Equipment On-Board Boats – the French Regulations

These are the French regulations regarding boat equipment and safety.

Boat between 2.5m and 24m length

• Ground tackle (anchor, chain and rode) adapted to the length of the boat
• Two mooring lines of more than 5 metres, at least equal to the length of the boat
• Two oars, or a paddle and an oar (boats under 8 metres)
• A boat-hook
• A horseshoe lifebuoy or life-ring
• One lifejacket per person on-board (lifejackets must be worn on sports boats)
• An air pump – inflatable boats
• An ignition safety cut-off device – sports boats
• One or more CE type approved fire extinguishers
• A bailer (attached) – boats of 5 metres or less
• A rigid 7 litre bucket – boats over 5 metres
• A first aid kit (bandages, gauze, tape, topical antiseptic, etc.).

Boat over 24m length

• Ground tackle (anchor, chain and rode)
• Floating fenders
• Three wire cables (100, 60 and 30 meters) or hawsers
• Equipment required for visual and sound signals and the marking of vessels
• Emergency lights (for signalling stationary grounded or sunken vessels)
• A blue flag
• Minimum 3 extinguishers (6kg) appropriate to risks
• A rescue tarpaulin (can be subject to dispensation)
• A passarelle (0.40m x 4m) with handrails
• A boathook
• Binoculars
• A first aid kit
• An axe
• Two horse-shoe lifebuoys or life-rings
• One container with lid for storing oily rags,
• A man overboard notice
• A megaphone
• A boarding ladder (if freeboard is greater than 1.5m).
• One EN395 type approved lifejacket per person on-board
• An emergency dinghy

Wearing a lifejacket is obligatory whenever there is a serious risk of falling-in, also at many large locks (for example on the Seine, Saone and Rhone).

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