Some marine safety equipment is required by boat regulations and the boat laws for pleasure vessels of 13.7 meter and over, in length. There are many variables that can change the requirements of what you must carry on board, one been how far out to sea you travel, you may be required to carry boat safety equipment like a liferaft, lifejackets, lifebuoys, flares,and a maritme radio.
But, for pleasure craft below the length of 13.7 meters, there are no requirements for safe boat equipment to be carried other than those under 'SOLAS V'. But Non the less; for your own marine safety and small boat safety, this dosnt mean you shouldn't carry un-required safety equipment for boating anyway. The MINIMUM you should have on board is:
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A lifejacket/buoyancy aid for everyone on board
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Atleast a hand-held Vhf Radio, just incase assistance is required
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A way of identyfiying yourself to other boats in the case of a emegency or collision, eg. Handheld flares.
But I would recommend taking much more safety equipment for boats than this, especially if you are a serious, long-distance boater who spends alot of time at sea. To see what equipment I carry, click here, or for the boating checklist I have created for you to download, print and use, click here.
All boat safety equipment you take to sea, should be regularly checked for wear and tear or damage. Lifejackets need to be regularly serviced, and flares in date. Also, always check that your engine is working before you take the boat of the trailler or morring.
