The master shall test the vessel's steering gear, signaling whistle, engine controls, and communications equipment prior to getting underway.

The master is responsible for seeing that all hatches, openings in the hull, and watertight doors are properly closed tight.

(a) Where fitted, the master shall have the emergency lighting and power systems operated and inspected at least once in each week that the vessel is navigated to ensure that the system is in proper operating condition.

(b) The master shall have the internal combustion engine driven emergency generators operated under load for at least 2 hours at least once in each month that the vessel is navigated.

(c) The master shall have the storage batteries for emergency lighting and power systems tested at least once in each 6-month period that the vessel is navigated to demonstrate the ability of the storage battery to supply the emergency loads for the specified period of time.

(d) The date of each test and the condition and performance of the apparatus must be noted in the official logbook.

The master shall ensure that—

(a) The EPIRB required in § 169.555 of this subchapter is tested monthly, using the integrated test circuit and output indicator, to determine that it is operative; and

(b) The EPIRB's battery is replaced after the EPIRB is used and before the marked expiration date.

(a) When the vessel is operating, the master shall conduct a fire and boat drill each week. The scheduling of drills is at the discretion of the master except that at least one fire and boat drill must be held within 24 hours of leaving a port if more than 25 percent of the ship's company have been replaced at that port.

(b) The fire and boat drill must be conducted as if an actual emergency existed. All persons on board including guests shall report to their respective stations and be prepared to perform the duties specified in the station bill.

(1) Fire pumps must be started and a sufficient number of outlets used to ascertain that the system is in proper working order.

(2) All rescue and safety equipment must be brought from the emergency equipment lockers and the persons designated must demonstrate their ability to use the equipment.

(3) All watertight doors which are in use while the vessel is underway must be operated.

(4) Weather permitting, lifeboat covers and strongbacks must be removed, plugs or caps put in place, boat ladders secured in position, painters led forward and tended, and other life saving equipment prepared for use. The motor and hand-propelling gear of each lifeboat, where fitted, must be operated for at least 5 minutes.

(5) In port, every lifeboat must be swung out, if practicable. The unobstructed lifeboats must be lowered to the water and the ship's company must be exercised in the use of the oars or other means of propulsion. Although all lifeboats may not be used in a particular drill, care must be taken that all lifeboats are given occasional use to ascertain that all lowering equipment is in proper order and the crew properly trained. The master shall ensure that each lifeboat is lowered to the water at least once every 3 months.

(6) When the vessel in underway, and weather permitting, all lifeboats must be swung out to ascertain that the gear is in proper order.

(7) The person in charge of each lifeboat and liferaft shall have a list of its crew and shall ensure that the persons under his or her command are acquainted with their duties.

(8) Lifeboat equipment must be examined at least once a month to ensure that it is complete.

(9) The master shall ensure that all persons on board fully participate in these drills and that they have been instructed in the proper method of donning and adjusting the personal flotation devices and exposure suits used and informed of the stowage location of these devices.

(c) The master shall have an entry made in the vessel's official logbook relative to each fire and boat drill setting forth the date and hour, length of time of the drill, numbers on the lifeboats swung out and numbers on those lowered, the length of time that motor and hand-propelled lifeboats are operated, the number of lengths of hose used, together with a statement as to the condition of all fire and lifesaving equipment, watertight door mechanisms, valves, etc. An entry must also be made to report the monthly examination of the lifeboat equipment. If in any week the required fire and boat drills are not held or only partial drills are held, an entry must be made stating the circumstances and extend of the drills held.

(d) A copy of these requirements must be framed under glass or other transparent material and posted in a conspicuous place about the vessel.

(a) The master or person in charge shall ensure that the lifeboats, rescue boats, liferafts, and lifefloats, are properly maintained at all times, and that all equipment for the vessel required by the regulations in this subchapter is provided, maintained, and replaced as indicated or when necessary and no less frequently than required by paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) The master shall ensure that:

(1) Each lifeboat has been stripped, cleaned and thoroughly overhauled at least once in each year.

(2) The fuel tanks of motor propelled lifeboats have been emptied and fuel changed once every twelve months.

(3) Each lifefloat has been cleaned and thoroughly overhauled once every twelve months.

(4) Each inflatable liferaft has been serviced at a facility specifically approved by the Commandant for the particular brand, and in accordance with servicing procedures meeting the requirements of part 160, part 160.151, of this chapter—

(i) No later than the month and year on its servicing sticker affixed under 46 CFR 160.151-57(n), except that servicing may be delayed until the next scheduled inspection of the vessel, provided that the delay does not exceed 5 months; and

(ii) Whenever the container is damaged or the container straps or seals are broken.

(a) The master or person in charge shall ensure that the vessel's firefighting equipment is at all times ready for use and that all firefighting equipment required by the regulations in this subchapter is provided, maintained, and replaced as indicated.

