Section 312 IAC 5-14-24 - Boats carrying six or fewer passengers for hire on waters of concurrent jurisdictionAuthority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-15-7-3; IC 14-15-7-5
Affected: IC 14-15-2-7; IC 14-15-2-8
Sec. 24.
(a) This section establishes requirements for boats carrying six (6) or fewer passengers for hire on waters of concurrent jurisdiction that are supplemental to the other requirements of this rule.(b) The requirements for a deck rail are as follows:(1) A boat must have a deck rail or an equivalent protection at the periphery of a weather deck, including the cockpit, that is accessible to the passengers and crew. The top rail course of a deck rail must be at least twenty-four (24) inches above the deck. However, this subdivision does not apply to an open boat.(2) A deck rail must have evenly spaced horizontal courses.(3) A boat with a flying bridge must have suitable deck rails or an equivalent protection at the periphery of the flying bridge deck.(4) An open boat must have suitable deck rails or an equivalent protection.(5) A deck rail may be removed or modified while a boat is anchored and passengers are engaged in a diving operation.(c) A boat must have the following onboard:(1) One (1) Type I personal flotation device of proper size for each passenger and crew member.(2) Suitably affixed, to the outside and the inside of each Type I personal flotation device, two hundred (200) square centimeters (approximately thirty-one and one-half (31.5) square inches) of Coast Guard-approved retroreflective material.(3) A ring life buoy at least twenty (20) inches in diameter. The ring life buoy must be properly marked, readily accessible, and suitably attached to at least sixty (60) feet of floating line that is resistant to deterioration from ultraviolet light.(4) A Coast Guard-approved water light that is self-activating upon contact with the water. The light must be stored in a readily accessible location near the ring life buoy. If the light is attached to a ring life buoy, the attachment line must be at least three (3) feet long, but not more than six (6) feet long.(d) A boat must have onboard, in good working condition, a marine VHF radio and a properly compensated marine compass.(e) A boat, except where suitable privacy enclosures are not practicable, must be equipped with at least one (1) toilet that complies with IC 14-15-2-7 and IC 14-15-2-8.(f) The requirements for anchors and anchor lines are as follows:(1) A boat must be equipped with an anchor of a suitable size and type.(2) A line must be attached to the anchor by eye splice, thimble, and shackle.(3) The anchor and line must be readily available onboard the boat for quick deployment and must have a minimum length as follows:(A) At least one hundred (100) feet for a boat that operates other than on Lake Michigan.(B) At least two hundred (200) feet attached to ground tackle for a boat that operates on Lake Michigan.(g) A boat must have onboard at least one (1) of the following Coast Guard-approved visual distress signals: | Option | Number Required | Type | Accepted |
| (1) | 3 | Hand-held red flare | Day and night |
| (2) | 3 | Hand-held, rocket-propelled parachute red flare | Day and night |
| (3) | 1 1 | Orange flag distress signal for boats and electric distress light for boats | Day only Night only |
| (4) | 3 1 | Floating or hand-held orange smoke and electric distress light for boats | Day only Night only |
| (5) | 3 | Floating or hand-held orange smoke and option (1) or option (2) | Day only Day and night |
| (6) | 1 | Orange distress flag for boats and option (1) or option (2) | Day only Day and night |
(1) A person must not display a visual distress signal except in an emergency.(2) A Coast Guard-approved electric distress light meeting the standards of 46 CFR 161.013, that automatically flashes the international SOS signal (...---...), meets the nighttime requirements of this subsection.(3) An orange flag that conforms to 46 CFR 160.072 meets the daytime requirements of this subsection.(4) Pyrotechnics required by this section must be: (A) readily accessible; and(B) in serviceable condition. If indicated by a date marked on the signal, the service life of the signal must not be expired. (h) The following additional requirements apply to a sailboat:
(1) The standing rigging and spars shall be inspected during the drydock inspection. Any mast must be unstepped to allow for close inspection of the components, fittings, and systems.(2) The running rigging shall be inspected during the dockside inspection, but a mast is not required to be unstepped.(3) A sailboat with wheel steering must have an emergency tiller that can be deployed if the wheel steering fails. Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 5-14-24; filed Mar 23, 2001, 2:50 p.m.: 24 IR 2396, eff Jan 1, 2002; filed Jan 5, 2005, 11:05 a.m.: 28 IR 1468; readopted filed May 29, 2008, 1:53 p.m.: 20080625-IR-312080057RFA; errata filed Jun 2, 2009, 10:29 a.m.: 20090624-IR-312090386ACA; Readopted filed 7/17/2014, 3:46 p.m.: 20140813-IR-312140067RFAReadopted filed 9/16/2020, 8:15 a.m.: 20201014-IR-312200355RFA