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USPS/USCGAux
Vessel Safety Check Program
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About the Vessel Safety Check Program
The Vessel Safety Check Program is a joint venture between the USPS and the
US Coast Guard Auxiliary. The USCGAux has been conducting their Courtesy Marine
Exam for many years for folks who would like to have a trained eye examine their
boat to be sure it meets all federal and state safety requirements. This
exam is conducted at no charge. It is not a requirement for the operation
of a boat and has no legal implications, but serves only to increase the peace
of mind of the owner and his or her guests.
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 of the United States 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 you can be prepared to make this a positive encounter.
How to Get an Exam
We sometimes schedule public events ahead of time on area lakes (see our calendar), but you may also
contact us for
an individual exam. The VSC program also maintains a searchable list of examiners. You just enter
your zip code and a search radius, and it returns the contact information for
examiners in your area.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary maintains an excellent
web site for the public. There you can
find a page with a thorough description of what we look for, including photos,
at
http://safetyseal.net/what_is_vsc.asp. There is an
interactive slide presentation, as well as a copy of the
checklist we use, so you
can do a preliminary check on your own
Examiners
Vessel Examiners complete a training
course,
then are required to perform an exam on five
boats to be certified. Examiners must perform five exams per year to maintain their
qualification status.
Examiners can access more info on this
site.
The following represents a sampling of 100650 Vessel Safety Checks.
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Items that Failed: (Note: This is a percentage of ALL vessels examined and some had two or more items that failed so these numbers will not add up to 100%.)
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| Display of Numbers |
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5.435% |
| Registration / Documentation |
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5.574% |
| Personal Flotation Devices |
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2.832% |
| Visual Distress Signals |
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12.221% |
| Fire Extinguishers |
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4.501% |
| Backfire Flame Control |
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1.639% |
| Sound Producing Devices / Bell |
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5.156% |
| MARPOL Trash Placard |
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2.802% |
| Marine Sanitation Device |
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2.921% |
| State and/or Local Regulations |
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10.432% |
| Overall Vessel Condition |
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4.670% |
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Recommended Items not Found: (Note: These items are not required to pass the VSC.)
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| Dewatering Device & Backup |
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14.347% |
| Mounted Fire Extinguishers |
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21.570% |
| Anchor & Line for Area |
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11.257% |
| First Aid and PIW Kits |
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27.928% |
| Inland Visual Distress Signals |
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24.252% |
| Capacity / Cert. of Compliance |
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28.246% |
Discussion Items
a. Accident Reporting / Owner Responsibility
b. Offshore Operations
c. Nautical Charts / Navigation Aids
d. Survival Tips / First Aid
e. Fueling / Fuel Management
f. Float Plan / Weather & Sea Conditions
g. Insurance Considerations
h. Boating Check List
i. Safe Boating Classes |
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14.704% |
FWSPS Home Page
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