Section 2080.50  Dockside Inspection

 

a)         Annual Inspection

 

All watercraft subject to this Part shall be inspected annually under the provisions of this Section, except as provided in Section 2080.40 of this Part.  This inspection may be completed by submitting a successful U.S. Coast Guard dockside inspection form from the preceding 12 months to the Department.

 

b)         Inspection Procedures for Watercraft Carrying More Than Six Passengers For Hire, as defined by the U.S. Coast Guard in 46 CFR Subchapters T, K, and H.

 

The owner of a vessel shall, at the dockside inspection, submit his vessel for inspection by a marine inspector and shall operate or cause to be operated all equipment and systems to the extent necessary to determine that the vessel is being maintained and operated in accordance with good marine practices and standards, and the condition of the vessel structure, equipment and systems are satisfactory for safe and constant operation.

 

c)         Main Engine Gauges - Inboard or Inboard/Outboard

 

1)         On vessels designed for inboard or inboard/outboard (sterndrive) main engines, both of the following gauges shall be present.

 

A)        A gauge to indicate main engine cooling water temperature for each main engine.  A gauge shall be readable from each helm position.

 

B)        A gauge to indicate main engine lubrication oil pressure for each main engine.  A gauge shall be readable from each helm position.

 

2)         All gauges installed on a vessel shall be in good and serviceable condition.

 

d)         Personal Flotation Devices

 

1)         At least one U.S. Coast Guard approved, wearable type personal flotation device of a proper size for each person, including the crew, shall be provided and carried onboard.  Each device shall be inspected at the dockside inspection.

 

2)         Each wearable type personal flotation device carried aboard the vessel shall have affixed to it, in a suitable manner, 200 square centimeters (31.5 sq. in.) of U.S. Coast Guard approved retro-reflective  material to the outside front of each device and 200 square centimeters (31.5 sq. in.) to the outside back of each device.

 

3)         Personal flotation devices shall be carried in suitable locations which are readily accessible to the passengers onboard.  The locations shall be designed to allow the devices carried to float free when practical.

 

4)         When personal flotation devices are carried so that they are readily accessible, but not readily visible to the passengers, the container shall be marked "LIFE PRESERVERS" and the number of devices contained therein shall be listed.  The letters and numbers shall be at least 1 inch high and shall be a color contrasting to the color of the container.  The container shall also indicate the size of the devices contained therein.  Differing sizes shall be separately stored.

 

5)         On documented watercraft, all required personal flotation devices shall be marked with the vessel's name in characters at least 1 inch high in a color contrasting to the color of the device.

 

6)         On undocumented watercraft, all required personal flotation devices shall be marked with the watercraft's registration number in characters at least 1 inch high in a color contrasting to the color of the device.

 

7)         Aboard each watercraft shall be a Type IV personal flotation device, which shall comply with all of the following requirements:

 

A)        Be readily accessible in a suitable location.

 

B)        Have attached not less than 50 feet of line.

 

C)        Be marked as required by subsections (d)(5) and (d)(6) of this Section.

 

8)         When the inspector determines that any personal flotation device required to be carried on board a vessel is not in good and serviceable condition, the owner of the vessel shall permit the marine inspector to note, in writing, on the personal flotation device that the device is no longer serviceable.  The owner of the vessel shall replace the non-serviceable devices immediately and such defective devices shall be replaced prior to further use of the vessel.

 

e)         Fire Fighting Equipment

 

1)         A vessel shall be equipped with a U.S. Coast Guard approved portable fire extinguisher which shall be located accessible to helmsman's position.

 

2)         All fire extinguishers shall be examined monthly to make certain that they have not been tampered with and have not suffered corrosion or damage.

 

3)         All foam extinguishers shall be discharged, cleaned, and inspected for mechanical defects or serious corrosion and recharged annually.

 

4)         All dry chemical extinguishers shall be kept full with the specified weight of chemical at all times.  The cartridge shall be reweighed annually. It shall be recharged if the cartridge is found to weigh less than the minimum weight stamped thereon, or when the pressure is below prescribed operating limits.

 

5)         All carbon dioxide extinguishers shall be reweighed annually, and a cylinder found lighter than the weight indicated on the name plate shall be recharged.

 

6)         Maintenance required in subsections (d)(2) through (5) of this Section shall be performed by a qualified firefighting equipment repair service.

 

f)         First Aid Kit and Emergency Procedures List

 

1)         A minimum of one first aid kit containing at least 16 units shall be provided and maintained onboard the watercraft.

