67. Public vessel equipment. 1. Buoyant apparatus. Every public vessel of over fifty tons burden, navigating more than one mile from shore, shall carry in addition to other equipment required by this section, sufficient buoyant apparatus for not less than twenty per cent of all persons on board. Buoyant apparatus shall mean and include life rafts, or life floats, of a type approved by the commissioner. Such apparatus shall be equipped with oars or paddles and other equipment as specified by the inspector. All buoyant apparatus shall be stowed in such a manner that it is easily accessible and capable of being launched into the waters in case of need.
2. Personal flotation devices. Every public vessel engaged in the transportation of passengers shall have on board a wearable personal flotation device for each passenger the vessel is certified to carry, and one additional wearable personal flotation device for each member of the crew. The personal flotation devices shall be of a type approved by the United States coast guard for use on vessels carrying passengers for hire. The personal flotation devices shall be in serviceable condition and kept in readily accessible places, having the approval of the inspector, for immediate use in case of emergency. The location of the personal flotation devices shall be indicated by legible printed notices. It shall be the duty of the inspector to ascertain that every personal flotation device is as herein required.
3. Ventilation. The inspector shall require that machinery and other enclosed spaces be adequately ventilated by means of free or forced air ventilation. The inspector shall require that all installed fuel tanks be properly vented.
4. Portable fire extinguishers. The inspector shall require that public vessels carry such portable fire extinguishers as he deems necessary and to specify their type, size and location on the vessel, dependent upon the type of vessel, the number of passengers and the amount and character of freight carried and other fire hazards.
5. Fixed fire extinguishing systems. Fixed fire extinguishing systems, hereinafter termed "fixed systems", are considered to be total flooding systems using carbon dioxide as the extinguishing agent and having components fixed in position. The inspector shall require the installation of a fixed system on every passenger carrying public vessel which has enclosed engine and fuel tank compartments.
6. Communications and navigational equipment. Every public vessel certified to carry more than ten passengers shall be equipped with either a very high frequency marine radio or operational cellular phone which, considering the location of the vessel's operations, the vessel's range, the availability of persons or services to receive and respond to the vessel's transmissions when the vessel is in use and other relevant factors the inspector, in his or her discretion, determines to be a reliable means for such vessel to call for any necessary aid or assistance. Every public vessel certified to carry more than sixty-five passengers shall also be equipped with functional radar.
7. Marking of equipment. All equipment, unless otherwise directed by the inspector, shall be legibly marked with the name or registration number of the public vessel on which it is carried.
8. The commissioner is hereby authorized to make rules and regulations pertaining to equipment on public vessels. In framing such rules and regulations the commissioner shall, as far as practicable, be governed by the rules and regulations of the United States coast guard prescribed for the regulation of commercial vessels.
Last modified: February 3, 2019