Mandatory safety equipment: your list in 3 questions

1. How far will you go? Basic kit up to 2 nm from a shelter, coastal up to 6 nm, semi-offshore up to 60 nm, offshore beyond. Each level includes the previous one.
2. Motor or sail? A kill cord for outboards steered at the tiller or remotely, with a spare on board. From semi-offshore: one harness per boat on a motorboat, one per person on a sailing boat.
3. Who is on board? One buoyancy aid or lifejacket per person: 50 N up to 2 nm, 100 N up to 6 nm (or a 50 N aid worn), 150 N beyond. Children of 30 kg or less always wear 100 N.

Basic kit (up to 2 nm): buoyancy per person; waterproof torch or a light on each lifejacket (6 hours); kill cord where required; fire-fighting means listed in the owner's manual; bailer or hand pump; towing line; anchor line if the boat weighs 250 kg or more; a way to know today's tide times; national flag outside territorial waters only.

Coastal kit (up to 6 nm), in addition: horseshoe or ring buoy; 3 red hand flares in date; magnetic compass; official charts of the area; collision regulations (COLREGs); description of the buoyage system.

Beyond 6 nm (on a motorboat, the offshore licence is needed): life raft, fixed VHF and more; see the official sheet.

Cap Calme shows the list for your boat, to tick before leaving, plus a separate, non-regulatory "boat ready" list: fuel with a third in reserve, engine checked, kill cord attached, lifejackets worn, someone ashore told when you'll be back. In distress: VHF channel 16, or 196 (French coastguard, free) from a phone.

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