15 Reasons a Vessel Might Not Pass a Vessel Safety Check (VSC) The following represents a sampling of 100650 Vessel Safety Checks.

• 74.873% Passed the VSC
• 25.127% Failed the VSC

Items that Failed: (Note: This is a percentage of ALL vessels examined and some had two or more items that failed so these numbers will not add up to 100%.)

• Display of Numbers – 5.435%
• Registration / Documentation – 5.574%
• Personal Flotation Devices – 2.832%
• Visual Distress Signals – 12.221%
• Fire Extinguishers – 4.501%
• Ventilation – 1.451%
• Backfire Flame Control – 1.639%
• Sound Producing Devices / Bell – 5.156%
• Navigation Lights – 8.465%
• Pollution Placard – 2.375%
• MARPOL Trash Placard – 2.802%
• Marine Sanitation Device – 2.921%
• Navigation Rules – 2.742%
• State and/or Local Regulations – 10.432%
• Overall Vessel Condition – 4.670%

Recommended Items not Found: (Note: These items are not required to pass the VSC.)

• Marine Radio – 33.433%
• Dewatering Device & Backup – 14.347%
• Mounted Fire Extinguishers – 21.570%
• Anchor & Line for Area – 11.257%
• First Aid and PIW Kits – 27.928%
• Inland Visual Distress Signals – 24.252%
• Capacity / Cert. of Compliance – 28.246%

Discussion Items – 14.704%

a. Accident Reporting / Owner Responsibility
b. Offshore Operations
c. Nautical Charts / Navigation Aids
d. Survival Tips / First Aid
e. Fueling / Fuel Management
f. Float Plan / Weather & Sea Conditions
g. Insurance Considerations
h. Boating Check List
i. Safe Boating Classes

Source: U.S. Coast Guard, “15 Reasons For Failing a Vessel Safety Check,” http://wow.uscgaux.info website. Accessed November 30, 2015. http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=V-DEPT&category=why-boats-fail-a-vsc

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