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 Rhode Island, all vessels equipped with an engine are required to have a Type B, USCG–approved fire extinguisher on board. Vessels equipped with an outboard engine and less than 26 feet in length are exempt from this requirement if they have an open construction that does not allow flammable gases or vapors to be trapped.
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.
