Vessel Safety Checks

Quick question: If a free service were offered that could save your life, would you go for it? If you correctly answered “Yes!” a Vessel Safety Check (VSC) is in your near future.

A VSC is a no cost, no risk check of your boat’s equipment and personal protection gear, conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadrons knowledgeable about federal, state, and local requirements. VSC are offered for any vessel — power or sailboat, paddleboard, canoe, kayak, or jet ski.

Before setting up an in-person inspection, use the VSC tools that enable boaters to access both the actual safety checklist used by vessel examiner and an online guide that leads you through what you need to pass the inspection.

Once you’ve fulfilled all the requirements on the checklist, click on the “I Want a VSC” and schedule an in-person inspection, where decals are available to those who pass. Passing the inspection means outings will be safer for all aboard, and displaying the decal shows you’re a responsible boater.