Nansemond River Power Squadron

Vessel Safety Check Program

VSC Decal
2012

A Vessel Safety Check (VSC) is a courtesy examination of your boat to verify the presence and condition of safety equipment required by State and Federal regulations. The Vessel Examiner is a trained specialist and is a member or the US Power Squadrons or the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. The examiner will also make recommendations and discuss safety issues to encourage safer boating.

Complete form below to request a Vessel Safety Check

Lt Larry Rountree, AP
VSC Committee Chair

Congratulations to NRPS for joining the USPS Honor Roll for participation in the VSC program. To earn this, we
provided at least 1 VSC for each member of the Squadron (74 members, 179 VSCs performed) and have 10 %
of our members registered and active as a Vessel Safety Examiner (VSE). We have 13 VSEs for 18%.
72 squadrons throughout all of USPS acheived this recognition. Congratulations to our VSEs for a job well done.

Vessel Safety Check Includes

Display of registration numbers

Valid state registration

Personal Flotation Devices (PFD), US Coast Guard approved

Visual Distress Signals (Flares) with proper dates

Fire Extinguisher preferably mounted

Safe Fuel System (Includes proper ventilation for fuel tank and I/O or Inboard Engines)

Backfire Flame Control for all I/O or Inboard Engines

Sound Producing Device (Horn/Bell) **

Navigation Lights (Anchor and Running Lights)

Pollution Placard (Vessels 26 feet and longer)

MARPOL Trash Placard (Vessels 26 feet and longer)

Marine Sanitation Devices (All Vessels with installed heads - MSD's)

Navigation Rules (All Vessels 39.4 feet or longer)

State and/or Local Requirements

Overall Vessel Condition

Safe Electrical System (Including battery terminals covered in a battery box or with rubber caps)

This is not a boarding or law enforcement issue. No citations will be given as a result of this encounter. The examiner will supply you with a copy of our evaluation so that you may follow some of the suggestions given. Boats that pass will be able to display our distinctive VSC decal. This does not exempt you from law enforcement boarding, but you can be prepared to make this a positive encounter.

** Under a recent change, a vessel 12 meters (39.4 ft) to less than 20 meters (65 ft) is no longer required to carry a bell on board. The Coast Guard said: "The bottom-line, a bell is no longer required on a vessel less than 20 meters in length. That of course means a bell is not required for those same vessels for successful completion of a VSC."

Vessel Safety Check Request

Please contact me so we can set up a Vessel Safety Check for me. Thanks

                                   Name:                                                Phone:

                         Boat Name:                 Location of Boat:

If preferred for contact, EMAIL:

Type of Boat:                                Best time to inspect :

                                            (For these two options, hold CTRL key if you need to make multiple selections)

Currently serving as Vessel Safety Examiner (VSE) for Nansemond River Power Squadron

Thanks to the following who serve as VSEs for the Squadron

Art Aikin, N

Butch Baxter

Fletcher Beadles, AP

Drex Bradshaw, AP

Frank Brown, AP
Jack Eure, AP

Norman Fisher, AP

Lin Hanberry, AP

John Holland, AP

Ron Murphy, AP

Larry Rountree, AP

Lilly Stone, JN

Tyler Stubbs, S

Brenda Wallace, JN

Donnie Weaver, AP

'Fair Winds and Following Seas'