🔍 Key Concepts

• 46 CFR lifejacket (PFD) carriage requirements for small passenger and uninspected vessels • Difference between wearing a lifejacket and having it properly stowed and accessible • What the Coast Guard actually requires for inspection/testing frequency

💭 Think About

• Think about what the Coast Guard boarding officer checks first regarding lifejackets: is it about being worn, where they are, or how often they’re tested? • Ask yourself which option would be practical and enforceable on all types of vessels, from small boats to large ships. • Consider whether the rules focus more on the condition and location of lifejackets or on a strict schedule of testing and inspections.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify that Coast Guard rules do not require lifejackets to be worn at all times on every vessel and every voyage. • Check which answer reflects a requirement that can realistically apply to every person on board in an emergency. • Confirm from regulations that there is no universal yearly or weekly testing requirement worded the way some of these options suggest.