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Ventilation (33 CFR 175/183, 46 CFR 25)
Boats that use gasoline for electrical generation, mechanical power, or
propulsion are required to be equipped with a ventilation system .
A natural ventilation system is required for each compartment in a boat that:
• Contains a permanently installed gasoline engine .
• Has openings between it and a compartment that requires
ventilation .
• Contains a permanently installed fuel tank and an electrical
component that is not ignition-protected .
• Contains a fuel tank that vents into that compartment
(including a portable tank .)
• Contains a non-metallic fuel tank .
A natural ventilation system consists of:
• A supply opening (duct/cowl) from the outside air (located on the
exterior surface of the boat), or from a ventilated compartment, or
from a compartment that is open to the outside air .
• An exhaust opening into another ventilated compartment or an
exhaust duct to the atmosphere .

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A supply opening (duct/cowl) from the outside air (located on the
exterior surface of the boat), or from a ventilated compartment, or
from a compartment that is open to the outside air .

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On our 1981, that area is open and outside. What's the issue?

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Originally posted by redeye

<< I don't know if the cracks around the lid would qualify >>

I think it is a designed slot in the upper right that is a vent ... I'll take a photo of it.


I believe The lip in the lid, on the right, that goes down into a trough comes up in the middle.. which leaves a gap between the lid and the trough. No gasket there.

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Originally posted by redeye

My vented tank with ETOH was causing the black mold to spread and it was coming up there.

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Originally posted by OLarryR

Very long...Not much interest to many and very much off topic !

Scott,

yes those inspections are...interesting ! The "more to the story" I mentioned was that the official USCG boarding/inspection was a piece of cake and actually joked around with them for awhile. They mentioned that I did not even have to have any flares on my boat since the river was narrower than the requirement to have flares ( believe that is either 1 or 2 miles). I wound up talking to them about their Honda Outboards. Then after they left, they re-appeared 10 minutes later and asked if I had been boarded this year - They were preparing to board me again ! But just as I was going to respond, they said they were just joking. They thought they left their training manual inside my cabin - which they did..and retrieved it. As they left, they said they would be back again in 10 minutes ! I told them they better not be late because I will already be in the marina very soon ! Great bunch of guys !!

But...the Auxiliary Coast Guard ...that was no 10 minute inspection. I think inspections is more of a hobby with them. I had just got on my boat with guests and was in a great mood when the Aux CG (2 women, though that has no bearing on anything) approached my dock and asked if I wanted an inspection. I said - sure ! This inspection took about a 1/2 hour and was much more than just checking requirements. They were offering advice, etc....and we really wanted to go out for the day. One was onboard with my guests, inspecting, while the other (the trainee) was on the finger slip with me ..watching. First they were looking for the capacity plate on the transom....I told them there was none but they could easily calculate the capacity by the dimensions of the boat using the regulation/formula. I also indicated that a sailboat with such a little cockpit area versus the size of the boat is rarely an issue with over capacity compared to an open hull boat that easily has more seating than capacity regs would allow and certainly 5 people on a 25 foot boat would not be an issue. She moved on to life jackets. I indicated that the regs do not require them on the seats but just that they are accessible and accessible is not really defined as some boaters have them way forward in their cabins. I indicated as she observed, that my life preservers were either in the cockpit with the addl ones right inside the companionway. That was acknowledged but then she indicated that I had the straps buckled and they should really be unbuckled. I indicated the regs dfo not state that requirement. Well....that's how things went on from there at which point, the trainee sort of whispered to me that I should not razz her up too much. Then after inspecting my boat, thoroughly, using up at least a 1/2 hour of out time, they then really wanted me to consider joining the Aux CG ! I thanked them for them inspection ! and thought to myself...that is the last time I volunteer for an inspection form the Aux CG. Passing comment There is a guy on our dock that his vessel is used as the Aux Coast Guard vessel...he gets a bunch of others onboard and sometimes I see them out there but not sure what they do. Anyway, I was talking to another on the dock the other day and they were telling me that the guy that owns the boat they put the Aux CG banner on), every time he returns to the finger slip, he cannot seem to master getting his boat into the slip and has on occasion had to ask for help ! That's just great...Hope I never need any help at least from him !

