Thread: boat inspection by the coast guard

South Louisiana has hundreds of miles of bayous and manmade pipeline canals and few real lakes. Most of the manmade canals are used by oilfield workboats so someone is usually around. The coast guard and crew boats monitor the radio.

I got a marine radio for safety sake. A $130 investment will look very small if you ever need help. You can get lost very easy back in those canals and if you need help it may be hard to see you as opposed to being on an open lake. I also carry one of those flashing strobe lights so someone could find me if necessary. Some GPS units and Marine radios can be interlocked. The radio will have a red emergency button (for use in life threatening situations) which will broadcast your coordinates to the coast guard. Our GW have this on their boats. I also carry flares, whistle and horn.

But my fire extenguisher is not bolted down and now I know it should. Looks like it would have come that way.

This might interest you. It's from the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and US Power Squadrons vessel safety check website.

Reasons you may not pass a vessel safety inspection.

OK, FOLLOW UP no radio needed, but yes on the fire ex. being mounted, cant be laying by my seat easy to get to,, oh no has to be mounted so a stranger can see it, oh laying by my throttle,is not easy to see, oh well, anyway glad I almost passed, just needed the darn thing mounted, well it is now, I also have a whistle,and horn (thanks to the kdpawabj) he gave me his card so guess I can call him and get reinspected, thanks all

You would think they would want it more accesible than they would have it mounted. Mine is under the driver side console.

Originally Posted by Jigging15

You would think they would want it more accesible than they would have it mounted. Mine is under the driver side console.

Mine too.

FOUND THIS IN THE MO. BOAT SAFETY REG.'S
NO WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT IT HAS TO BE ATTACHED OR MOUNTED..
BEAGLE WAS IT THE REAL C/G OR THE WANABE AUX,,,,USE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THEM ON LOZ ABOUT THE WHISTLE I USED AND NOT A HORN,,,,,

Fire Extinguishers
All vessels are required to have a Type B, USCG-approved fire extinguisher onboard if one or
more of the following conditions exist:
• Closed storage compartments in which flammable or combustible materials are stored
• Closed living spaces
• Permanently installed fuel tanks (tanks with tie-down straps or clamps that hinder
removal)
• Flammable or toxic fluids onboard.
Approved fire extinguishers are identified by the label “Marine Type USCG Approved,” followed
by the size and type symbols and the approval number.
Extinguishers should be easily accessible - not near the engine or in a compartment, but
where they can be reached immediately. All extinguishers should be checked annually to
ensure they are charged.
Sound producing devices
• Vessels greater than 16 feet but less than 40 feet long must carry onboard a whistle,
horn or other means to make an efficient sound signal to signal intentions or p

You are mixing 3 different agencies/groups together. The Missouri State Water Patrol, state agency which can and will if they want to inspect your boat at any time on the water and can and sometimes will write you a citation for various violations. The U.S. Coast Guard, rarely seen in the state of missouri but do have some federal law enforcement capability on inland waters although they very seldom use it. The Coast Guard Auxilary, no enforcement powers whatsoever, can perform voluntary boat inspections but cannot require you to submit to the inspection, if you don't pass you simply don't get the sticker, thay cannot write you a citation nor can they detain you. They do a lot of good things on public lakes and provide some great safety information and trainings, however in years past I have had "issues" with some of them and have basically ignored them for years where possible. There are a bunch of great guys & gals in the Coast Guard Auxillary, but there are a few jerks that think they are cops too, unfortunately those are the ones you usually remember. I didn't even add in the Missouri Department of Conservation Agents who can I believe write you a ticket for many violations outside of game laws but seldom do. Just for confusion sake here is another agency than can write you a citation for some things, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, currently they do not have enforcement authority over laws pertaining to boat registrations, wildlife laws, or many other things, but some things like operation a vessel in violation of posted restrictions (buoys) yep they can, and other districts have passed some mandatory PFD wear regulations that they can enforce with citations, hopefully it won't come to that here since Missouri has lakes in 3 different Corps of Engineer Districts and unless they all adopted the same regulation you might have to follow different rules on Table Rock Vs., Stockton, Vs, Mark Twain. Gotta love it when various federal, state and other agencies try to mix and match their rules.

sounds about right to me MOPanfisher, this was a coast guard aux. and he was real nice,and he explained just about everything you said, almost word for word, oh well I was legal except for the mounted fire ex. now thats mounted and I am sittin on ready for the next agency to visit with me. so far this year I have met the water patrol. real nice guy, the conservation agent, super nice guy,, cg aux. nice guy, park ranger, nice guy. and one ole drunk. mean guy.

The mean drunk was just irritated 'cause he was drinkin' the cheap stuff instead of the C.R sittin' by your sink Beagle:D

I usually carry a portable Amateur (ham) radio with me so I can access some of the local repeaters and summon help if the cell don't work. It also has weather radio capabilities and I can transmit and receive the marine frequencies as well. I've thought about adding a cheap flare gun, but have procrastinated and not bought one yet.
So far this year I have stopped to assist 2 boaters with engine problems and gave another a tow. They remarked that not a lot of folks will stop to offer help these days, so some means of getting help is advisable

Originally Posted by beagle man

so far this year I have met the water patrol. real nice guy, the conservation agent, super nice guy,, cg aux. nice guy, park ranger, nice guy. and one ole drunk. mean guy.

I always stop and help, and you will find like yourself,most if not all on the CDC will also help, we pass out phone no. so if your in another area, you have that persons no. to call for help, I use to have an ole saying my grandma taught me.

IT'S NICE TO BE IMPORTANT BUT IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO BE NICE. grandma jenkins