 

2)         An emergency procedures list shall be posted aboard the vessel in a conspicuous location.  The list shall set forth, at a minimum, all of the following informational items:

 

A)        Radio Procedure (if a marine radio is required under subsection (i))

 

i)          Switch to Channel 16;

 

ii)         Call the U.S. Coast Guard;

 

iii)        Give boat name, registration number, radio call sign;

 

iv)        Identify the boat size, description, and color;

 

v)         Give your location or compass heading to a known point; and

 

vi)        Describe the emergency.

 

B)        Leaks or Damage Control

 

i)          Put on life jackets (PFD), open deck hatches, look for leaks;

 

ii)         Start bilge pump, get manual pumps or buckets;

 

iii)        Shut off engine only if leak may be from engine hoses;

 

iv)        If hull is damaged and engine is inboard (not stern drive), shut off engine, close sea cock, disconnect intake water hose, place end in bilge, restart engine to act as bilge pump.

 

C)        Fire or Explosion

 

i)          Be ready to go overboard with personal flotation device (life jacket);

 

ii)         Reduce air to fire area - leave hatches closed, close doors, shut off electric supply;

 

iii)        Use extinguisher, if possible;

 

iv)        Jettison burning material, if possible;

 

v)         Use radio procedure above, calling "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY";

 

vi)        Prepare to abandon ship, get signal flares or flags, throw flotation material overboard;

 

vii)       If you abandon ship, stay together, use distress signals when help is in sight, gather additional flotation material around you.

 

D)        Man Overboard

 

i)          Shout "MAN OVERBOARD" - continuously watch person in the water, point direction so skipper can maneuver to retrieve;

 

ii)         Stop engine (propeller rotation) if person overboard is near the boat;

 

iii)        Throw life ring, seat cushion, or marker light in the area of the person;

 

iv)        Do not jump into the water to assist.

 

g)         Visual Distress Signals

 

1)         A vessel which operates on navigable waters of this State, Carlyle Lake, Lake Shelbyville, or Rend Lake shall have onboard the appropriate number and type of U.S. Coast Guard approved visual distress signals as are required for that vessel if it were operated on Lake Michigan.

 

2)         All pyrotechnic aerial red flares and pyrotechnic hand-held or floating orange smoke shall be U.S. Coast Guard approved and shall not have passed the expiration date printed on the device.

 

3)         A person shall not display a visual distress signal on the waters of the State, except in an emergency.

 

4)         A vessel shall have onboard at least one portable battery-operated light (flashlight), powered by D-cells or larger size batteries, which is in good and serviceable condition and readily accessible.

 

h)         Cooking and Heating Appliances

 

1)         Cooking appliances aboard a watercraft shall be operated only by the owner, the operator, or a crew member.

 

2)         Cooking and heating appliances, when present on a watercraft, shall be of a type commonly manufactured for use aboard watercraft.

 

3)         Cooking and heating appliances, when present on a watercraft, shall be installed in adequately ventilated areas and shall be secured to the vessel.

 

i)          Marine Radio and Compass

 

1)         A vessel which operates on the navigable waters of this State shall have onboard a marine band radio which is in good working condition.

 

2)         A vessel which operates on the navigable waters of this State shall have onboard a suitable marine-type compass which is in good and serviceable condition.

 

j)          Toilet and Sanitary Facilities

 

1)         All watercraft, except open boats and watercraft where suitable privacy enclosures are not practical, shall be equipped with one marine toilet.  The toilet shall be connected to a permanently installed holding tank, which allows for dockside pumpout at approved sanitary disposal facilities.

 

2)         The use of Y valves or other means which would allow for overboard discharge directly or indirectly into the waters of the State is prohibited.

 

3)         Marine toilets shall be maintained in a serviceable and sanitary condition.

 

k)         Anchor and Anchor Line

 

1)         A vessel shall be equipped with one anchor of a suitable size and type, and an appropriate length of suitable anchor line which is readily available onboard the vessel, except that a vessel operating on the waters of Lake Michigan shall be equipped with not less than 150 feet of suitable anchor line.

 

2)         Any line, when attached to the required anchor, shall be attached by eyesplice, thimble, and shackle.

 

l)          Inspection Procedures for Watercraft Carrying Not More Than Six Passengers, as defined by the U.S. Coast Guard

 

The owner of a vessel shall, at the dockside inspection, submit his vessel for inspection by an independent certifier and shall operate or cause to be operated all equipment and systems to the extent necessary to determine that the vessel is in compliance with subsections (d) through (k).

 

m)        Inspection Exemption

 

Watercraft registered in another state which have been inspected under similar provisions in that state shall not be required to be inspected under the provisions of this Section.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 8394, effective June 23, 2021)