[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 46, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 46CFR28.120]

[Page 338-340]
 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
         CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
 
PART 28_REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY VESSELS--
Table of Contents
 
                 Subpart B_Requirements for All Vessels
 
Sec. 28.120  Survival craft.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) through (h) of this section 
and 28.305, each vessel must carry the survival craft specified in Table 
28.120(a), Table 28.120(b), or Table 28.120(c), as appropriate for the 
vessel, in an aggregate capacity to accommodate the total number of 
individuals on board.
    (b) The requirements of this section do not apply to vessels less 
than 10.97 meters (36 feet) in length with 3 or fewer individuals on 
board which operate within 12 miles of the coastline.
    (c) A buoyant apparatus may be substituted instead of the 
requirements in this section for vessels 10.97 meters (36 feet) or more 
in length with 3 or fewer individuals on board which operate within 12 
miles of the coastline.
    (d) Each survival craft installed on board a vessel before September 
15, 1991, may continue to be used to meet the requirements of this 
section provided the survival craft is--
    (1) Of the same type as required in Tables 28.120(a), 28.120(b), or 
28.120(c), as appropriate for the vessel type; and
    (2) Maintained in good and serviceable condition.
    (e) Each inflatable liferaft installed on board a vessel before 
September 15, 1991, may continue to be used to meet the requirements for 
an approved inflatable liferaft, provided the existing liferaft is--
    (1) Maintained in good and serviceable condition as required by 
Table 28.140; and
    (2) Equipped with the equipment pack required by Tables 28.120(a), 
28.120(b), or 28.120(c), as appropriate for the vessel type. Where no 
equipment pack is specified in Tables 28.120(a), 28.120(b), or 
28.120(c), a coastal service pack is the minimum required.
    (f) A lifeboat may be substituted for any survival craft required by 
this section, provided it is arranged and equipped in accordance with 
part 199 of this chapter.
    (g) The capacity of an auxiliary craft carried on board a vessel 
that is integral to and necessary for normal fishing operations will 
satisfy the requirements of this section for survival craft, except for 
an inflatable liferaft, provided the craft is readily accessible during 
an emergency and is capable of safely holding all individuals on board 
the vessel. If the auxiliary craft is equipped with a Coast Guard 
required capacity plate, the boat must not be loaded so as to exceed the 
rated capacity.
    (h) A vessel less than 10.97 meters (36 feet) in length that meets 
the flotation provisions of 33 CFR part 183 is exempt from the 
requirement for survival craft in paragraph (a) of this section for 
operation on--
    (1) Any waters within 12 miles of the coastline.
    (2) Rivers.

         Table 28.120(a)--Survival Craft for Documented Vessels
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Survival craft
              Area                    Vessel type          required
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beyond 50 miles of coastline....  All...............  Inflatable
                                                       liferaft with
                                                       SOLAS A pack.

[[Page 339]]


Between 20-50 miles of            All...............  Inflatable
 coastline, cold waters.                               liferaft with
                                                       SOLAS B pack.
Between 20-50 miles of            All...............  Inflatable
 coastline, warm waters.                               liferaft.
Beyond Boundary Line, between 12- All...............  Inflatable
 20 miles of coastline, cold                           liferaft.
 waters.
Beyond Boundary Line, within 12   10.97 meters (36    Inflatable buoyant
 miles of coastline, cold waters.  feet) or more in    apparatus. See
                                   length.             note 2.
Beyond Boundary Line, within 12   Less than 10.97     Buoyant apparatus.
 miles of coastline, cold waters.  meters (36 feet)   See note 2.
                                   in length.
Beyond Boundary Line, within 20   All...............  Life float. See
 miles of coastline, warm waters.                      note 2.
Inside Boundary Line, cold        10.97 meters (36    Inflatable buoyant
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,   feet) or more in    apparatus.
 cold waters; or Rivers, cold      length.            See note 2.
 waters.
Inside Boundary Line, cold        Less than 10.97     Buoyant apparatus.
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,   meters (36 feet)   See note 2.
 cold waters; or Rivers, cold      in length.
 waters.
Inside Boundary Line, warm        All...............  None.
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,
 warm waters; or Rivers, warm
 waters.
Great Lakes, cold waters........  10.97 meters (36    Inflatable buoyant
                                   feet) or more in    apparatus.
                                   length.            See note 2.
Great Lakes, cold waters........  Less than 10.97     Buoyant apparatus.
                                   meters (36 feet)   See note 2.
                                   in length.
Great Lakes, beyond 3 miles of    All...............  Buoyant apparatus.
 coastline, warm waters.                               See note 2.
Great Lakes, within 3 miles of    All...............  None.
 coastline, warm waters.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: 1. The hierarchy of survival craft in descending order is
  lifeboat, inflatable liferaft with SOLAS A pack, inflatable liferaft
  with SOLAS B pack, inflatable liferaft with coastal service pack,
  inflatable buoyant apparatus, life float, buoyant apparatus. A
  survival craft higher in the hierarchy may be substituted for any
  survival craft required in this table.
2. If a vessel carriers 3 or fewer individuals within 12 miles of the
  coastline, see Sec. 28.120 (b) and (c) for carriage substitution.


