What safety material is mandatory on recreational boats?

One of the most frequent doubts when browsing is related to the Mandatory material on recreational boats for safety purposes. Logically, we refer to a legally regulated aspect. Specifically, the current regulations in this regard are the Royal Decree 339/2021, which sheds light on these questions.

The text refers exactly to the regulation of safety and pollution prevention equipment for recreational boats, although we are going to focus only on the mandatory safety material that must always be present on this type of craft.

In this sense, it is worth highlighting the relevance of compliance beyond legal requirements, since it is about maintaining the integrity of the people on board.

Are you interested in: Basic Training Course in Maritime Safety

When is it mandatory to wear safety equipment?

Something that we must take into account with respect to mandatory safety material in recreational boats is its scope of application. In this sense, recreational boats are considered those whose length is between 2.5 and 24 meters, are used for recreational or sporting purposes and do not carry more than 12 passengers.

Within this type of vessels, those that are registered, pre-registered or registered in Spain, those that navigate in Spanish waters must comply with the regulations, regardless of their flag - provided that their owners or those who are using them have their residence or registered office in Spain - and those that carry out activities for profit or commercial purposes in Spanish territory.

Mandatory material in recreational boats by navigation areas

One of the fundamental questions when it comes to knowing what safety material is mandatory on a recreational boat is the permitted navigation area for each ship. There are seven different zones and in each of them more or fewer elements are required, in greater or lesser quantities and with one type or another of approval.

Furthermore, it is also important to distinguish between pleasure boats with and without CE marking. The former are empowered to browse by your design category and the second in their specifically assigned areas; In both cases, the safety and pollution prevention equipment itself is also taken into account when determining the area.

Zone 1, unlimited navigation

In this area you need It is essential to have liferaft with SOLAS approval in type A emergency package, one life jacket with light for each person on board, two lifebuoys - one with light and buoy -, six hand flares, six rockets with red light and parachutes, two floating flumigen signals, SOLAS navigation lights and markings approved by EU member states, a pressure fog horn manual and a 200 mm diameter bell.

On the other hand, also It is mandatory to carry a steering compass with lighting and a detour board., bearing compass, sextant and chronometer, as well as nautical charts, nautical navigation and radio publications and navigation log.

In addition, pleasure boats that navigate in zone 1 They must have binoculars, a barometer, the national flag, a code of flags of at least 60 x 50 cm - at least c and N-, waterproof flashlight, radar reflector, rescue signal table and signal flag table.

Finally, radio communications in navigation zone 1 require NAVTEX, MF radiotelephone with SOLAS approval, VHF radiotelephone with LSD - fixed and portable -, a 9 GHz radar transponder and 406 MHz radio beacon with SOLAS approval.

Zone 2, between the coast and the parallel line at 60 nautical miles

For navigate in zone 2 with pleasure boats It is mandatory to have a life jacket with approval in a type B emergency package, a life jacket with light for each person on board, a lifebuoy with light and tail, six hand flares, six rockets with red light and parachutes, a floating flumigenic signal , SOLAS navigation lights and markings approved by EU member states, a manual pressure fog horn and a 200 mm diameter bell.

It is also required to have a steering compass with lighting and a detour board, nautical charts, nautical navigation publications and a book of radio signals, binoculars, a barometer, a national flag, flag code -at least c and N-, waterproof flashlight, radar reflector, rescue signal table and signal flag table.

For proper operation of radio communications, when navigating in zone 2, a VHF radiotelephone with LSD - fixed and portable - is necessary. a 9 GHz radar transponder and 406 MHz radio beacon with SOLAS approval.

Zone 3, between the coast and the parallel line at 25 nautical miles

The requirements in this area begin with the life raft with type B emergency package approval, a life jacket with light for each person on board, a lifebuoy with light and tail, six hand-held flares, six rockets with red light and parachutes. , a floating smoke signal lights and SOLAS navigation markings approved by EU member states, a manual pressure fog horn and a 200 mm diameter bell.

In this case it is also mandatory to carry a steering compass, nautical charts, nautical navigation publications and a book of radio signals, binoculars, national flag, waterproof lantern, radar reflector, rescue signal table and signal flag table.

For radio communications purposes, When navigating in zone 3, a VHF radiotelephone with LSD -fixed- is necessary. and 406 MHz radio beacon with SOLAS approval.

Zone 4, between the coast and the parallel line at 12 nautical miles

In this area, the mandatory material is a life jacket for each person on board - with light during night navigation -, a lifebuoy with light and buoy, three hand flares, three rockets with red light and parachute, lights and navigation markings adapted to the brightness of the moment, a manual pressure fog horn and a 200 mm diameter bell.

Additionally, it is also mandatory to carry a steering compass, nautical charts, nautical navigation publications, binoculars, national flag, waterproof flashlight, radar reflector, table of rescue signals and table of signal flags. With regard to radio communications, When navigating in zone 4, a fixed VHF radiotelephone with LSD is necessary..

Zone 5, less than 5 miles from an accessible shelter or beach

The mandatory material for pleasure boats in zone 5 is made up of a life jacket for each person on board - with light for night navigation -, three hand flares, lights and navigation marks adapted to the brightness of the moment, a manual pressure fog horn and a 200 mm diameter bell.

On the other hand, it is mandatory to carry a steering compass on category A and B vessels with a steering or navigation cabin, where they must also be found. binoculars, nautical charts and nautical navigation publications.

Furthermore, they cannot miss the national flag, waterproof lantern, radar reflector, rescue signal table and signal flag table. Regarding radio communications, when navigating in zone 5, a VHF radiotelephone with LSD is necessary, which can be fixed or portable.

Zone 6, less than 2 miles from an accessible shelter or beach

In this type of boat it is required to have a life jacket for each person on board -with light for night navigation-, three hand-held flares, navigation lights and markings adapted to the luminosity of the moment, a manual pressure fog horn and a 200 mm diameter bell.

On the other hand, it is mandatory steering compass on category A and B vessels with steering or navigation cabin, where you should also find binoculars, nautical charts and nautical navigation publications and, finally, the national flag, waterproof flashlight, radar reflector, table of rescue signals and table of signal flags cannot be missing.

Zone 7, navigation in protected coastal waters

In this case we talk about pleasure boats that circulate only in protected waters, such as ports, estuaries, sheltered bays, roadsteads where it is essential to have a life jacket for each person on board - with light for night navigation -, navigation lights and markings adapted to the brightness of the moment, a manual pressure fog horn and a 200 mm diameter bell.

In another order of things, it is also necessary to have a steering compass on category A and B boats with a steering or navigation cabin, where they must also be found. binoculars, nautical charts and nautical navigation publications. Likewise, the national flag, waterproof lantern, radar reflector, rescue signal table and signal flag table cannot be missing.

The obligatory material in recreational boats, life insurance

In addition to all the mandatory material in recreational boats that we have mentioned, all recreational boats must have a first aid kit and health guide, emergency steering means, mooring ropes, pumps and buckets for bilge, boat hook and inflator plus a set of repair of punctures -in rigid and semi-rigid inflatable boats-.

In conclusion, we talk about fundamental elements to guarantee the safety of those traveling on board, whether they are crew or passengers.