Requirements to Carry Fire Extinguishers
Federal law requires all vessels, including PWC, to have a Type B fire extinguisher on board if one or more of the following conditions exist:
- Any inboard engine
- Closed compartments where portable fuel tanks may be stored
- Double bottoms not sealed to the hull or which are not filled completely with flotation material
- Closed living spaces
- Closed storage compartments in which flammable or combustible materials may be stored
- Permanently installed fuel tanks (any tank where the removal of the tank is hampered by the installation of tie-down straps or clamps)
In Ohio, no person shall operate or permit to be operated any powercraft that does not have a Type B USCG–approved fire extinguisher on board. Powercraft exempted from this requirement are those:
- Propelled by electric motors
- Less than 26 feet in length, powered by an outboard motor, of “open construction,” and not carrying passengers for hire
Approved types of fire extinguishers are identified by the following marking on the label—“Marine Type USCG Approved”—followed by the type and size symbols and the approval number.
