🔍 Key Concepts

• 46 CFR Subchapter W – Lifesaving and fire protection equipment for towing vessels • The regulatory definition of a “new towing vessel” versus an “existing towing vessel” • How regulations often use a specific contract or build date as a dividing line

💭 Think About

• Look at which answer choices use a specific calendar date and think about how regulations usually separate old and new vessels. • Consider whether the definition of “new” in federal regulations is usually based on age in years, or on a fixed date in the rule. • Ask yourself: when the Coast Guard writes a rule, do they typically care if a vessel is recently built, or whether it was contracted for or built after a set cutoff date?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify whether the correct definition in the CFR mentions “contracted for” rather than simply “built” or “owned.” • Check the exact cutoff date used in the towing vessel fire protection regulations – pay close attention to the year in the answer choices. • Confirm that “new” is not defined by “within the last three years” or “not previously owned” anywhere in the towing vessel fire protection definitions.