Okay one more piece of trivia - This something you guys probably do not have to deal with - I guess this was at least ~ 2 years ago, presidential inauguration day. Since it gets real crowded on that day in DC and they need to keep the various streets clear and maybe one or two other reasons, they give the federal workers in DC off that day. At least that has happened for as long as I can remember. So...I was off that day and it turned out to be a great day to go sailing. My boat is located on the Anacostia River sandwiched between Fort McNair (which borders the Washington Channel and the Potomac River) and the old USCG building (they recently vacated that building and believe moved to a new building not far away on the Bolling Air Force Base) and by the way, as the USCG personnel were completing their vacating of the building, that was also at the time they had the shootings on the Wash Navy yard and so approx. 2000 personnel from the WNY moved into the old USCG Hqtrs bldg. for approximately 1 1/2 years....but they are all back in the WNY again.

Anyway...back to the story-- So, it was a great Inaugeration (sunny) Day with good winds for sailing. As I start motoring out of my slip and pass the docks, I notice as I am approaching the fuel dock which you then exit the marina, there is a USCG bopat at the fuel doack and a bunch of sailors on the fuel dock. They yell out to me that I cannot go out sailing right now. The DC waters are closed off due to the Inaugeratio and I would have to wait several hours before the waters re-open. So, having not yet left the marina, I made a U-turn and returned to my finger slip on "C" Dock. As I start cleaning things up to depart, I notice a bunch of USCG sailors waiting at the "C" dock security gate. They obviously do not know the combination lock to open the gate. My slip is pretty dfar away from that gate but I thought I better let them in....and maybe they wanted to talk to me...which turns out they did want to talk to me !! They said that since I tried to leave the marina when the waterways in DC were closed to water traffic, they had to take down my name and driver's licensoe info. They indicated that once that data is forwarded (to who knows who) and logged in, it is eventually thrown out at the end of Inaugeration Day. I told them that I actually did not go on the waterways as I had turned around based on their prompting while I was still well within the marina. They said they were stll required to take down the info...which I obviously complied as they had the authority, outnumbered "me" and forget what weapons they had but all I had was my sailing cap. Okay...story is not yet over ! So....I stop on the way home at a Wendys in northern Va for lunch. When I getting ready to get back in my car, I get a phone call. It's the ...well some military head of the USCG. he indicates he is real glad he got a hold of me...he received my cell phone after reaching my spouse on my home phone. He indicates if he could not get in touch with me, he then would have had to tuen my name over to the whatever they call them...it just now escapes me...maybe the Secret Service ? Anyway, he indicates he wanted to re-check the drivers license number that I gave the sailors at my dock since my license number did not check out! He then indicates...okay that is fine ! The sailors recorded the number wrong ! He then re-iterated that at the end of the day, all my info will be erased and nothing kept. So...I learned my lesson...If I ever go to my boat on Inauguration Day....use the day for maintenance !

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Originally posted by redeye

<< I've been wondering about that mold! >>

http://munchies.vice.com/articles/kentuckys-whiskey-fungus-problem-is-out-of-control

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only one opinion counts: the local law enforcement agency's. The folks who are handing out the tickets.

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Regardless of exemptions, all boaters should be able to signal for help. Boaters must have current dated US Coast Guard-approved day and night signals for all boats operating on coastal and open bodies of water. Federal requirements are as follows:

For boats under 16’ in length: Distress signals are only required when operating between sunset and sunrise. If operating at night, one electric distress light or three combination day/night red flares are required.

For boats 16’ in length or greater: One orange distress flag and one electric distress light –or- three handheld or floating orange smoke signals and one electric distress light –or- three combination day/night red flares; handheld, meteor or parachute type.

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