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Vessel Safety Check Program

The VE's of D31 did a
total of 184 VSCs during 2013
The United States Power Squadrons® has teamed up with the U. S. Coast Guard and the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in a Memorandum of Understanding to support and become active partners in a national program to perform Vessel Safety Checks (VSC).  All active USPS® members, 18 years and older, are eligible to train and become qualified as Vessel Examiners (VEs)).  A VSC decal is issued when a vessel has been inspected and met all required elements listed on the Vessel Safety Checklist. 

 
USPS and the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary have been pioneers in Safe Boating Education and have enjoyed good relations over the years and often our members are also members in the U. S. Coast Guard and vice versa.  With this new program, USPS is taking an active role in training their members to become qualified vessel examiners.  Our local squadrons and the local CG Auxiliary flotillas can now have joint vessel safety stations, train each other's members to become qualified VEs, and share communications in new ways. 

 
For district information, contact the D31 Vessel Safety Check Chairman,
P/C Laurie Hestand, P
at 405-692-7438 or Email at itshers2@att.net

Vessel operators and boat owners
can achieve the following benefits
when they have a
FREE Vessel Safety Check --

Some the items that qualified Vessel Examiners will check for on the boat are;

display of numbers,
registration and/or documentation,
personal flotation devices,
visual distress signals,
fire extinguishers,
ventilation,
backfire flame control,
sound-producing devices,
navigation lights,
federal/state/local requirements,
and overall vessel condition.  

Some of the topics that will be discussed during the vessel check are;
accident reporting,
chart and aids,
survival tips,
fueling and fuel management,
float plans,
weather
sea or lake conditions,
and safe boating classes.
This is a good time for boaters to ask questions and have the vessel examiner clarify safety equipment requirements and recommend
where to sign up for safe boating classes if the boater is interested.  See also our Safety Tips webpage listed in the links provided at the
bottom of this page.

District VSC Award
The award called the "District 31 Vessel Safety Check Award" was presented to the district as a memorium for the Pine Bluff Squadron
which has returned their charter to USPS and will cease to exist at the end of FY2003.  The trophy was designed by members of the
Pine Bluff Squadron and presented to the district by P/C William F. Foster, AP

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The recipient of the award in 2014 is the Grand Lake Sail & Power Squadron.

The award is approximately eight inches high.  It has space around the base that will allow attachment of suitable plaques that will
denote the winning squadron and the year of the award.  Rules for the award are administered by our District VSC Chairman

Vessel Safety Check Training in the Classroom

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Vessel Examiner Training features classroom instruction and written exam as first part of the VSC Training program 
Photo:  VE training, Grand Lake Sail & Power Squadron
(Photo by P/D/C Bill Miller, P)

Let's Examine Those Vessels!

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   Vessel Examiner Trainees must also examine five vessels as part of the program to become qualified as a VE 
VEs must continue to perform a minimum of  five Vessel Safety Checks each year to keep VE qualification up-to-date
L to R:  Boaters pass the Vessel Safety Check and receive VSC decal as FC Jonas in life vest congratulates them

Pass your free Vessel Safety Check and get your VSC decal today!

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