§ 67. Public vessel equipment. 1. Buoyant apparatus. Every public
vessel of over fifty tons burden, navigating more than one mile from
shore, shall carry in addition to other equipment required by this
section, sufficient buoyant apparatus for not less than twenty per cent
of all persons on board. Buoyant apparatus shall mean and include life
rafts, or life floats, of a type approved by the commissioner. Such
apparatus shall be equipped with oars or paddles and other equipment as
specified by the inspector. All buoyant apparatus shall be stowed in
such a manner that it is easily accessible and capable of being launched
into the waters in case of need.

2. Personal flotation devices. Every public vessel engaged in the
transportation of passengers shall have on board a wearable personal
flotation device for each passenger the vessel is certified to carry,
and one additional wearable personal flotation device for each member of
the crew. The personal flotation devices shall be of a type approved by
the United States coast guard for use on vessels carrying passengers for
hire. The personal flotation devices shall be in serviceable condition
and kept in readily accessible places, having the approval of the
inspector, for immediate use in case of emergency. The location of the
personal flotation devices shall be indicated by legible printed
notices. It shall be the duty of the inspector to ascertain that every
personal flotation device is as herein required.

3. Ventilation. The inspector shall require that machinery and other
enclosed spaces be adequately ventilated by means of free or forced air
ventilation. The inspector shall require that all installed fuel tanks
be properly vented.

4. Portable fire extinguishers. The inspector shall require that
public vessels carry such portable fire extinguishers as he deems
necessary and to specify their type, size and location on the vessel,
dependent upon the type of vessel, the number of passengers and the
amount and character of freight carried and other fire hazards.

5. Fixed fire extinguishing systems. Fixed fire extinguishing systems,
hereinafter termed "fixed systems", are considered to be total flooding
systems using carbon dioxide as the extinguishing agent and having
components fixed in position. The inspector shall require the
installation of a fixed system on every passenger carrying public vessel
which has enclosed engine and fuel tank compartments.

6. Communications and navigational equipment. Every public vessel
certified to carry more than ten passengers shall be equipped with
either a very high frequency marine radio or operational cellular phone
which, considering the location of the vessel's operations, the vessel's
range, the availability of persons or services to receive and respond to
the vessel's transmissions when the vessel is in use and other relevant
factors the inspector, in his or her discretion, determines to be a
reliable means for such vessel to call for any necessary aid or
assistance. Every public vessel certified to carry more than sixty-five
passengers shall also be equipped with functional radar.

7. Marking of equipment. All equipment, unless otherwise directed by
the inspector, shall be legibly marked with the name or registration
number of the public vessel on which it is carried.

8. The commissioner is hereby authorized to make rules and regulations
pertaining to equipment on public vessels. In framing such rules and
regulations the commissioner shall, as far as practicable, be governed
by the rules and regulations of the United States coast guard prescribed
for the regulation of commercial vessels.