Florida Safety Decal

[sailorboy1]

Who has gotten a Florida Safety Decal? Did you get it after they just stopped you to do a "safety inspection"? Or did you find a FWC office to come do an inspection?

[AA3JY]

What’s the difference between a Florida Safety Decal and a USCG AUX Safety Decal requirements?

[sailorboy1]

Well by Florida law there’s a bid difference. An Aux sticker has no authority at all and is just an indicator. The Florida sticker would actually not allow a Florida LEO to stop you for a safety inspection.

Btw the law says if a Florida stops you for a safety inspection and you pass they are suppose to give you a sticker after.

[a64pilot]

Never heard of a Fl sticker. So they just stop you to inspect the head as opposed to an inspection of safety gear?

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Never heard of a Fl sticker. So they just stop you to inspect the head as opposed to an inspection of safety gear?

I don’t know the details but I’ve read that in FL if you’re stopped by a cop for a safety inspection, (and you pass,) you either get a sticker or a receipt of some sort.

The purpose is to preclude you from another safety inspection.

[Jason Flare]

To add:

I imagine the safety inspection is exactly like the USCG Aux or USPS VSC.

I have a 2018 VSC sticker on my boat.

I’d like to get a 2019 one ASAP.

[sailorboy1]

So the Florida has been around a few years, yet no one has seen/has a sticker.

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

So the Florida has been around a few years, yet no one has seen/has a sticker.

I had the Ft. Lauderdale police take a look at my composting head but I never wanted to talk to them so I didn’t bring up the safety inspection issue.

[Jason Flare]

I’m thinking about contacting a Power Squadron unit and asking for a VSC.

[PatSea]

You can go online to request vessel exam from the Power Squadron or Coast Guard Auxiliary: USCGAUX: Vessel Safety Checks

[sailorboy1]

And that’s nothing of use other than an inspection. Maybe the cg will respect that, and maybe even Florida FWC etc., but none have to.

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

And that’s nothing of use other than an inspection. Maybe the cg will respect that, and maybe even Florida FWC etc., but none have to.

True. But when they dropped by to inspect my head I had a VSC sticker and they didn’t do a safety check.

The rule of thumb is that the sticker is likely to cause the police to not waste their time.

BTW I used to do VSC’s in the Power Squadron and I’m not worried about getting a safety check. What I wouldn’t appreciate is being stopped on the water multiple times in a short period of time.

[Jason Flare]

To add:

The Catch 22 is that you need a sticker or decal or receipt from a water cop after they’ve done an inspection and no one wants to voluntarily ask a water cop for an inspection.

At lease that’s the Catch 22 for me.

[GordMay]

Beginning July 1, 2016, boats that are boarded by Florida state and local marine law enforcement and successfully complete a safety inspection will be issued an inspection decal. Once the new decal is properly displayed, state and local officers may not stop that watercraft again solely for the purpose of a vessel safety inspection. Vessels with the decal may, however, be stopped by marine law enforcement officers for any other lawful reason. Additionally, having the decal does not change the authority for the U.S. Coast Guard to board a vessel ...

FL Statute 327.70(2)(a): “Upon demonstrated compliance with the safety equipment carriage and use requirements of this chapter during a safety inspection initiated by a law enforcement officer, the operator of a vessel shall be issued a safety inspection decal signifying that the vessel is deemed to have met the safety equipment carriage and use requirements of this chapter at the time and location of such inspection.

The “Courtesy Marine Examination” stickers issued by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons do not exempt boats from any safety boarding.

☞ https://southwindsmagazine.com/wp-co...tion-decal.pdf

UPDATE (corrected):
Florida House Bill CS 703 was approved by the Governor March 25, 2016, and will go into effect starting July 1, 2016. The legislation requires law enforcement to need "probable cause" before stopping or inspecting a vessel if it displays a recent safety inspection decal issued by law enforcement on a previous stop. The law applies only to local and state law enforcement and not to Coast Guard officials.

[Jason Flare]

@juho just posted in the black ball thread that dayshapes are required for inspection in Finland.

Anyone (@Gord May!) know if the inspection for a FL Safety Decal requires dayshapes?

ETA: The USPS VSC inspection does not require dayshapes. (Or at least didn’t up until 2018.)