The Crook County Marine Patrol makes an effort to conduct as many boat inspections as possible.  Our emphasis is on Boating Safety and we want to ensure that the boats on our waters have all of the proper safety equipment and are being operated in a safe manner by qualified drivers.  When a marine deputy observes a violation on the water and stops a boat, he is required to conduct a boat inspection as long as it is reasonable and safe to do so.

Every boat on the waters in this state is required to carry certain equipment.  Exactly what equipment is required depends on the size and type of boat, whether or not it is self-propelled and the type of motor, and when and where it is being operated.  There are different rules for boats being operated offshore as opposed to boats being operated on fresh water rivers and lakes.

The minimum equipment requirements for all boats are:

• 1 approved PFD of the proper size for each person on board
• A sound-producing device (whistle or horn)
• Lights, if the boat is operated from sunset to sunrise

Other equipment requirements may be found in the BOAT OREGON book or online www.boatoregon.com.

If your boat is stopped and inspected , the deputies will first need to see your Boater Education Card and the Certificate of Number for the boat.  They will then guide you through the inspection process asking to see each piece of required equipment.  The inspection will generally take from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your ability to locate the requested equipment item and and violation(s) encountered.

PFD: Be sure to check all of your PFD's before launching.  Ensure that each PFD is Coast Guard approved and NOT A SKI VEST, which may not be approved and therefore does not meet the requirements.

NOTE: PFD's must be out of compartments and readily available for a person to put on in the event of an emergency.