Safety Equipment Checklist

Symbol

 Item

Quantity

Quantity

Lifejacket Type:
1 (level 150 or 100); 2 (level 50); 3 (level 50S)

1 per person*

Lifejacket Type 1 or level 150 or 100

1 per person*

Anchor and chain/line

1

1

Bailer/Bucket (vessel with open bilges)
or Bilge pump (vessels with covered bilges)

1
1**

1
1**

Compass (magnetic)

1

Distress signal – orange smoke hand-held distress flare

2

Distress signal – red hand-held distress flare

2

EPIRB – 406MHz (required if two nautical miles or more offshore)

1

Fire bucket (if no bailing bucket carried suitable for fire fighting)

1

1

Fire extinguisher (vessels with electric start, electric motors, battery, gas or fuel stoves)

1**

1**

Map/chart of area (paper not electronic)

1

Marine radio (required 2 nautical miles or more offshore)

1

Paddle or oars/rowlocks in vessels under 6m unless a second means of propulsion is fitted

1

1

Safety label

1

1

Sound signal (air horn/whistle/bell)

1

1

V sheet (orange)

1

Water (suitable for drinking)

2L per person

Waterproof torch (floating)

1

1

Canoes/Kayaks

Exempt from carrying safety equipment on all waters, but hand-held marine radio or mobile phone in waterproof pouch strongly recommended.

Sailboards

Exempt from carrying safety equipment on all waters.

Kiteboards

Exempt from carrying safety equipment.

Racing shells, Surf rescue boats, Surf boats and Surf skis

Exempt from carrying safety equipment.

Rowboats, Dinghies, Small unpowered inflatable boats

Exempt from carrying safety equipment on enclosed waters if the vessel is:
• less than 3m in length; and
• not a tender; and
• not carrying an engine or fuel; and
• not more than 200m from nearest shore; and
• operating between sunrise and sunset; and
• built so as to float if swamped or capsized.

Other Inflatable Boats (if under 5m, built to stay afloat if swamped or capsized and not used as a tender).

Exempt from carrying anchor and line, bailing bucket, fire extinguisher and torch when in enclosed waters or in open waters less than 400m from shore between sunrise and sunset only. Exempt from carrying the above items plus flares and map or chart when in open waters between 400m and 2 nautical miles from shore between sunrise and sunset only.

Tenders

Exempt from carrying other safety equipment if the vessel carries a paddle or oars, a waterproof torch if operating between sunset and sunrise, a bucket, bailer or bilge pump.

Sailing vessels

• If less than 6m in length and in enclosed waters is not required to carry an anchor
• Not required to carry bucket/bailer if it has a permanently enclosed self draining hull
• When engaged in organised sail training, is not required to carry safety equipment if a power driven vessel capable of use for rescue purposes is in attendance.
• Not required to have safety label.

Off the beach vessels (means an unballasted, sail-only vessel, including centreboard dinghy, windsurfer, skiff or multihull vessel, but not including a vessel with a cabin or a fixed keel)

• Not required to carry safety equipment if the vessel does not have sufficient storage room.
• Not required to have safety label.

Dragon boats/Outrigger canoes

For more information on safety equipment requirements please refer to Schedule 5, Part 2 of Marine Safety (General) Regulation 2009.

PWC

Exempt from carrying safety equipment. For tow-in surfing the PWC must be equipped with: a rescue sled, second kill switch wrapped around the handlebars, two-way communication device, dive fins, safety knife, tool kit, quick release floating tow rope with a minimum length of 7m, bow tow-line with a minimum length of 7m.