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At what boat length does federal law add a throwable flotation device to the wearable ones?

16 feet or longer needs one throwable too.

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  1. 12 feet or longer
  2. 16 feet or longer ✔
  3. 26 feet or longer

Why: 33 CFR 175.15 requires one throwable PFD on recreational boats 16 feet or more, on top of a wearable for each person. Canoes and kayaks are exempt from the throwable rule.

Huh, didn't know that: The Coast Guard guide still calls the throwable a Type IV device, even though the regulations dropped the old type numbers.

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Why did the ring buoy get a promotion? It always threw itself into the job.
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References

Answer: 16 feet or longer. 33 CFR 175.15 requires one throwable PFD on recreational boats 16 feet or more, on top of a wearable for each person. Canoes and kayaks are exempt from the throwable rule.

  1. 33 CFR 175.15 Personal flotation devices required (eCFR) www.ecfr.gov/current/title-33/section-175.15
    No person may use a recreational vessel 16 feet or more in length unless one throwable PFD is onboard
    Checked 2026-10-08.
  2. 33 CFR 175.17 Exemptions (eCFR) www.ecfr.gov/current/title-33/section-175.17
    Canoes and kayaks 16 feet or more in length are exempted from the requirements for carriage of the additional throwable PFD
    Checked 2026-10-08.

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