A free, printable and fillable 17-page PDF kit for recreational boats up to 65 ft: a plain-language summary of federal requirements by boat length, a boat profile and equipment inventory, a required-equipment checklist, a placard and label checklist, a trip log and a maintenance, service and expiry log, plus 5 single-sheet fillable PDFs and a 2-page READ ME, in one zip. It helps with USCG federal carriage requirements for recreational boats. Not produced, sponsored or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard. Fill it in with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader or a current browser, or print it at "Actual size" and fill it in by hand. Free download; print as many copies as you need.
About this kit
Federal rules set the minimum safety equipment a recreational boat must carry, and some boats must also post placards. What applies depends mostly on your boat's length, engine and fuel, and where you operate. This kit puts it on paper: record your boat's profile and equipment, check what applies for your length, check each item at the start of the season and regularly after, and log every trip.
Pages 4 and 5 sum up the federal requirements by boat length (under 16 ft, 16 to under 26 ft, 26 to under 40 ft, and 40 to 65 ft): wearable and throwable PFDs, children under 13, visual distress signals, fire extinguishers (only on boats with an engine, 33 CFR 175.301), sound signals, navigation lights, ventilation, backfire flame control, and placards (the oil discharge placard must be in the language or languages the crew understands). Pages 6 to 10 quote the regulations word for word from the eCFR, for reference.
This kit is a checklist and log that helps with USCG federal carriage requirements for recreational boats. It is a summary, not legal advice, and it is not produced, sponsored or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard or any government agency. State and local rules may add requirements, so check with your state boating agency. It covers recreational boats up to 65 ft; commercial, charter and passenger-for-hire vessels have other requirements.
US Letter size (8.5 x 11 in). Prints on a standard home or office printer.
What's inside
Page 1: Title page with a contents list and the license line.
Page 2: How to use this kit.
Page 3: A before-every-trip quick check and the words used.
Pages 4-5: Federal requirements by boat length, with notes.
Pages 6-10: Regulation excerpts, word for word from the eCFR.
Pages 11-12: Boat Profile & Equipment Inventory (fillable).
Pages 13-14: Required-Equipment Checklist, front and back (fillable).
Page 15: Placard & Label Checklist (fillable).
Page 16: Boat Trip Log (fillable).
Page 17: Maintenance, Service & Expiry Log (fillable).
Plus 5 single-sheet fillable PDFs of the forms: boat profile + equipment inventory (2 pages), required-equipment checklist (2 pages), placard & label checklist, boat trip log, and maintenance, service & expiry log (1 page each).
Plus a 2-page READ ME: what's in the download, how to fill in and print, and where to start.
How it works
Check out as usual at $0. Nothing is shipped: this is a free digital file.
Get your download link right away on the order confirmation page and in your confirmation email.
The download link is valid for 30 days. Save the zip file to your computer or shared drive. If your link expires, contact us through the site and we can resend it.
Fill the sheets in with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader or a current browser, or print and fill them in by hand.
Print at "Actual size" (100%) on US Letter (8.5 x 11 in) paper.
Print as many copies as you need for your own boats.
License
Free to share or print as is. Please don't sell or change this file.
FAQ
Is this an official Coast Guard form? No. It is not produced, sponsored or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard. It's a checklist and log that helps with USCG federal carriage requirements for recreational boats, with reference excerpts of the federal rules.
Which boats does it cover? Recreational boats up to 65 ft. Commercial, charter and passenger-for-hire vessels have other requirements, and your state may add its own.
Can I fill it in on a computer? Yes, in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader or a current browser such as Chrome, Edge or Firefox. Type your entries, then save or print. You can also print the sheets and fill them in by hand.
How many copies can I print? As many as you need. You can share the file as is; please don't sell or change it.
What if my download link expires? The link stays active for 30 days. After that, contact us through the site with your order number and we can resend it.
Need a replacement placard or label? Shop Marine Safety Labels.
