It's the Law: Required Equipment
Fire Extinguishers

All vessels with a motor are required to have a Type B fire extinguisher(s) on board if one or more of the following conditions exist:

• Inboard engine
• Vessel length of 26 feet or longer
• Closed compartments where portable fuel tanks may be stored
• Double-bottoms not sealed to the hull or which are not completely filled with flotation material
• Enclosed living spaces
• Closed storage compartments in which flammable or combustible materials may be stored
• Permanently installed fuel tanks

Approved types of fire extinguishers are identified by the following marking on the label—“Marine Type USCG Approved”—followed by the size and type symbols (B-I or B-II) and the approval number.

Extinguishers should be placed in an accessible area—not near the engine or in a compartment, but where they can be reached immediately. Be sure you know how to operate them and check all extinguishers regularly to make sure they are fully charged.

Use the table below to determine what type of fire extinguisher your vessel requires:

Fire Extinguisher Charge Indicators

Check the charge level of your fire extinguishers regularly. Replace them immediately if they are not fully charged.

To check this style of extinguisher, depress the green button. If it is fully charged, the green button should pop back out immediately.
On this style of fire extinguisher, the needle indicator should be in the "full" range.