Equipment for UK Pleasure Vessels

Before you go out on the water, make sure your boat is properly equipped and suitable for how you plan to use it.  

Note: The information below applies to UK pleasure vessels. There are different requirements for vessels in commercial use. See The Safety of Small Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure – A Code of Practice.

The equipment you need—and may be required to carry—will depend on your boat’s size and type, as well as where you will be operating. For example, day boats and vessels with cooking or sleeping facilities have different equipment needs, and requirements also vary between inland and coastal waters. 

The list below provides a general guide to equipment for UK pleasure vessels. 

Remember to check all equipment regularly for wear or damage, and make sure everyone on board knows when and how to use it. 

Pleasure vessels less than 13.7m in length  

For pleasure vessels under 13.7m, there are no statutory safety equipment requirements beyond those set out in SOLAS V . The table below highlights what SOLAS V requires and can help you decide which additional equipment is good practice to carry on board. 

Pleasure vessels 13.7m in length and over  

Some equipment is mandatory for pleasure vessels 13.7m in length and over—classified in the Merchant Shipping Regulations as Class XII vessels.  

Class XII vessels, unless choosing instead to comply with the special exemptions explained below, are required to comply with: 

• Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Small Craft) Regulations 1998 

• Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances for Ships Other Than Ships of Classes III To VI(A)) Regulations 1999 

Exemptions to Merchant Shipping Regulations for Class XII vessels  

Complying with this Merchant Shipping legislation can be impractical, and there is potential for conflict with the Recreational Craft Regulations (RCR). To make things simpler, owners of Class XII vessels can opt to comply with one or more of three available exemptions, instead of the underlying regulations to which they relate.  

These exemptions are published in MGN 599   

The list below provides an overview—with links to further information—to help you equip your boat in line with best practice, as well as the GENERAL EXEMPTION in relation to Life-Saving Appliances on Class XII vessels and GENERAL EXEMPTION in relation to Fire Protection on Class XII vessels 

Please note that this is only an overview and should not be used on its own as the basis for full compliance with the exemptions. 

Mandatory and recommended safety equipment for UK pleasure vessels  

This list isn’t exhaustive, but it provides a solid starting point for equipping your boat, alongside the additional guidance available on our website. 

We have highlighted which items are mandatory or recommended based on vessel size. 

Please note that requirements can also vary by area of operation—for example, some navigation equipment isn’t needed on inland waters—and by the type of boat. Always check the regulations that apply to your vessel and activity. 

* = varies with area of operation 

† = varies with type of boat 

General Safety Equipment

Information & Communications

Navigation and collision avoidance

Emergencies

Other important equipment