
VEs, and share communications in new ways. On the national level, there is a joint
website that is hosted by the U. S. Coast Auxiliary for the new Vessel Safety Check
Program. Just click on this link to go to it for more information: http://SafetySeal.net
For district information, contact the D31 Vessel Safety Check Chairman, D/lt Jay Spicer, S
at 918-791-0223 or Email at cfsjas@grandsavingsbank.com
Vessel operators and boat owners can achieve the following benefits
when they have a
FREE Vessel Safety Check --
Prevent receiving citations by meeting
federal and state and local safety equipment requirements
Identify educational and equipment-related
possible boating insurance discounts
Increase awareness of safety practices to
avoid accidents and costly breakdowns
Purchase safety equipment from Boat/Us and
West Marine with discount coupons
Some the items that qualified Vessel Examiners will
check for on the boat are proper;
display of numbers,
registration and documentation,
personal flotation devices,
visual distress signals,
fire extinguishers,
ventilation,
backfire flame control,
sound-producing devices,
navigation lights,
federal/state/local requirements,
and overall vessel condition.
Some of the topics that may be discussed during the vessel check are;
accident reporting,
chart and aids,
survival tips,
fueling and fuel management,
float plans,
weather
sea or lake conditions,
and safe boating classes.
This is a good time for boaters to ask questions and
have the vessel examiner clarify safety equipment requirements and recommend where to sign
up for safe boating classes if the boater is interested. See also our Safety
Tips webpage listed in the links provided at the bottom of this page.
District VSC Award
The award called the "District 31 Vessel Safety Check
Award" was presented to the district as a memorium for the Pine Bluff Squadron which
has returned their charter to USPS and will cease to exist at the end of FY2003. The
trophy was designed by members of the Pine Bluff Squadron and presented to the district by
Cdr William F. Foster, AP
The recepient of the award in 2007 is the
Grand Lake Sail & Power Squadron.
The award is approximately eight inches high. It has space around the
base that will allow attachment of suitable plaques that will denote the winning squadron
and the year of the award.
Rules for the award are administered by our District VSC Chairman
Vessel Safety Check Training in the Classroom
Vessel Examiner Training features
classroom instruction and written exam as first part of the VSC Training program
Photo: VE training, Grand Lake Sail & Power Squadron
(Photo by D/C Bill Miller, P)
Let's Examine Those Vessels!
Vessel Examiner
Trainees must also examine five vessels as part of the program to become qualified as
a VE
VEs must continue to perform a minimum of five Vessel Safety Checks each year to
keep VE qualification up-to-date
L to R: Boaters pass the Vessel Safety Check and receive VSC decal as FC Jonas in
life vest congratulates them
Pass your free Vessel Safety
Check and get your VSC decal today!
