USCG Approved Life Jackets -- Required on Foreign Flag Vessels?

[twinboat]

I bought a used boat that was built and outfitted in Canada. When I bought It, It was registered in RI.

I documented the boat in the US.

During my first boarding inspection, I was written up for non US CG PFDs. The boat came with 8 PFDs but I never looked at the tags.

When I questioned the CG officer about a passing Canadian vessel, I was told they didn't need US CG PFDs.

In 2 subsequent boardings, I first offer the Canadian PFDs and they never look at the tag.

Just ran into 1 sharp officer.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by Robin3

Since then we Have purchased new West Marine hydrostatic auto inflate jackets with harnesses that now DO comply with USCG, made by Mustang in Canada. What a difference a little rubber stamp makes! These can now be counted as part of our required inventory even if stowed not worn.

Depends where you are. Approved inflatable Pfd's are only approved in Canada while they are being worn. If they are in a locker they don't count.

Inexpensive approved foam lifejackets do not have to be worn to be counted.

I didn't say it makes sense, but that's the way it is.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by seabreez

Does anyone know whether the requirement to have USCG approved life jackets is applied to foreign flagged yachts cruising in U.S. waters?

For years there was a lot of ambiguity about life jackets. Life jackets are the "key hole", type, uncomfortable and heavy and not very friendly to wear. They are used world wide on all vessels private and commercial. They are also approved by different countries for their legal purpose. And believe it or not they are sometimes made by the same manufacturer. You, correction, IIIII call this d--- politics. The only superior quality that sets them apart of all others is that the "key hole type lifejacket" is the only one that will right you or turn you over with your face completely out of the water if you happen to be unconscious. Some countries have reciprocity of use, for example Canada and the US have a mutual understanding that both countries can travel in the opposite country and not have to worry about lifejackets and I believe it goes for most of the minimum equipment list. I was boarded in Florida and there were no issues with "Canadian" approved lifejackets on a Canadian vessel.

Now for personal floatation device (PFD) are often mistaken as life jackets and are not life jackets. They are personal floatation devices and are most of the time superior to life jackets for floatability. Most lifejackets will give you a lift or floatability of 15 1/2 lbs. ( 2 1/2 lbs. more than the weight of an average head... whether full of brains or not... hihihi! ) Some PFD's will lift more than 15 1/2 lbs. and the coverall PFD's will lift up to 35 lbs. No manufacturer guarantees that PFD's will "right" you in an upright position if you happen to be unconscious. However the PFD's will offer different options for the different sport that you prefer. As for the color, red, orange and yellow were the only ones accepted for years. Since approximately 1996 other colors for different sports or fashion are accepted. All lifejackets and PFD's should fit properly for every person onboard and should indicate the amount of pounds of lift it offers.

Canadian approved Mustang Pfd's have 26 lbs in the budget series and 35 lbs in the upper series. They are available in many colors but are all yellow when inflated.

Lifejackets (approved) come in many types not just keyhole type for recreational use. Solas approved lifejackets for commercial vessels are all the keyhole type.

Mustang's top Pfd is approved as a lifejacket - it is the only inflatable that is in Canada. Commonly seen on commercial workers but can be purchased by anyone.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by mitiempo

Canadian approved Mustang Pfd's have 26 lbs in the budget series and 35 lbs in the upper series. They are available in many colors but are all yellow when inflated.

Lifejackets (approved) come in many types not just keyhole type for recreational use. Solas approved lifejackets for commercial vessels are all the keyhole type.

Mustang's top Pfd is approved as a lifejacket - it is the only inflatable that is in Canada. Commonly seen on commercial workers but can be purchased by anyone.

West marine's Own brand one here is USCG approved, we have them, hydrostatic operation version ones , made by Mustang for West.
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-m...ecs-_-MB-_-PDP

MY older and now spare UK ( I"m a Brit blow -in) purchased Crewsaver 175N PFD is CE ( European) and SOLAS approved but dates back 10 years, but it is not USCG approved.

Confusing? You betcha!

In my case I was more interested in the built in harness, the idea being not to fall overboard and need the inflatable bit, but that is a bonus

[carstenb]

we have spin-Locks - both the 150N and the heavy duty 275N (Heavy duty off-shore model).

does anyone know if these are USCG approved?

this is an interesting thread since we will be sailing up and down the US east coast for about 1 year.

what else could the USCG require be USCG approved? Further up fire extinguishers were mentioned. Flares? Life rafts (we have a Zodiac Off-shore ocean model).

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

carsten

[estarzinger]

^^

look at http://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF

life jackets, fire extinguishers and flares to be USCG approved, there are (I think) three required plaques, garbage disposal 'plan', and sanitation set-up (several options but usually ability to 'lock' valves and holding tank)

even as a foreign boat you do legally have to comply with the pollution requirements (the plaques, plan and sanitation set up) as only safety equipment is covered in the reciprocity treaty.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Robin3

West marine's Own brand one here is USCG approved, we have them, hydrostatic operation version ones , made by Mustang for West.
WEST MARINE Offshore Automatic Inflatable Life Jacket with Harness | West Marine

MY older and now spare UK ( I"m a Brit blow -in) purchased Crewsaver 175N PFD is CE ( European) and SOLAS approved but dates back 10 years, but it is not USCG approved.

Confusing? You betcha!

