Safety And Legal Requirements For Boat Parts

Many boaters are curious why it is that boat parts cannot be substituted with normal auto parts or other substitutions. The most important consideration should be the federal requirements in the United States which result in increased safety preventing a possible fire or explosion.

The federal government of the United States has regulations for boat builders and boat parts for the safety of the consumer. These regulations represent testing to an extreme condition and insure that boat parts are used in a safe way preventing accidents from occurring.

Explosive environments are created simply by the natural design of a boat by enclosing the engine area. Most boat parts are required in this area which creates problems for both the boat manufacturers as well as the manufacturers of parts in general. Think of a car with a sealed engine compartment which means any fuel leaks, fuel vapor, or any residual fluids would have no place to escape. Hard to imagine but that is the problem with the way boats must be made and also the parts used for them. 

Manufacturers of marine parts must comply with strict electrical standards provide ignition protection for any parts intended for installation in a boat. The United States Coast Guard issues minimum requirements for ignition protection preventing the installation of any anything that could cause a spark resulting in an explosion or fire. Auto parts are not manufactured in this way nor are they sealed in any way for the marine environment. The importance of compliance is high and any parts used out of compliance would be a recipe for disaster.

The fuel tank on a boat is also different than any normal fuel tank would be. Some of the same manufacturers and suppliers are also aware of this as federal regulations are in place for them also. Just as the other electrical boat parts are built to prevent fires the fuel tank is the single most combustible portion of a boat and any part used in or near it must be sufficient for safety. Modern tanks are constructed of mainly plastic and very few steel tanks are used for corrosion purposes. 

Aluminum is usually the choice if the tank is metal at all which does resist corrosion well. Just as many boat parts are constructed of corrosion resistant metals the fuel tanks follow the same path.

There are separate regulations for what is said to be inboard tanks compared to "carry on" tanks. Inboard tanks must have an exhaust blower installed to remove fuel vapor preventing it from accumulating inside the boat. Since engine parts are ignition protected then why is the exhaust necessary? Well nothing is full proof and the amount of fires from this is high as the exhaust blower is sometimes neglected or replaced with another type not in compliance with marine accessories regulations. The "carry on" tanks do not require an exhaust blower as they are exposed to open air. Many boats with smaller outboard engines have their own set of requirements for parts in them.

If one considers substituting boat parts with any other than the risk associated with it should be considered. It is not just the federal regulations to consider but the risk of fire from an improper substitution which could cause a spark or improper exhaust resulting in a possible explosion.

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