(a) Before a vessel may be used as a nautical school ship, it shall be inspected by the Coast Guard to determine that the hull, boilers, machinery, equipment and appliances comply with the regulations in this part.

(b) Every nautical school ship subject to the regulations in this part shall be inspected annually, or oftener if necessary, by the Coast Guard to determine that the hull, boilers, machinery, equipment and appliances comply with the regulations in this part.

(c) Nautical school ships while laid up and dismantled and out of commission are exempt from any or all inspections required by law or regulations in this part.

Marine inspectors may at any time lawfully inspect any nautical school ship.

Application in writing for the annual inspection of every nautical school ship required to be inspected by law and the regulations in this part shall be made by the master, owner, or agent to the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, at any local Marine Inspection Office, U.S. Coast Guard, where the nautical school ship may be operating. The application shall be on Form CG 3752, Application for Inspection of U.S. Vessel, which requires information on name and type of vessel, nature of employment and route in which to be operated, place where and date when the vessel may be inspected, and that no other application has been made to any Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, since the issuance of the last valid certificate of inspection.

Prior to the commencement of the construction of a new nautical school ship, or a conversion of a vessel to a nautical school ship, application for the approval of contract plans and specifications and for a certificate of inspection shall be made in writing by the owner or agent to the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, at the nearest local Marine Inspection Office, U.S. Coast Guard.

(a) At each annual inspection, or oftener if deemed necessary, the inspector will inspect the hull, boilers, machinery, equipment, and appliances generally for compliance with the regulations in this subpart and in addition will inspect and test certain specific items as specifically set forth in this part.

(b) To renew a Certificate of Inspection, you must submit an application at least 30 days before the expiration of the vessel's current certificate.

Except as otherwise provided by law or regulations in this subpart, the following standards shall be accepted as standard by the inspectors:

(a) American Bureau of Shipping “Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels” regarding the construction of hulls, boilers and machinery in effect on the date of inspection. These rules may be purchased from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), ABS Plaza, 16855 Northchase Drive, Houston, TX 77060.

(b) U. S. Navy Standard Construction Specification in effect on the date of inspection.

(c) U. S. Coast Guard Standard Construction Specification in effect on the date of inspection.

As used in this part—

(a) Drydock examination means hauling out a vessel or placing a vessel in a drydock or slipway for an examination of all accessible parts of the vessel's underwater body and all through-hull fittings, sea chests, sea valves, sea strainers, and valves for the emergency bilge suction.

(b) Internal structural examination means an examination of the vessel while afloat or in drydock and consists of a complete examination of the vessel's main strength members, including the major internal framing, the hull plating, voids, and ballast tanks, but not including cargo or fuel oil tanks.

The inspection of lifesaving appliances and arrangements must be in accordance with the requirements for special purpose vessels in subchapter W (Lifesaving Appliances and Arrangements) of this chapter.

(a) Except as provided for in paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section, each vessel must undergo drydock and internal structural examinations as follows:

(1) If your vessel operates in saltwater, it must undergo two drydock examinations and two internal structural examinations within any 5-year period unless it has been approved to undergo an underwater survey (UWILD) under § 167.15-33 of this part. No more than three years may elapse between any two examinations.

(2) If your vessel operated in fresh water at least 50 percent of the time since your last drydocking, it must undergo a dry dock and internal structural examination at intervals not to exceed 5 years unless it has been approved to undergo an underwater survey (UWILD) under § 167.15-33 of this part.

(b) Vessels with wooden hulls must undergo two drydock and two internal structural examinations within any five year period regardless of the type of water in which they operate. No more than three years may elapse between any two examinations.

(c) If, during an internal structural examination damage or deterioration to the hull plating or structural members is discovered, the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, may require the vessel to be drydocked or otherwise taken out of service to further assess the extent of the damage and to effect permanent repairs.

(d) Each vessel which has not met with the applicable examination schedules in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section because it is on a voyage, must undergo the required examinations upon completion of the voyage.

