For the last 70 years, the Pamlico Sail and Power Squadron has hosted free vessel safety checks. The PSPS hosted a boat check in May and will offer another one next week.

Inspections will check condition of the boat and safety equipment that is required by state and federal regulations, including registration. The PSPS will also discuss with boaters ways to make their vessel safer.

During the free examination of the boats, tickets will not be given due to unsatisfactory inspections.

A boat that is not required to have state registration or numbers to be shown are 14-foot or smaller sail boats in the water that have no mechanical power.

The items that will be checked during the inspections include: required boating and safety equipment, display of required numbers, registration and documentation, personal flotation devices, visual distress signals, fire extinguishers, ventilation, backfire flame control, sound producing devices, navigation lights, pollution placard, MARPOL trash placard, marine sanitation, state regulations, navigation rules and overall vessel condition.

“We believe that an educated boater is a safer boater and are dedicated to this mission in the Beaufort County,” said a PSPS press release. “Pamlico Sail & Power Squadron offers short seminars with a two to three hour format, valuable take-away guides.”

In 2013, PSPS did safety checks for nearly 1,000 boats, and according to Tom Miller a vessel safety inspector, they are hoping to do more this year.

“The safety checks just makes everybody’s life easier,” Miller said.

“We will also check fuel and electric systems, along with display numbers and state registration,” Miller said.

After a boat gets passed for inspection boaters will get a sticker on the boat to show they passed. However, boaters can still get ticketed for violations if they are stopped by the United States Coast Guard or North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Miller said.

At anytime authorities can stop boaters and check their vessel in open water.

For more information regarding PSPS safety inspections visit http://www.pamlicosailandpowersquadron.org.