Small wooden hull passenger vessels, whose routes are limited to coastwise warm water routes on the high seas, must carry approved life floats or buoyant apparatus __________.
• 46 CFR Subchapter H or T requirements for lifesaving equipment on small passenger vessels • Difference between total persons carried vs. percentage of persons permitted on board • How life floats/buoyant apparatus supplement, but do not replace, other required lifesaving gear
• Ask yourself: Is this regulation usually written for all persons or for a specific percentage of persons on board? • Think about why the Coast Guard might allow less than 100% coverage with life floats on certain small, warm‑water, coastwise routes. • Consider whether life floats are meant to replace ring life buoys or to provide additional survival capacity in an abandonment situation.
• Verify in 46 CFR that the requirement is expressed as a percentage of all persons permitted on board, not just those actually carried on a given trip. • Confirm that ring life buoys and life floats/buoyant apparatus are listed under separate requirements and are not interchangeable in the regulations. • Check whether the specified percentage is closer to two‑thirds (about 67%) or full (100%) coverage for this specific vessel and route type.
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