Are boats required to have flotation?

[delawarerick]

In Fl do boats have to have flotation? I have a comp laser with bare stringers no floor and FWC has been going wild stopping everybody. Thanks Rick

[dgscroggs]

I think ur fine I've never heard of any law in Fl requiring flotation as long as u have ur life jackets on board ur good

[XstreamVking]

Original mfg of a boat less than 20' has to provide flotation to meet coast guard regs. As a owner / re-builder you have no regs. Call the coasties to be sure. They write the rules. Not the FWC.

[delawarerick]

Thanks the FWC has been out in full force since we seem to have some bad accidents. They gave my buddy a hard time and he was compliant and polite. Thanks again. Rick

[Mark Poole ModVP]

You might rebuild a boat and take the flotation out but you might want to think about what could happen when you sell it. Someone dies because it went to the bottom, they will want to know why.

[delawarerick]

In the case of this boat it was built by laser as a race boat no flotation was ever there. It says race boat after the serial number. When ever I sell a boat in the bill of sale it always states as is and it is signed by seller and buyer and I keep a copy.