[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 46, Volume 7]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 46CFR180.200]

[Page 254-255]
 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 180--LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT AND ARRANGEMENTS--Table of Contents
 
              Subpart E--Number and Type of Survival Craft
 
Sec. 180.200  Survival craft--general.


    (a) Each survival craft required on a vessel by this part must meet 
one of the following:
    (1) For an inflatable liferaft--Approved under approval series 
160.151 or other standard specified by the Commandant, with the 
applicable equipment pack, as determined by the cognizant OCMI. Each 
inflatable liferaft required on a vessel by this part must have a 
capacity of 6 persons or more. Inflatable liferafts may be substituted 
for inflatable buoyant apparatus or life floats required under this 
section;
    (2) For a life float--Approved under approval series 160.027 or 
other standard specified by the Commandant. Buoyant apparatus may be 
used to meet requirements for life floats if the buoyant apparatus was 
installed on board the vessel on or before March 11, 1996, and if the 
buoyant apparatus remains in good and serviceable condition;
    (3) For an inflatable buoyant apparatus--Approved under approval 
series 160.010 or other standard specified by the Commandant. Inflatable 
buoyant apparatus may be substituted for life floats required under this 
section.
    (4) For a buoyant apparatus--Approved under approval series 160.010 
or other standard specified by the Commandant. An existing buoyant 
apparatus may not be used to satisfy the requirements for life floats on 
existing vessels wishing to upgrade the total number of passengers 
carried on an oceans route.
    (b) If the vessel carries a small boat or boats, the capacity of 
these boats may be counted toward life float capacity required by this 
part. Such boats must meet the requirements for safe loading and 
flotation in 33 CFR part 183, and must meet the stowage, launching, and 
equipment requirements in this part for the survival craft they replace.
    (c) A summary of survival craft requirements is provided in Table 
180.200(c).

                            Table 180.200(c)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Route                     Survival craft requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oceans.......................  (a) cold water \1\--100% IBA--Sec.
                                180.202(a)(1).
                                (i) w/subdivision \2\--100% LF--Sec.
                                180.202(a)(2).
                               (b) warm water \3\--67% IBA \4\--Sec.
                                180.202(b).
Coastwise....................  (a) wood vsls in cold water.
                                (i) 67% IBA--Sec.  180.204(a)(1).
                                (ii) w/subdivision--100% LF--Sec.
                                180.204(a)(2).

[[Page 255]]


                               (b) nonwood and vsls operating in warm
                                water.
                                (i) 100% LF--Sec.  180.204 (b) and (c).
                               (c) within three miles of shore.
                                (i) w/o subdivision--100% LF--Sec.
                                180.204(d)(1).
                                (ii) w/subdivision--50% LF--Sec.
                                180.204(d)(2).
                                (iii) w/float free 406 MHz EPIRB--50% LF-
                                -Sec.  180.204(d)(3).
Limited Coastwise (Not more    (a) wood vsls in cold water.
 than 20 miles from a harbor   (i) 67% IBA--Sec.  180.205(a)(1).
 of safe refuge).              (ii) w/subdivision--100% LF--Sec.
                                180.205(a)(2).
                               (b) nonwood vessels in cold water--100%
                                LF--Sec.  180.205(b).
                               (c) within three miles of shore--Sec.
                                180.205(d).
                                (A) w/o subdivision--100% LF.
                                (B) w/subdivision--50% LF.
                                (C) w/float free 406 MHz EPIRB--50% LF.
                               (d) vessels operating in warm water.
                                (i) 50% LF--Sec.  180.205(c).
                                (ii) within three miles of shore.
                                (A) w/o subdivision--50% LF--Sec.
                                180.205(e)(1).
                                (B) w/subdivision--NONE--Sec.
                                180.205(e)(2).
                                (C) w/float free 406 MHz EPIRB--NONE--
                                Sec.  180.205(e)(3).
Great Lakes..................  (a) same as Limited Coastwise (a) & (b)--
                                Sec.  180.206(a).
                               (b) within one mile of shore--NONE \5\--
                                Sec.  180.206(b).
Lakes, Bays, & Sounds 6,7....  (a) wood vsls in cold water.
                                (i) 100% LF--Sec.  180.207(a)(1).
                                (ii) w/subdivision--50% LF--Sec.
                                180.207(a)(2).
                               (b) nonwood--50% LF--Sec.  180.207(b).
                               (c) within 1 mile of shore--NONE--Sec.
                                180.207(e).
                               (d) warm water--NONE--Sec.  180.207(c).
RIVERS 7,8...................  (a) cold water.
                                (i) w/o subdivision--50% LF--Sec.
                                180.208(a)(1).
                                (ii) w/subdivision--NONE--Sec.
                                180.208(a)(2).
                                (iii) within one mile of shore--NONE--
                                Sec.  180.208(d).
                               (b) warm water--NONE--Sec.  180.208(b)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abbreviations used:
ILR=Inflatable liferaft
IBA=Inflatable Buoyant Apparatus
LF=Life Float. As allowed by Sec.  180.15(d) any buoyant apparatus in
  use on an existing vessel on March 11, 1996, may be used to meet the
  requirements for LF as long as the buoyant apparatus is in good and
  serviceable condition.
Footnotes:
\1\ Cold water means the cognizant OCMI has determined the monthly mean
  low temperature of the water is [le] 15 [deg]C (59 [deg]F).
\2\ Vessels [le] 65 ft carrying [le] 49 passengers built before March
  11, 2001, may meet the collision bulkhead standards in Sec.  179.310
  and one-compartment subdivision subdivision standards in Secs.
  179.220 and 179.320 at least in way of the engine room and lazarette
  in lieu of the subdivision requirements contained in this part.
\3\ Warm water means the cognizant OCMI has determined the monthly mean
  low temperature of the water is  15[deg] C (59[deg] F).
\4\ Vessels operating in warm water may substitute 100% LF in lieu of
  67% IBA--Sec.  180.202(d).
\5\ OCMI may reduce primary lifesaving for seasonal or ferry type
  operations on the Great Lakes--Sec.  180.206(b).
\6\ Shallow water exception--Sec.  180.207(e).
\7\ OCMI may reduce survival craft requirements based upon the route,
  communications schedule and participation in VTS--Sec.  180.207(f) and
  Sec.  180.208(e)
\8\ Shallow water exception--Sec.  180.208(e)C.


[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 975, Jan. 10, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 51357, Sept. 
30, 1997]