The walleye fishing season will soon be here and with it, boaters will begin traveling Lake Erie. This year, the U.S. Coast Guard reminds boaters of a newly added regulation for their to-do list this spring before docking at marinas.
Boat owners will need to check all disposable (nonrechargeable) fire extinguisher dates of manufacture, as well as the label for their U.S. Coast Guard classification.
That’s because a new U.S. Coast Guard regulation beginning April 20 for disposable fire extinguishers mandates a 12-year expiration date from the date of manufacture.
Boaters can find the manufacture date stamped into the bottom of the bottle or near the UL label. This may be two or four digits–if it is two, as in 08, that means 2008.
Additionally, while the new regulation does not change the type (U.S. Coast Guard-rated) or quantity or requirement for USCG approved fire extinguishers aboard, it does specify the minimum Underwriter Laboratory (UL) classification of extinguishers to be carried aboard certain vessels– depending on the boat’s model year.
This is the result of phasing out older “B-I” and “B-II” labels for newer “5-B” “10-B” and “20-B” extinguisher classifications.
The number in this new rating refers to the size in square feet of the potential fire the device is suitable to extinguish and not the exact weight of the dry chemical inside the bottle.
Vessels on the water that are less than 26 feet and model year 2017 or older may continue to carry older, dated or undated “B-I” or “B-II” disposable extinguishers. However, when they are no longer serviceable or have reached 12 years of age since manufacture, they must be replaced with newer class “5-B” or greater extinguishers.
Boats less than 26 feet and 2018 model year or newer must carry unexpired “5-B” “10-B” or “20-B” fire extinguishers. Having older “B-I” and “B-II” types do not meet the new carriage requirements.
Many retailers offer “10-B” class fire extinguishers, which may be a good choice as they exceed U.S. Coast Guard minimum carriage requirements for boats under 26 feet, while at the same time giving boaters more extinguishing coverage.
For boats 26 feet or greater, however, having one “10-B” aboard does not equal two 5-Bs. Only a “20-B” classification meets the requirement to carry two “5-B” extinguishers. For a look at how many and what type of fire extinguishers are needed aboard all recreational boats up to 65 feet, visit BoatUS.org/Fire-Extinguish ers.
There are no changes to rechargeable or fixed-mount (i.e., engine room) extinguisher regulations.
They continue to require regular maintenance and servicing, typically done annually by a technician.
“This new U.S. Coast Guard expiration date regulation aligns with the 12 years recommended by the National Fire Protection Association,” said Ted Sensenbrenner, BoatUS Foundation assistant director of boating safety.
“We expect that the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons vessel safety check program will soon include this new regulation as part of their free, no-penalty vessel exams,” he added. For more information,
For more information, visit uscgboating.org.
