N.Y. Navigation Law § 67: Public vessel equipment

§ 67. Public vessel equipment. 1. Buoyant apparatus. Every public

vessel of over fifty tons burden, navigating more than one mile from

shore, shall carry in addition to other equipment required by this

section, sufficient buoyant apparatus for not less than twenty per cent

of all persons on board. Buoyant apparatus shall mean and include life

rafts, or life floats, of a type approved by the commissioner. Such

apparatus shall be equipped with oars or paddles and other equipment as

specified by the inspector. All buoyant apparatus shall be stowed in

such a manner that it is easily accessible and capable of being launched

into the waters in case of need.

2. Personal flotation devices. Every public vessel engaged in the

transportation of passengers shall have on board a wearable personal

flotation device for each passenger the vessel is certified to carry,

and one additional wearable personal flotation device for each member of

the crew. The personal flotation devices shall be of a type approved by

the United States coast guard for use on vessels carrying passengers for

hire. The personal flotation devices shall be in serviceable condition

and kept in readily accessible places, having the approval of the

inspector, for immediate use in case of emergency. The location of the

personal flotation devices shall be indicated by legible printed

notices. It shall be the duty of the inspector to ascertain that every

personal flotation device is as herein required.

3. Ventilation. The inspector shall require that machinery and other

enclosed spaces be adequately ventilated by means of free or forced air

ventilation. The inspector shall require that all installed fuel tanks

be properly vented.

4. Portable fire extinguishers. The inspector shall require that

public vessels carry such portable fire extinguishers as he deems

necessary and to specify their type, size and location on the vessel,

dependent upon the type of vessel, the number of passengers and the

amount and character of freight carried and other fire hazards.

5. Fixed fire extinguishing systems. Fixed fire extinguishing systems,

hereinafter termed "fixed systems", are considered to be total flooding

systems using carbon dioxide as the extinguishing agent and having

components fixed in position. The inspector shall require the

installation of a fixed system on every passenger carrying public vessel

which has enclosed engine and fuel tank compartments.

6. Communications and navigational equipment. Every public vessel

certified to carry more than ten passengers shall be equipped with

either a very high frequency marine radio or operational cellular phone

which, considering the location of the vessel's operations, the vessel's

range, the availability of persons or services to receive and respond to

the vessel's transmissions when the vessel is in use and other relevant

factors the inspector, in his or her discretion, determines to be a

reliable means for such vessel to call for any necessary aid or

assistance. Every public vessel certified to carry more than sixty-five

passengers shall also be equipped with functional radar.

7. Marking of equipment. All equipment, unless otherwise directed by

the inspector, shall be legibly marked with the name or registration

number of the public vessel on which it is carried.

8. The commissioner is hereby authorized to make rules and regulations

pertaining to equipment on public vessels. In framing such rules and

regulations the commissioner shall, as far as practicable, be governed

by the rules and regulations of the United States coast guard prescribed

for the regulation of commercial vessels.