(a) The name of a vessel must be marked or painted in clearly legible letters and numbers:

(1) On each side of the bow of each rescue boat; and

(2) On each life float and buoyant apparatus.

(b) Each life jacket, immersion suit, and ring life buoy must be marked in clearly legible block capital letters with the vessel's name. The marking is not required on a life jacket carried to meet a temporary need for additional life jackets, if the life jacket has the name of another vessel or company marked on it. For an immersion suit, the name of the person to whom the immersion suit is assigned is an acceptable alternative to the name of the vessel.

(c) The name of the vessel must be marked or painted in clearly legible letters on each Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacon (EPIRB), except on an EPIRB in an inflatable liferaft.

(d) The number of persons capacity must be marked or painted in clearly legible letters and numbers on each side of the bow of each rescue boat.

(e) The number of persons capacity must be marked or painted in clearly legible letters and numbers on each life float and buoyant apparatus. This number must:

(1) Be the number of persons the device is equipped for; and

(2) Not be greater than the number of persons the device is approved for as shown on the nameplate.

(f) The number and identification of the items stowed inside, and their sizes, must be marked in clearly legible letters and numbers on each container for life jackets and immersion suits. Identification of the items may be in words, or the appropriate symbols in International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution A.760(18), “Symbols Related to Life-Saving Appliances and Arrangements.” Letters and numbers must be at least 50 millimeters (2 inches) high. Symbols must be at least 100 millimeters (4 inches) square.

(g) The name of the vessel must be marked or painted in clearly legible letters on each life float paddle.

(h) Each life jacket must be marked with Type I retroreflective material approved in accordance with §164.018 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant. The arrangement of the retroreflective material applied after March 11, 1996 must be as specified by IMO Resolution A.658(16), “Use and Fitting of Retro-Reflective Materials on Life-Saving Appliances.”

(i) Each rescue boat and ring life buoy must be marked with Type II retroreflective material approved in accordance with §164.018 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant. The arrangement of the retroreflective material applied after March 11, 1996, must be as specified by IMO Resolution A.658(16).

[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 935, Jan. 10, 1996; 61 FR 20556, May 7, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 51353, Sept. 30, 1997; 62 FR 64306, Dec. 5, 1997]