(a) A vessel must be provided with a satisfactory arrangement for draining any watertight compartment, other than small buoyancy compartments, under all practicable conditions. Sluice valves are not permitted in watertight bulkheads.

(b) A vessel of not more than 19.8 meters (65 feet) in length, carrying not more than 12 passengers, may meet the requirements of ABYC H-22 or the requirements in ISO 8846 and ISO 8849 (all three standards incorporated by reference; see 46 CFR 175.600), instead of those of this subpart, provided that each watertight compartment forward of the collision bulkhead is provided with a means for dewatering.

(c) Special consideration may be given to vessels, such as high speed craft, which have a high degree of subdivision and utilize numerous small buoyancy compartments. Where the probability of flooding of the space is limited to external hull damage, compartment drainage may be omitted provided it can be shown by stability calculations, submitted to the cognizant OCMI, that the safety of the vessel will not be impaired.

[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 986, Jan. 10, 1996, as amended by USCG-2003-16630, 73 FR 65209, Oct. 31, 2008]