Safety equipment is the part of a boat nobody looks at and everybody assumes is there. The most common finding in a survey is not a fault: it is equipment out of date. The liferaft missed its service five years ago, the extinguisher's refill date is unreadable, the flares expired in 2019.
This page sets out how safety equipment is checked in a survey and when each item falls due.
Scope note: A survey records what is aboard, its dates and whether it can be reached. Liferaft servicing, extinguisher refilling and EPIRB battery replacement are the work of approved service agents; the survey does not carry them out, it records their state.
1. Equipment That Carries a Date
| Equipment | Interval | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Liferaft | Service every 1-3 years by maker | Service label and date, hydrostatic release date, painter made fast to the boat. |
| Fire extinguisher | Annual check, refill at 4-10 years | Pressure gauge, refill date, seal, accessibility. |
| Flares | 3-4 years | Expiry date, dry stowage, quantity. |
| EPIRB / PLB | Battery 5-6 years | Battery date, registration, hydrostatic release, self-test result. |
| Lifejackets (inflatable) | Annual check, cylinder 2-3 years | CO₂ cylinder weight, firing head date, cover condition. |
| Lifejackets (foam) | Visual | Straps, buckles, tears, light and whistle. |
| First aid kit | Medicine dates | Contents and expiry dates. |
2. Fire: The Critical System
- Extinguisher count and placement: on escape routes and outside the engine space, so a fire can be fought without opening the door.
- Engine room fixed system: where fitted, its charge date, pressure and clear discharge nozzle.
- Fire port: the small flap for discharging an extinguisher into the engine space; present and marked.
- Fire blanket: near the galley, within reach.
- Detectors: fire and smoke detectors present, batteries live.
- Ventilation shut-off: the means to close air supply in a fire.
3. Flooding and Pumping
| Checked | Why |
|---|---|
| Bilge pumps | Tried manually and on automatic; float switch free to move. |
| Manual bilge pump | The only pump that works with the power gone; handle present, reachable from the deck. |
| Bilge alarm | An audible warning is the only protection while asleep. |
| Emergency bungs | A softwood bung of the right size expected beside every seacock. |
| Seacock access | Every valve reachable and able to be turned by hand; a seized valve is no use in an emergency. |
4. Steering and Manoeuvring Redundancy
- Emergency tiller: present, stowed where, and how long it takes to fit.
- Backup steering: what remains if the hydraulic system fails.
- Spare anchor and rode: a second anchor with chain and warp of adequate size.
- Tow line: of suitable diameter, with a sound point to make fast to.
5. Communications
- Fixed VHF with DSC: GPS feed, MMSI registration, aerial condition.
- Handheld VHF: battery life and waterproofing; the only link left when the main system goes.
- EPIRB registration: updated to the current owner where the boat has changed hands.
- SART / AIS-MOB: battery dates where fitted.
- Torch and spare batteries: waterproof, accessible.
6. Man Overboard
- Lifebuoy, lit and quick-release
- MOB marker or AIS-MOB unit
- A means of recovering a person aboard, a ladder alone is not enough
- Harnesses and jackstays; strength of the attachment points
- Deck handholds and guardrail height
7. Required Equipment in Turkey
For privately registered boats, required equipment is set by length and area of operation. Harbour authorities ask for it on inspection.
Note: The required list can change with regulation. Confirm the current list with your harbour authority or the schedule attached to your insurance policy. A survey records the condition and dates of what is aboard; compliance assessment rests with the authorities.
8. What Comes Up Most Often
- Liferaft service overdue: the most common finding. Past its label date, the raft is a box with no guarantee of opening.
- Extinguisher unreachable: behind a locker, under gear, or inside the space where the fire will start.
- Inflatable lifejackets unchecked: cylinder loose or firing tablet dissolved.
- EPIRB registered to the previous owner: never updated on transfer.
- No emergency bungs: nothing to hand when a seacock fails.
- Emergency tiller missing: either absent or nobody knows where it is.
- Manual pump handle missing: the pump is there, the handle is not.
See the survey calculator for scope and fee, and onboard emergencies for what happens in the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Between annually and every three years depending on maker and type. Past the date on its service label, the raft counts as a box with no guarantee of opening, and an insurer will ask about it after an incident.
Visual check annually; refill interval runs 4 to 10 years by type. Even with the gauge in the green, an expired refill date means it is no longer valid.
The device does, the registration does not. It must be re-registered to the new owner; otherwise search and rescue reaches the wrong person in an emergency.
Weight and tightness of the CO₂ cylinder, the date on the firing head and the condition of the cover. A loose cylinder means the jacket will not inflate.
The survey records what is aboard and its dates. Compliance assessment rests with the harbour authorities; confirm the current list there or from your insurance schedule.
Yes. When a seacock or hose fails, a bung is the only thing that stops the water. One of the right size is expected beside every valve.
Not inside the space where a fire is likely, but on the route to it. The engine room extinguisher should be usable without opening the door.
Scope: The survey is non-destructive and nothing is dismantled; details on the survey types page.
Continue with this topic
- Fire system renewal: Detection, extinguishing, shut-off and escape.
- Windlass and anchoring: Chain, gypsy and anchor matching.
Related Pages
Onboard EmergenciesFirst response in the fieldSurvey TypesWhich scope you needInsurance SurveyFor policy and coverElectrical SurveyWhere fires startPreparing for a SurveyDocuments and accessSurvey QuoteFee by length and scope
Are your dates current?
Send the boat details; we will go through the checklist together.
💬 WhatsApp 📝 Written quote 📞 +90 501 5 SURVEY