If you are the owner of a commercial or recreational boat, you are obligated to adhere to the necessary rules and regulations that ensure that your vessel is in compliance with the law and is operating safely. Every vessel is, to a certain extent, ought to conform to the safety standards that are specified by the United States Coast Guard. These requirements are not only to keep the passengers and the crew safe but also to protect the purity and the safety of the waters in which they sail. Hence, it is very important for you to keep up with the current Coast Guard boat requirements as they will help you to be in line with the regulations and also to display the necessary information on your vessel in a proper way.
Posting Proper Safety Requirements
It is the responsibility of the owner of the vessel to ensure that all Coast Guard safety standards are met by the boat and the appropriate safety information is posted in the required areas in a manner that is clearly visible. These include safety notices that should accompany the availability and use of life jackets, the maximum occupancy of the vessel, and other key safety measures, apart from that. In addition, you are required to show the information concerning the correct disposal of garbage and waste at sea and the standards that apply to oil discharge from your vessel. Non-posting of such notices can result in you having to meet very high monetary penalties and even get into legal trouble unnecessarily.
Coast Guard Documentation Numbers
For both leisure and commercial vessels registered with the U.S. Coast Guard, there are very detailed stipulations on the presentation of the documentation number. The number should be nailed down forever in an easily readable place on your vessel so that it can be quickly checked or confirmed by the officials. Some boaters opt for less permanent ways to display their numbers but they run the risk of getting fines and non-compliance issues if they have numbers that are not properly displayed.
Meeting Your Requirements with Us
At Vessel Placards, we make it simple to stay compliant. We offer high-quality, engraved documentation number plaques designed to meet Coast Guard standards while adding a professional look to your vessel. In addition to documentation plaques, we also carry a full range of MARPOL signs to cover all your safety and environmental requirements. Ordering is quick and easy through our website, and we’ll ship your placards directly to you—so you can get back on the water with confidence, knowing your vessel meets every requirement.
