The Coast Guard is amending portable fire extinguisher rules
for the more than eleven million U.S. recreational vessels controlled by propulsion machinery,
such as outboard,
inboard,
and stern drive power boats,
sailboats with engines,
and personal watercraft.
Effective in April 2022, the new rule separates commercial
and recreational vessel fire protection requirements.
It places the new simplified recreational rules into Title 33 CFR Part 175 Subchapter S,
where other recreational boating rules already exist.
The new rule does not change the number or types of extinguishers required on board,
but does simplify the inspection and record-keeping requirements for portable fire extinguishers.
Instead of monthly visual inspections, record keeping, and annual maintenance,
recreational power boat operators must now ensure that all required portable extinguishers are unexpired,
readily accessible, and in good and serviceable condition.
Disposable dry chemical extinguishers expire twelve years after their date of manufacture,
and rechargeable extinguishers expire annually unless maintained by a certified technician.
Good and serviceable means that a fire extinguisher aboard a recreational vessel is properly charged,
and reads charged if it has a pressure gauge reading or charge indicator,
that the extinguisher has a pin lock that is firmly in place,
that it does not show visible signs of significant corrosion or damage,
and has a discharge nozzle that is clean and free from obstructions.
With the new rule, the Coast Guard is making it easier and less costly for recreational boat owners
to maintain the onboard fire protection equipment they need.
Compliance can be managed in the way best suited for each individual boat owner.
But the best way to protect your boat,
yourself as a vessel operator,
and your family and friends as passengers,
is to prevent boat fires in the first place.
The most likely areas for onboard fires are the galley,
electrical panel,
engine compartment,
and anywhere that bad housekeeping creates a danger with combustible materials.
Inspect your electrical and fuel systems frequently.
Keep your boat free of fire hazards
and get professional help as needed.
The most common causes for boat fires are problems with twelve-volt DC electrical systems
and 120-volt AC appliances.
Check that all cords, wiring, outlets, and plugs
are in working condition and securely connected -- not worn or damaged --
and that circuits
are not overloaded.
Never leave operating electrical equipment, including heaters, unattended.
When you leave your boat, turn them off.
Ensure the cooling systems are operating properly to prevent the engine from overheating and catching fire.
When departing, fueling, or re-boarding,
check that there is no gasoline odor,
and ventilate the engine compartment for four minutes
to clear fuel vapors each time before you start the engine.
Clean-up spilled fuel immediately.
Secure propane and butane cylinders and portable fuel burning appliances
so that unexpected movement does not cause a leak, and only use them in well-ventilated areas.
Always attend to open-flame heating, cooking, or refrigeration systems.
And finally, properly dispose of oily rags in a metal container with a tight fitting lid.
Oily rags wrapped only in paper bags will allow chemicals to break down causing heat and possibly fire.
The Coast Guard's primary concern is ensuring the boating public is safe while underway.
Always carry the correct number of U.S. Coast Guard approved fire extinguishers on board,
unexpired, readily accessible,
and in good and serviceable condition.
For information on carriage requirements,
new classifications and labeling of portable fire extinguishers,
and how to use fire extinguishers, please view
America's Boating Channel's
"FIRE EXTINGUISHER STANDARDS."