Required Equipment
Which boats are generally required to carry a Coast Guard-approved (B-class) fire extinguisher?
Answer
Boats with enclosed engine or fuel compartments, or closed living spaces
A boat needs a fire extinguisher if it has features that can trap fuel vapors or fire — such as an inboard engine, enclosed fuel compartments, or closed living spaces. Class B extinguishers are made for flammable-liquid (fuel) fires.
Source: U.S. Coast Guard / Office of the Federal Register — 33 CFR 175.320(a)(1) and Table 2 to § 175.320(a)(2) — https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-33/section-175.320
Not the answer
- No recreational boats need one
- Only sailboats
- Only boats over 65 feet
Practice this
The boater safety certification exam is 50 questions and takes 40 correct — 80% — to pass. The app’s page carries a free ten-question test drawn from the same bank, marked as you go.
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