Recreational Boaters Could Get Coast Guard Inspections

DETROIT (AP) — If your Memorial Day weekend plans include boating on the Great Lakes, be prepared for a visit from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Coast Guard crews routinely board vessels to inspect safety equipment. They also might stop kayaks, canoes and personal watercraft if they consider it necessary.

Officials say the typical boarding of a recreational vessel takes less than 30 minutes. It often will go faster if the boater has received a free Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel safety check and earned a decal.

Teams inspect items such as life jackets, visual distress signals such as flares, sound-producing devices, fire extinguishers and other required safety equipment.

They also check the vessel's original registration paperwork and government-issued identification.

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