All-around Light. - A light showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 360º.
Boat. - A vessel propelled by hand, sail, or engine (other than steam), under 65 feet.
Boat Operator. - (either the owner or operator). The person who is operating the boat at the time that a VSC is being conducted.
Certification. - The manufacturer's statement that the boat complies with applicable Coast Guard safety or manufacturing standards in effect on the date of manufacture.
Coast Guard. - Also United States Coast Guard, a part of the armed forces of the United States, is the principle federal agency for law enforcement and maritime safety.
Coast Guard Auxiliary. - Civilian volunteer component of the Coast Guard whose primary mission is boating safety.
Coastal Waters. - The waters of the Great Lakes on the U.S. side of the International Boundary, the territorial seas of the United States, and the internal waters of the U.S. directly connected to the Great Lakes and the territorial seas (bays, sounds, harbors, rivers, etc.) where the entrance exceeds two nautical miles between opposite shorelines, to the first point in those bodies of water where the distance between shorelines (including islands) narrows to less than two nautical miles, as measured on a nautical chart.
Commandant. - Senior Officer of the United States Coast Guard.
Commercial Fishing Vessel/Boat. - A vessel or boat licensed and/or operated to earn money by carrying freight or passengers.
Defect Notification. - Requirement for manufacturers of boats and associated equipment to notify owners when their products fail to comply with applicable regulations or contain a defect creating a substantial risk of personal injury to the public.
Director. - The Director of Auxiliary is charged with the active promotion and administration of Auxiliary affairs in a specific Coast Guard District.
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). - Satellite EPIRB are designed to quickly and reliably alert rescue forces, indicate an accurate distress position, and guide rescue units to the distress scene even when all other communications fail.
Flashing Light. - A light flashing at regular intervals at a frequency of 120 flashes or more per minute. This light is used on air cushion vessels operating in the non-displacement mode.
Immediately Available. - Close at hand, so as to be instantly ready (without delay) for use.
Inland Waters. - The navigable waters of the United States shoreward of COLREGS Demarcation Lines, as defined in Navigation Rules - International and Inland, and as represented on nautical charts by dashed magenta lines; and the waters of the Great Lakes on the U.S. side of the International Boundary.
Inspected Vessel. - A vessel that is required to be inspected by the Coast Guard to operate on navigable waters of the United States. This includes vessels that carry seven or more passengers for hire.
Manufacturer. - Any entity engaged in the manufacture, construction, or assembly of boats or associated equipment.
Masthead Light. - A white light placed over the fore and aft centerline of the vessel showing an unbroken arc of the horizon of 225º and so fixed as to show the light from dead ahead to 22.5º abaft the beam on either side of the vessel. Exception: A vessel of less than 39.4 feet may display and all-around white light, rather than a white masthead light and stern light as required for larger boats.
Monohull Boat. - A boat on which a line at the intersection of the water surface and the boat, at any operating draft, forms a single closed curve (catamarans, trimarans, and pontoon boats are not monohull boats).
Navigable Waters of the United States. - The territorial seas of the United States, the internal waters of the United States that are subject to tidal influence, and the internal waters of the United States that are NOT subject to tidal influence but are used as highways for substantial interstate or foreign commerce (such as rivers, canals, and the Great Lakes).
Operational Vessel Facility. - A Coast Guard Auxiliary member's vessel or Auxiliary Unit vessel meeting additional Coast Guard requirements. An operational facility has been offered for use and is accepted by the Director.
Personal Watercraft (PWC). - An inboard vessel, usually driven by a jet-pump, that carries one to three persons, and is operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the boat, rather than in the conventional manner of sitting below the gunwale of the boat.
Readily Accessible. - A safety item that can be obtained quickly and used easily.
Registration Number. - Coast Guard or state number used to identify a vessel. Sometimes referred to as a Certificate of Number. In this course the term "registration number" includes all types of registration documentation except for documented vessels.
Regulation. - An agency statement of general or particular applicability designed to implement, interpret, or prescribe policy to carry out the purpose of a law, and having the force of law.
Rental Boat. - Any vessel offered for rent, bare boat charter, or belonging to a club in which members do not own a percentage of a specific vessel.
Requirement. - Used in this course to mean Federal Regulations.
Side Light. - A green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side, each showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 112.5º and so fixed as to show the light from dead ahead to 22.5º abaft the beam on its respective side. On a vessel of less than 65 feet in length the sidelights may be combined in one lantern carried on the fore and aft centerline of the vessel, except that of a vessel of less than 39.4 feet in length the side lights when combined in one lantern shall be placed as nearly as practicable to the fore and aft centerline of the vessel.
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). - In some cases this approval designation is accepted in place of Coast Guard approval.
Sole State Waters. - Those waters that are located entirely within the confines of a single one of the 50 U.S. states, and that fall neither under the category of Navigable Waters of the United States, nor the Waters Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States.
Special Flashing Light. - A yellow light flashing at regular intervals at a frequency of 50 to 70 flashes per minute, placed as far forward and as nearly as practicable on the fore and aft centerline of the tow (being pushed ahead in Inland Waters) and showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon not less than 180º nor more than 225º and so fixed as to show light from dead ahead to abeam and no more than 22.5º abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.
Stern Light. - A white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 135º and so fixed as to show the light 67.5º from directly aft on each side of the vessel.
Towing Light. - A yellow light having the same characteristics as the sternlight.
Underwriters Laboratory (UL). - In some cases this approval designation is accepted in place of Coast Guard approval.
Uninspected Passenger Vessel (UPV). - An uninspected steam vessel less than 65 feet in length, a motorboat or motor vessel of less than 300 gross tons (except for yachts), or a sail vessel of less than 700 gross tons, licensed to carry six or fewer passengers, at least one of which is a passenger for hire.
United States Power Squadrons (USPS®). - Private, non-profit, non-government, volunteer organization dedicated to self-education of its members and boating safety education of the public.
(USPS®) - VSC Chairperson. - A member of the Vessel Safety Check Committee, chaired by the Auxiliary N-V. (National Director of the Vessel Safety Check Program).
Vessel. - All watercraft, other than seaplanes, of any size, that are used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on the water.
Vessel Carrying Passengers for Hire. - A vessel or boat used to carry a passenger for a consideration.
Visual Distress Signal (VDS). - A visual emergency signaling device approved by the Coast Guard.