(b) The master or person in charge shall have performed at least once every 12 months the tests and inspections of all hand portable fire extinguishers, semiportable fire extinguishing systems, and fixed fire extinguishing systems on board as described in § 169.247 of this subchapter. The master or person in charge shall keep records of the tests and inspections showing the dates when performed, the number and/or other identification of each unit tested and inspected, and the name(s) of the person(s) and/or company conducting the tests and inspections. These records must be made available to the marine inspectors upon request and must be kept for the period of validity of the vessel's current certificate of inspection. Conducting these tests and inspections does not relieve the master or person in charge of his responsibility to maintain this firefighting equipment in proper condition at all times.

(a) After loading and prior to departure and at all other times necessary to assure the safety of the vessel, the master shall determine that the vessel complies with all applicable stability requirements in the vessel's trim and stability book, stability letter, Certificate of Inspection, and Load Line Certificate, as the case may be, and then enter an attestation statement of the verification in the log book. The vessel may not depart until it is in compliance with these requirements.

(b) When determining compliance with applicable stability requirements the vessel's draft, trim, and stability must be determined as necessary and any stability calculations made in support of the determination must be retained on board the vessel for the duration of the voyage.

(a) Each vessel subject to the inspection provisions of this subchapter must have an official logbook.

(b) The master shall place all entries required by law or regulation in the logbook.

(c) A Coast Guard form “Official Logbook” may be utilized or the owner may utilize his own format for an official logbook. The logs must be kept available for review by the Coast Guard for a period of one year after the date to which the records refer or for the period of validity of the vessel's current certificate of inspection, whichever is longer.

(d) All tests, drills, inspections and notifications required in this subchapter must be entered in the official logbook.

(e) Prior to getting underway the master shall enter in the logbook the name of each sailing school student, sailing school instructor, and guest onboard, and the fact that each person was notified of the applicable safety standards for sailing school vessels as required by § 169.857 of this chapter.

Nothing in this part exonerates any master or officer of the watch from the consequences of any neglect to keep a proper lookout.

Every vessel equipped with inflatable liferafts must have posted in conspicuous places readily accessible to the ship's company and guests approved placards containing instructions for launching and inflating inflatable liferafts. The number and location of such placards for a particular vessel shall be determined by the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.

(a) Each vessel of 100 gross tons and over must have permanently exhibited for the guidance of the master, general arrangement plans for each deck showing the fire control stations, the various sections enclosed by fire resisting bulkheads, the sections enclosed by fire retarding bulkheads, together with the particulars of the fire alarms, detecting systems, fire extinguishing appliances, means of access to different compartments, ventilation systems and the position of dampers and remote stops.

(b) Plans must clearly show for each deck the boundaries of the watertight compartments, the openings therein with the means of closure and the position of any controls, and the arrangements for the correction of any list due to flooding.

Prior to getting underway the master shall ensure that each sailing school student and sailing school instructor, who has not previously been instructed, is instructed in the handling of sails, emergency procedures, nautical terms, location and use of lifesaving and firefighting equipment, and the general layout of the vessel.

(a) This section applies to all sailing school vessels and all promotional literature or advertisements offering passage or soliciting sailing school students or instructors for voyages on sailing school vessels.

(b) Each item of promotional literature or advertisement that offers passage or solicits students or instructors of voyages onboard a sailing school vessel must contain the following information:

(1) The name of the vessel;

(2) The country of registry;

(3) A statement detailing the role and responsibility of a sailing school student or instructor; and

(4) A statement that the vessel is inspected and certificated as a sailing school vessel and is not required to meet the same safety standards required of a passenger vessel on a comparable route.

(c) Before getting underway the master shall ensure that each sailing school student, sailing school instructor, and guest, who has not previously been notified, is notified of the specialized nature of sailing school vessels and that the applicable safety requirements for these vessels are not the same as those applied to passenger vessels.

Officers on any vessel subject to this subchapter must have their license or merchant mariner credential in their possession and available for examination at all times when the vessel is being operated.

(a) The owner, agent, master, or person in charge of a vessel involved in a marine casualty shall give notice as soon as possible to the nearest Coast Guard Marine Safety or Marine Inspection Office, whenever the casualty involves any of the following:

(1) Each accidental grounding and each intentional grounding which also meets any of the other reporting criteria or creates a hazard to navigation, the environment or the safety of the vessel;

(2) Loss of main propulsion or primary steering or any associated component or control system which causes a reduction of the maneuvering capabilities of the vessel. Loss means that systems, components, sub-system or control systems do not perform the specified or required function;

(3) An occurrence materially and adversely affecting the vessel's seaworthiness or fitness for service or route, including but not limited to fire, flooding, or failure or damage to fixed fire extinguishing systems, lifesaving equipment, auxiliary power generating equipment, Coast Guard approved equipment or bilge pumping systems;

(4) Loss of life;

(5) Injury causing a person to remain incapacitated for a period in excess of 72 hours; or

(6) An occurrence resulting in damage to property in excess of $25,000.00. Damage includes the cost necessary to restore the property to the service condition which existed prior to the casualty but does not include the cost of salvage, gas freeing, drydocking, or demurrage.

