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If you’ve been following us for a while, you may recall that a trip to Boston two years ago was interrupted by a Coast Guard boarding in the middle of the Cape Cod Canal.

It was a total pain. The boat was new and since it was a rolling inspection, I had to remain at the helm piloting the boat.

The CC Canal’s 10 MPH speed limit is always annoying, but once the USCG got on board, they ordered me to slow to 6 knots!

It was my first USCG Inspection, and it took at least half an hour because Mr. Horne kept running up and down the stairs to the bridge, asking me where things were.

In discussions with the officers, we learned that the New England USCG focuses on mandatory boarding and inspections in May because that’s when the unsafe boats hit the water for the season.

We ended up adding a half hour to the three-hour trip to Boston. Fortunately, the delay just made us late for lunch, but we were lucky that day.

Imagine a boat full of guests (or antsy kids) heading to the Islands for a Dock and Dine getting stopped for an inspection – not a pretty thought!

Before the Coast Guard boarded us in 2024, they asked us if we had already had a Vessel Safety inspection. Our answer was no, but I made a mental note to get one every spring in the future.

Getting a USCG Vessel Safety Check

Many marinas in New England actually host a Coast Guard Vessel Safety Check on Mid May weekends. My marina – Safe Harbor Onset Bay held one on May 24, but we were to already be off cruising by then, so I contacted the USCG Auxiliary and scheduled Amazing Grace.

Within a few days, I engaged in an email conversation with Jason at the USCG Auxilary and he came to Onset and did our inspection.

USCG Auxilary – April and Jason

Armed with the knowledge of what they were looking for, I had everything ready when they arrived and Amazing Grace had her sticker in under 15 minutes.

Last week I emailed Jason again and this time he came to Safe Harbor Plymouth and did our inspection.

Here are the things he looks for…

  • USCG – Inspection Checklist
    • Documentation – Amazing Grace is documented by the CG, so they wanted to see my current papers. Otherwise, they’ll want to see your state registration.
    • Identification – They didn’t require my Captain’s License; my driver’s license was sufficient.
    • Flares – They will check the expiration dates. Amazing Grace doesn’t have flares; we have a radio beacon, which was fine.
    • Ships Bell – This is no longer required by the USCG for boats under 20 meters, but the State of Massachusetts still requires it for boats over 12 meters (39.4 feet). The USCG requires a Ship’s Bell for boats over 20 meters and Amazing Grace sits squarely near that line. Note: The bell doesn’t have to be mounted (ours is still in the box it came in).
    • Life Jackets – All they require is one for everyone on board, including children’s jackets if you have any on board. We have somewhere between 20 and 30!
    • Fire Extinguishers – This was the first curve ball. She needed to see four. The fire suppression system in the engine room counted as one. Peter came up and asked me, and I told him where I thought they were. They will check the expiration dates.
    • Life Ring – The requirement calls for it to be mounted and ready to throw.
      • Less than 16 feet: Not required, though recommended.
      • 16 feet to less than 26 feet: At least one Type IV throwable device, which can be a 20-inch ring buoy or a boat cushion.
      • 26 feet to less than 65 feet: At least one 24-inch orange ring life buoy, typically required to have a 60-foot line attached. Mrs. Horne does not allow anything orange on the boat, so ours is white and the USCG approved it.
      • 65 feet or more: At least three 24-inch orange ring life buoys with 90 feet of line attached to at least
    • Black Water Discharge –The USCG wants to see the thru-hull seacock, and they want to see a zip tie preventing it from being used. On Amazing Grace, the seacock is in the Lazzerette, and it is not zip-tied because it has an electric lock controlled by a keyed switch near the helm. I explained that to Jason and he said, “Perfect.”
    • Hull Number – This can also turn into a scavenger hunt. It must be on an engraved display attached to the hull by regulation. On Relentless, it was in the engine room, but on Amazing Grace, it’s well hidden in small mechanical room under the VIP cabin. Fortunately, it is also engraved on the cockpit wall.
    • Running Lights and Horn – Straightforward!
    • USCG-REGS – The CG also requires boats over 39.5’ to have a copy of the USCG Regulations Book on board. I bought one on Kindle, so it’s on my iPad and phone, which meets the requirement.
    • Waste Management Plan – This is a new one for 2026. It’s essentially a form you must fill out and keep on file on the boat.

The Official USCG Vessel Safety Checklist

So do yourself a favor and get your boat inspected this weekend!

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