StacksVerified U.S. regulatory reference

46 CFR §177.300

Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
Except as otherwise allowed by this subpart, a vessel must comply with the structural design requirements of one of the standards listed below for the hull material of the vessel.
  1. (a)Wooden hull vessels: Lloyd's Yachts and Small Craft (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600);
  2. (b)Steel hull vessels:
    1. (1)Lloyd's Yachts and Small Craft; or
    2. (2)ABS Steel Vessel Rules (<61 Meters)(incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600);
  3. (c)Fiber reinforced plastic vessels:
    1. (1)Lloyd's Yachts and Small Craft;
    2. (2)ABS Plastic Vessel Rules (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600); or
    3. (3)ABS High Speed Craft (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600);
  4. (d)Aluminum hull vessels:
    1. (1)Lloyd's Yachts and Small Craft; or
      1. (i)For a vessel of more than 30.5 meters (100 feet) in length: ABS Aluminum Vessel Rules (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600); or
      2. (ii)For a vessel of not more than 30.5 meters (100 feet) in length: ABS Steel Vessel Rules (<61 Meters), with the appropriate conversions from the ABS Aluminum Vessel Rules; or
    2. (2)ABS High Speed Craft;
  5. (e)Steel hull vessels operating in protected waters: ABS Steel Vessel Rules (Rivers/Intracoastal) (incorporated by reference, see 46 CFR 175.600).