In my case I was more interested in the built in harness, the idea being not to fall overboard and need the inflatable bit, but that is a bonus

I Googled Spinlock. This model is USCG approved-not sure about OP's :
https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en-us/cat...-deckvest-lite

Same problem in Canada on Safety items-USCG approval does not mean Transport Canada approval. For instance-the Horseshoe lifesaver is not TC approved.
If you & your vessel are foreign,your home country's approval is all that's required for safety gear on recreational boats.

[Moontide]

Estarzinger. Can you post a link. Boat has been out of US for awhile and may not be up to snuff with the current with the regs. Have the "Trash" plan, engine room plaque but not sure what the 3rd plaque is, nor the sanitation setup.

We are going to Florida and I seem to recall seing some posts that they have their own set of rules. Guess I should know what they are, and if they apply to boats transiting / temporarily in Florida waters.

Thanks,
Bill

[estarzinger]

^^I posted a link to the USCG regs just 3 posts above.

Plaques:

Sanitation: Holding tank plus "lockable" discharge seacock seems to be the typical legal set-up, but there are a bunch of legal alternatives, and it depends a bit on exactly what waters you are on. If Peggie Hall is still around the Forums, she is the expert.

[hellosailor]

IIRC the foot square red vinyl "kneeling pads" are Type IV's are satisfy all the USCG regs while conveniently being dirt cheap and useful for older knees when trying to work in yoga positions.


And my ancient unapproved Crewfit that might have been UK-approved back when I got it, was a dead ringer for what the Marines used on Marine One when the president was being flown around for many years before inflatable PFDs were legal in the US at all. I figured, if Marines in helos responsible for the President thought they were good enough to save his life (and theirs) they were damned good enough for me.


Those red kneepad toys...hey, cheap enough to keep the anal compulsive types with clipboards happy. As they say at Annapolis:


If it can be moved, move it.
If it can't be moved, paint it.
If you can't paint it, salute it.


That'll get you through anything the Navy can throw at you. Ought to work for the USCG as well.

[Stumble]

I a, always curious what the throwable Type IV is for on my boat... Since its a single handed only vessel, I am never sure if I am supposed to throw it in before I fall overboard, tie it to myself in case I fall in, or what....


Sometimes regulations are just dumb.

[carstenb]

On a separate note - someone further up happend to mention a florida cruising permit??

where does one buy this? How much and do we need to buy this kind of permit in other states along the eastern seaboard?

Evans - If we arrive without those plaques (not readily obtainable in Denmark) will we be given the time windo to purchase them somewhere on shore or will the fines and penalties begin immediately?

[estarzinger]

^^ the cruising permit is a federal thing, not state. Getting it is part of your check-in process. In theory you have to call in and inform as you move up the coast - in practice you only do that in Florida, and elsewhere they may be a bit puzzled if you do it. But you only need one cruising permit for all the states.

In theory, I believe, you need all the pollution stuff to be in place as you enter US waters. In practice, it depends on what specific individuals you encounter - most often I guess they will not even look, but you could get someone on a bad day who gives you a hard time. You can look the plaques up on the Internet and just print them out and laminate them - they don't need to be any sort of "official printed".

I am not super knowledgable about this - never personally "foreign flagged cruised" in the US. I have helped a few who have and the challenge seems to be that the rules are interpreted and enforced unevenly and differently in different places.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by carstenb

On a separate note - someone further up happend to mention a florida cruising permit??

where does one buy this? How much and do we need to buy this kind of permit in other states along the eastern seaboard?

Evans - If we arrive without those plaques (not readily obtainable in Denmark) will we be given the time windo to purchase them somewhere on shore or will the fines and penalties begin immediately?

http://http://www.westmarine.com/buy...cards--8788986.



But as a (presumably) non -USA registered vessel there should be no need/problem other than perhaps meeting one of flori-duh's not so finest on an off day.

they will mail to you in a few days, buy before you leave Europe?

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

If he's there on a work visa and takes a job he automatically considered a resident of Florida and as a resident is required to have all vessels owned by him registered in the state of Florida.

I'm not sure this is true. Florida doesn't have jurisdiction over what a Florida resident owns in a foreign country, including boats.

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

He will also be required to get a Florida drivers license. US documented vessels owned by Florida residents are required to have a state issued decal. If they have owned the boat more than 6 months in another US taxing jurisdiction they are not required to pay the 6% tax, but non US jurisdictions are specifically excluded and must pay no matter how long they've owned the boat. Foreign flagged vessels on a cruising permit are considered tourists and the boat is exempt from both the tax and registration requirements. Taking a job means you are now a resident and not a tourist and created a plethora of opportunities for the tax man to dip into ones pocket.

You are mixing immigration with customs. Vessels aren't 'tourists', they are foreign flagged vessels with permission to be in US under a set of rules. Owner can be a foreigner or US citizen.

I know of a US citizen that owns a corporation in BVI. The corp owns the vessel and it's been here in the US under a US Customs cruising license for years. Nothing illegal about it.

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

Of course if one takes a job without a proper visa or a green card one is in violation of the law and being summarily ejected from the country as well as possible criminal sanctions. I'm assuming that your friend will have the proper visa since he is specifically coming here to take a job. It will be interesting to see what happens if he gets inspected by the FWC or the USCG and they see a Florida drivers license on the owner of a foreign flagged boat.

Again, this happens all the time. If a foreigner owns a car in Florida, most insurance companies require a Florida Drivers License. Florida issues the license to match the term of the visa, i.e. 6 months if they are under the visa waiver program. There is nothing illegal, nor frowned upon, when a foreigner shows a valid Florida Driver's License and owns a foreign vessel.