(b) The notice must include the name and official number of the vessel involved, the name of the vessel's owner or agent, nature, location and circumstances of the casualty, nature and extent of injury to persons, and the damage to property.

(c) In addition to the notice required, the person in charge of the vessel shall report in writing or in person, as soon as possible to the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection at the port in which the casualty occurred or nearest the port of first arrival. Casualties must be reported on Form CG-2692.

(d) The owner, agent, master, or other person in charge of any vessel involved in a marine casualty shall retain for three years the voyage records of the vessel such as both rough and smooth deck and engineroom logs, navigation charts, navigation work books, compass deviation cards, gyrocompass records, record of draft, aids to mariners, radiograms sent and received, the radio log, and crew, sailing school student, instructor, and guest lists. The owner agent, master, or other officer in charge, shall make these records available to a duly authorized Coast Guard officer or employee for examination upon request.

(e) Whenever a vessel collides or is connected with a collision with a buoy or other aid to navigation under the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard, the person in charge of the vessel shall report the accident to the nearest Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection. A report on Form CG-2692 is not required unless any of the results listed in paragraph (b) of this section occur.

As appropriate for the intended voyage, all vessels must carry adequate and up-to-date—

(a) Charts;

(b) Sailing directions;

(c) Coast pilots;

(d) Light lists;

(e) Notices to mariners;

(f) Tide tables; and

(g) Current tables.

(a) A station bill (muster list) shall be prepared and signed by the master of the vessel. The master shall ensure that the bill is posted in conspicuous locations throughout the vessel, particularly in the living spaces, before the vessel sails.

(b) The station bill must set forth the special duties and duty station of each member of the ship's company for the various emergencies. The duties must, as far as possible, be comparable with the regular work of the individual. The duties must include at least the following and any other duties necessary for the proper handling of a particular emergency:

(1) The closing of airports, watertight doors, scuppers, sanitary and other discharges which lead through the vessel's hull below the margin line, etc., the stopping of fans and ventilating systems, and the operating of all safety equipment.

(2) The preparing and launching of lifeboats and liferafts.

(3) The extinguishing of fire.

(4) The mustering of guests, if carried, including the following:

(i) Warning the guests.

(ii) Seeing that they are dressed and have put on their personal flotation devices in a proper manner.

(iii) Assembling the guests and directing them to the appointed stations.

(iv) Keeping order in the passageways and stairways and generally controlling the movement of the guests.

(v) Seeing that a supply of blankets is taken to the lifeboats.

(a) The station bill must set forth the various signals used for calling the ship's company to their stations and for giving instructions while at their stations.

(b) On vessels of 100 gross tons and over the following signals must be used.

(1) The first alarm signal must be a continuous blast of the vessel's whistle for a period of not less than 10 seconds supplemented by the continuous ringing of the general alarm bells for not less than 10 seconds.

(2) For dismissal from fire alarm stations, the general alarm must be sounded three times supplemented by three short blasts of the vessel's whistle.

(3) The signal for boat stations or boat drill must be a succession of more than six short blasts, followed by one long blast, of the vessel's whistle supplemented by a comparable signal on the general alarm bells.

(4) For dismissal from boat stations, there must be three short blasts of the whistle.

(c) Where whistle signals are used for handling the lifeboats, they must be as follows:

(1) To lower lifeboats, one short blast.

(2) To stop lowering the lifeboats, two short blasts.

The master shall conduct drills and give instructions as necessary to insure that all hands are familiar with their duties as specified in the station bill.

(a) The provisions of this section shall apply to all vessels equipped with lifeboats and/or liferafts.

(b) The master shall place a licensed deck officer, an able seaman, or a certificated lifeboatman in command of each lifeboat or liferaft. Each lifeboat or liferaft with a prescribed complement of 25 or more persons must have one additional certificated lifeboatman.

(c) The person in charge of each lifeboat or liferaft shall have a list of its assigned occupants, and shall see that the persons under his orders are acquainted with their duties.

(a) The master shall designate a member of the ship's company to be a roving patrol person, whenever the vessel is operational.

(b) The roving patrol person shall frequently visit all areas to ensure that safe conditions are being maintained.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, all watertight doors in subdivision bulkheads, hatches, and openings in the hull must be kept closed during the navigation of the vessel.

(b) The master may permit hatches or other openings to be uncovered or opened for reasonable purposes such as ship's maintenance, when existing conditions warrant the action and the openings can readily be closed.

The master or person in charge of the vessel shall see that all of the provisions of the certificate of inspection are strictly adhered to. Nothing in this subpart shall be construed as limiting the master or person in charge of the vessel, on his own responsibility, from diverting from the route prescribed in the certificate of inspection or taking such other steps as he deems necessary and prudent to assist vessels in distress or for other similar emergencies.

The master of each vessel shall ensure that each person wears an approved safety harness when aloft or working topside in heavy weather.