🔍 Key Concepts

• 46 CFR small passenger vessel equipment requirements (Subchapter T) • Navigation equipment required for different routes: protected waters, partially protected waters, and exposed waters • How the nature of the route (inland river vs. open Gulf) affects required navigational gear like a compass

💭 Think About

• Look at which routes expose a vessel to open sea conditions and the possibility of limited visual references, and ask where a magnetic compass becomes most important. • Consider whether being self-propelled or non-self-propelled changes the requirement for carrying navigation equipment under small passenger vessel rules. • Compare an inland river route such as the Ohio River with an exposed saltwater route such as the Gulf of Mexico and think about which one is treated as more demanding in the regulations.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify in 46 CFR which route classifications specifically trigger a compass requirement for small passenger vessels. • Check whether the rule applies only to self-propelled vessels, or to all vessels regardless of propulsion. • Confirm whether protected waters with a short restricted route are treated the same as exposed waters (like the Gulf of Mexico) for navigation equipment requirements.