(e) The Commandant (CG-CVC) may authorize extensions to the examination intervals specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

(a) The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), may approve an underwater survey instead of a drydock examination at alternating intervals if your vessel is—

(1) Less than 15 years of age;

(2) A steel or aluminum hulled vessel;

(3) Fitted with an effective hull protection system; and

(4) Described in 46 CFR 167.15-30(a)(1) or (2).

(b) For vessels less than 15 years of age, you must submit an application for an underwater survey to the OCMI at least 90 days before your vessel's next required drydock examination. The application must include—

(1) The procedure for carrying out the underwater survey;

(2) The time and place of the underwater survey;

(3) The method used to accurately determine the diver's or remotely operated vehicle's (ROV) location relative to the hull;

(4) The means for examining all through-hull fittings and appurtenances;

(5) The means for taking shaft bearing clearances;

(6) The condition of the vessel, including the anticipated draft of the vessel at the time of survey;

(7) A description of the hull protection system; and

(8) The name and qualifications of any third party examiner.

(c) If your vessel is 15 years old or older, the District Commander, may approve an underwater survey instead of a drydock examination at alternating intervals. You must submit an application for an underwater survey to the OCMI at least 90 days before your vessel's next required drydock examination. You may be allowed this option if—

(1) The vessel is qualified under paragraphs (a)(2) through (4) of this section;

(2) Your application includes the information in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(8) of this section; and

(3) During the vessel's drydock examination, preceding the underwater survey, a complete set of hull gaugings was taken and they indicated that the vessel was free from appreciable hull deterioration.

(d) After the drydock examination required in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection submits a recommendation for future underwater surveys, the results of the hull gauging, and the results of the Coast Guards' drydock examination results to the cognizant District Commander for review.

(a) The master, owner, operator, or agent of the vessel shall notify the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, whenever the vessel is to be drydocked regardless of the reason for drydocking.

(b) Each vessel, except barges, that holds a Load Line Certificate must have on board a plan showing the vessel's scantlings. This plan must be made available to the Coast Guard marine inspector whenever the vessel undergoes a drydock examination, internal structural examination, underwater survey, or whenever repairs are made to the vessel's hull.

(c) Each barge that holds a Load Line Certificate must have a plan showing the barge's scantlings. The plan need not be maintained on board the barge but must be made available to the Coast Guard marine inspector whenever the barge undergoes a drydock examination, internal structural examination, underwater survey, or whenever repairs are made to the barge's hull.

(a) Each fuel oil tank with at least one side integral to the vessel's hull and located within the hull (“integral fuel oil tank”) is subject to inspection as provided in this section. The owner or operator of the vessel shall have the tanks cleaned out and gas freed as necessary to permit internal examination of the tank or tanks designated by the marine inspector. The owner or operator shall arrange for an examination of the fuel tanks of each vessel during an internal structural examination at intervals not to exceed five years.

(b) Integral non-double-bottom fuel oil tanks need not be cleaned out and internally examined if the marine inspector is able to determine by external examination that the general condition of the tanks is satisfactory.

(c) Double-bottom fuel oil tanks on vessels less than 10 years of age need not be cleaned out and internally examined if the marine inspector is able to determine by external examination that the general condition of the tanks is satisfactory.

(d) Double-bottom fuel oil tanks on vessels 10 years of age or older but less than 15 years of age need not be cleaned out and internally examined if the marine inspector is able to determine by internal examination of at least one forward double-bottom fuel oil tank, and by external examination of all other double-bottom fuel oil tanks on the vessel, that the general condition of the tanks is satisfactory.

(e) All double-bottom fuel oil tanks on vessels 15 years of age or older need not be cleaned out and internally examined if the marine inspector is able to determine by internal examination of at least one forward, one amidships, and one aft double-bottom fuel oil tank, and by external examination of all other double-bottom fuel oil tanks on the vessel, that the general condition of the tanks is satisfactory.

Tailshaft examinations on nautical school ships must conform with the examination requirements in part 61 of this chapter.