Safety equipment for pleasure vessels?

[Mike1956]

In UK...

"For pleasure vessels of < 13.7m there are no statutory regulations for the carriage of safety equipment other than those required under SOLAS V.

SOLAS V 34 requires you to consider whether the vessel is suitable to undertake the planned passage.

In the event of an incident prosecution could follow if all parts of SOLAS V have not being complied with.

So here's the debate. Is a vessel in a suitable condition to proceed to sea if she is not carrying any safety equipment - flares, fire extinguishers etc?

Mike

[FSMike]

In the UK?
I don't know but I would certainly hope not.
Are trolls legal?

[StuM]

Solas V 34 says nothing about vessel suitablility or equipment. It is about route plannning.

1. Prior to proceeding to sea, the master shall ensure that the intended voyage has been planned using the appropriate nautical charts and nautical publications for the area concerned, taking into account the guidelines and recommendations developed by the Organization.*
2. The voyage plan shall identify a route which:
2.1 takes into account any relevant ships' routeing systems
2.2 ensures sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the ship throughout the voyage
2.3 anticipates all known navigational hazards and adverse weather conditions; and
2.4 takes into account the marine environmental protection measures that apply, and avoids, as far as possible, actions and activities which could cause damage to the environment
Can you give an actual chapter of SOLAS V which talks about vessel suitability or required safety equipment?


Edit:
Other than Sect 19:
2.1.7 if less than 150 gross tonnage and if practicable, a radar reflector or other means, to enable detection by ships navigating by radar at both 9 and 3 GHz;

[hellosailor]

When's your court date, Mike1956? Were you the master of the vessel?
Or are you trying to bring charges against them?
Surely, your solicitor has had something to say about this already.

[valhalla360]

This is a lot like in a car, you are not legally allowed to follow too close for conditions.

Cops almost never pull someone over for following to closely (except in extreme cases). It's almost always after you rear end someone...by definition, you were following to closely.

In a similar way, if you fail to have a throwable life preserver, they may not pull you over to give you a ticket but if someone drowns and a throwable life presever was likely to have helped, you failed to follow the rules.

[Mike1956]

Originally Posted by StuM

Solas V 34 says nothing about vessel suitablility or equipment. It is about route plannning.

1. Prior to proceeding to sea, the master shall ensure that the intended voyage has been planned using the appropriate nautical charts and nautical publications for the area concerned, taking into account the guidelines and recommendations developed by the Organization.*
2. The voyage plan shall identify a route which:
2.1 takes into account any relevant ships' routeing systems
2.2 ensures sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the ship throughout the voyage
2.3 anticipates all known navigational hazards and adverse weather conditions; and
2.4 takes into account the marine environmental protection measures that apply, and avoids, as far as possible, actions and activities which could cause damage to the environment
Can you give an actual chapter of SOLAS V which talks about vessel suitability or required safety equipment?


Edit:
Other than Sect 19:
2.1.7 if less than 150 gross tonnage and if practicable, a radar reflector or other means, to enable detection by ships navigating by radar at both 9 and 3 GHz;

Thank you,

You will see I referred to pleasure vessels under 13.7m.

My computer skills are abysmal and if I had any idea how to use this infernal machine I would be able to put a link up here to a document published my MCGA in UK entitled "SOLAS V for Pleasure Craft"

It highlights the parts of SOLAS V applicable to vessels of less than 150 gross tons. As I understand SOLAS V for over 150 gross tons is a different beast.

One of the headings reads

VOYAGE PLANNING Regulation V/34

Safe navigation and Avoidance of Dangerous Situations.

Then under a sub heading reads

LIMITATIONS OF THE VESSEL. Consider whether your boat is up to the proposed trip and that you have sufficient safety equipment and stores with you.

I have read also possibly on the RYA site "there are no statutory requirements for the carriage of safety equipment on pleasure vessels of under 13.7m other than those required under SOLAS V" (or words to that effect)

I suppose the conclusion has to be although there indeed are no statutory requirements to carry safety equipment on <13.7m pleasure vessels it is left to the discretion of the skipper as to what safety equipment to carry for the intended passage.

Only in the event of an incident and subsequent investigation it would be determined retrospectively if the skipper did indeed comply with SOLAS V.

Oh and if someone who has a clue about these gadgets could you put a link up to the document to which I refer I would be grateful.

Thanks

Mike

[StuM]

Here's a link to SOLAS V with annotations

https://mcanet.mcga.gov.uk/public/c4/solasv/index.html

[StuM]

And the guidelines for pleasure craft:

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ure-boat-users