U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

National Vessel Examination Idea Exchange Page

This is the Idea Exchange, a place to share ideas that have worked for you in the areas of VE and PV. It's a place where your fellow VE and PV Auxiliarists can come to learn from those that have pioneered the path to success in VE or PV.

This is not the forum for complaints or questions, just good solid tips from member to member. Only good solid ideas will be displayed after being reviewed by the V Department Staff. To submit your idea, click here.

If you have a photo image in JPG format that you would like posted with your idea submission to give emphasis on your idea, you can email it to the webmaster after posting your submission. If the image is of good enough quality we will add it to your posting.

Submitted by: Gary Akin, from 24-4 8ER

Idea Exchange: HALON and other gaseous fire extinguishers (FE)--Care should be taken to confirm that the required FEs on a vessel are CG-approved. Most of the new clean agent FEs being used to replace HALON require greater amounts to be as effective as HALON. While 2.5 pounds of HALON typically meets USCG requirements for Type B:I certification, the newer replacement clean agents typically require upwards of 5 pounds to be certified as a Type B:I.
Reminder: Always check the label and look for the U S Coast Guard approval.

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Submitted by: Hal Leahy , FSO-CS from 070-05-01

Idea Exchange: Harvey Gilbert recommended that VEs carry MARPOL decals so that a boater does not fail a VSC for only that reason.

Our VEs carry these. We get them from the FSO-MA. They are part of the leftover stock from doing boat shows.

Our VEs also carry the Oil Pollution Placard decal. We also get these from the FSO-MA and are the boat show leftovers. These have the US Coast Guard flag on the lower left and right corners and include the National Response Center 800 number.

The third item our VEs carry is a fill-in the blank thrash plan. We have found that most large boats would fail for not having a trash plan than for any other reason. The VEs print the form off our flotilla website.

(Webmaster Note: Download from this site at http://safetyseal.net/pdf_files/Waste-Management-Plan.pdf)

The original version of the Trash Management Plan was put together with the assistance of several people including Don Smutz, DC-V.

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Submitted by: Kay Lori, SO-PA from 070 07

Idea Exchange: Publicity on Vessel Safety Check week helps the VE program. Please include on your home page the dates of "Mega Weeks" and any other dates we in PA can use to advertise.

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Submitted by: Sue Lang, FSO-PA, VFC from 05/02/170

Idea Exchange: Our local Teen and Youth Center generates a Community Coupon book every Spring. The books are sold as a fund raiser for the group. The Seward Flotilla offers a "Free Vessel Safety Check" in the booklet and the coupon is free of charge to the flotilla. We have had boaters walk up to our inspection station at one of the local launch ramps and present the coupon to us to get their free inspection. A telephone number is also included in the coupon so that boaters can contact us directly if they need the VSC.

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Submitted by: Bill Gainey, FSO-PE, PV from 1300402

Idea Exchange: When putting together display racks, I do it at home like an assembly line, with a hot glue gun. Lay a bead along the tabs as they stick through and along the seams from the back. you can also lay a small rectangular bead on the front and attach your business card.I always go in with a new rack ,filled. The times I find a rack already there, I take it with me and recycle it ,as it is not glued and is in pretty bad shape. I've "restored" several that had got wet or torn an weren't usable. It's amazing how more durable the gluing makes them.

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