Chapter 3: water rescue equipment minimum equipment required on board vessels. the canadian small vessels regulations and the international regulations for preventing collisions (amended for canada) require all boats to carry a minimum of safety equipment.. How many and what type depends on the number of people on board, the size and type of your boat, and the type of boating you do. simple rule of thumb: all boats, regardless of length, must have one pfd for each person aboard.. State requirements for life jackets. in states where no children's life jacket law is in place, a u.s. coast guard interim rule requires children under 13 on moving boats to wear a u.s. coast guard approved life jacket that fits. +1-800-245-boat (2628) smartboating@boatus.com..
To meet u.s. coast guard requirements, a boat must have a u.s. coast guard approved life jacket for each person aboard. boats 16 feet and over must have at least one type iv throwable device as well. all states have regulations regarding life jacket wear by children. adult-sized life jackets will not work for children.. Lifejackets made to the old standards will be acceptable for use into the foreseeable future. if you purchase a lifejacket made to an old standard now and look after it, you can expect many years of service. a date may be set for eventual retirement of the old standards. more information is available on the national marine safety committee website.. There must be a flotation device for each person on the boat. i would confirm the local laws with someone (at the marina, boat shop, etc.). the local laws are what will get most people in trouble. age requirements for mandatory use and sizing issues (like a child on the boat but only have adult jackets) are common issues..