 Table 28.120(b)--Survival Craft for Undocumented Vessels With Not More
                      Than 16 Individuals on Board
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Survival craft
              Area                    Vessel type          required
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beyond 20 miles of coastline....  All...............  Inflatable buoyant
                                                       apparatus.
Beyond Boundary Line, between 12- All...............  Inflatable buoyant
 20 miles of coastline, cold                           apparatus.
 waters.
Beyond Boundary Line, within 12   10.97 meters (36    Buoyant apparatus.
 miles of coastline, cold waters.  feet) or more in
                                   length.
Beyond Boundary Line, within 12   Less than 10.97     Buoyant apparatus.
 miles of coastline, cold waters.  meters (36 feet)   See note 2.
                                   in length.
Beyond Boundary Line, within 20   All...............  Life float. See
 miles of coastline, warm waters.                      note 2.
Inside Boundary Line, cold        10.97 meters (36    Buoyant apparatus.
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,   feet) or more in
 cold waters; or rivers, cold      length.
 water.
Inside Boundary Line, cold        Less than 10.97     Buoyant apparatus
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,   meters (36 feet)   See note 2.
 cold waters; or Rivers, cold      in length.
 water.
Inside Boundary Line, warm        All...............  None.
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,
 warm waters; or Rivers, warm
 waters.
Great Lakes, cold waters........  All...............  Buoyant apparatus.
                                                      See note 2.
Great Lakes, beyond 3 miles of    All...............  Buoyant apparatus.
 coastline warm waters.                               See note 2.
Great Lakes, within 3 miles of    All...............  None.
 coastline warm waters.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: 1. The hierarchy of survival craft in descending order is
  lifeboat, inflatable liferaft with SOLAS A pack, inflatable liferaft
  with SOLAS B pack, inflatable liferaft with coastal service pack,
  inflatable buoyant apparatus, life float, buoyant apparatus. A
  survival craft higher in the hierarchy may be substituted for any
  survival craft required in this table.
2. If a vessel carries 3 or fewer individuals within 12 miles of the
  coastline, see Sec. 28.120 (b) and (c) for carriage substitution.


 Table 28.120(c)--Survival Craft for Undocumented Vessels With More Than
                         16 Individuals on Board
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Survival craft
              Area                    Vessel type          required
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beyond 50 miles of coastline....  All...............  Inflatable
                                                       liferaft with
                                                       SOLAS A pack.
Between 20-50 miles of            All...............  Inflatable
 coastline, cold waters.                               liferaft with
                                                       SOLAS B pack.
Between 20-50 miles of            All...............  Inflatable
 coastline, warm waters.                               liferaft.
Beyond Boundary Line, between 12- All...............  Inflatable
 20 miles of coastline, cold                           liferaft.
 waters.
Beyond Boundary Line, within 12   10.97 meters (36    Inflatable bouyant
 miles of coastline, cold waters.  feet) or more in    apparatus.
                                   length.
Beyond Boundary Line, within 12   Less than 10.97     Buoyant apparatus.
 miles of coastline, cold waters.  meters (36 feet)
                                   in length.

[[Page 340]]


Beyond Boundary Line, within 20   All...............  Life float.
 miles of coastline, warm waters.
Inside Boundary Line, cold        10.97 meters (36    Inflatable buoyant
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,   feet) or more in    apparatus.
 cold waters; or Rivers, cold      length.
 waters.
Inside Boundary Line, cold        Less than 10.97     Buoyant apparatus.
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,   meters (36 feet)
 cold waters; or Rivers, cold      in length.
 waters.
Inside Boundary Line, warm        All...............  None.
 waters; or Lakes, bays, sounds,
 warm waters; or Rivers, warm
 waters.
Great Lakes, cold waters........  10.97 meters (36    Inflatable buoyant
                                   feet) or more in    apparatus.
                                   length.
Great Lakes, cold waters........  Less than 10.97     Buoyant apparatus.
                                   meters (36 feet)
                                   in length.
Great Lakes, beyond 3 miles of    All...............  Buoyant apparatus.
 coastline warm waters.
Great Lakes, within 3 miles of    All...............  None.
 coastline warm waters.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: 1. The hierarchy of survival craft in descending order is
  lifeboat, liferaft with SOLAS A pack, Inflatable liferaft with SOLAS A
  pack, liferaft with SOLAS B pack, Inflatable liferaft with SOLAS B
  pack, Inflatable liferaft with coastal service pack, inflatable
  buoyant apparatus, life float, buoyant apparatus. A survival craft
  higher in the hierarchy may be substituted for any survival craft
  required in this table.


[CGD 96-046, 61 FR 57273, Nov. 5, 1996; CGD 96-046, 61 FR 68162, Dec. 
27, 1996, as amended by CGD 96-046, 62 FR 46676, Sept. 4, 1997; USCG-
2002-13058, 67 FR 61278, Sept. 30, 2002]