§ 80.917   Reserve power supply.

   (a) Any small passenger vessel the keel of which was laid after March 1,
   1957, must have a reserve power supply located on the same deck as the main
   wheel house or at least one deck above the vessel's main deck, unless the
   main power supply is so situated, if—

   (1) The vessel is of more than 100 gross tons; or

   (2) Beginning March 25, 2009:

   (i)  The  vessel  carries  more  than  150 passengers or has overnight
   accommodations for more than 49 persons; or

   (ii) The vessel operates on the high seas or more than three miles from
   shore on Great Lakes voyages.

   (b) The reserve power supply must be independent of the ship's propulsion
   and of any other electrical system, and be sufficient to simulataneously
   energize the radiotelephone transmitter at its required output power, and
   the receiver. The reserve power supply must be available for use at all
   times.

   (c)  When the reserve power supply consists of batteries, they must be
   installed as high above the bilge as practicable, secured against shifting
   with motion of the vessel, and accessible with not less than 26 cm (10 in.)
   head room.

   (d)  The  reserve  power  supply  must be located as near the required
   transmitter and receiver as practicable.

   (e) All reserve power supply circuits must be protected from overloads.

   (f) Means must be provided for charging any storage batteries used as a
   reserve power supply for the required radiotelephone installation. There
   must be a device which will give continuous indication of the rate and
   polarity of the charging current during charging.

   (g) The cooling system of each internal combustion engine used as a part of
   the reserve power supply must be adequately treated to prevent freezing or
   overheating consistent with the season and route to be travelled by the
   particular vessel involved.

   (h) Beginning January 2, 2013, any small passenger vessel that does not
   carry  a  reserve  power  supply  must carry at least one VHF handheld
   radiotelephone.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  58 FR 44954 , Aug. 25, 1993;  73 FR 4488 , Jan. 25, 2008;  76 FR 67616 , Nov. 2, 2011]

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