46 CFR § 171.052 - Passenger heel requirements for pontoon vessels.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t46/s171.052"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "46 CFR § 171.052 - Passenger heel requirements for pontoon vessels."
title_number: 46
title_name: "Shipping"
section_number: "171.052"
section_name: "Passenger heel requirements for pontoon vessels."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "S"
subchapter_name: "SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY"
part_number: "171"
part_name: "SPECIAL RULES PERTAINING TO VESSELS CARRYING PASSENGERS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "46 U.S.C. 2103, 3306; E.O. 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1."
regulatory_source: "CGD 79-023, 48 FR 51017, Nov. 4, 1983, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "171"
---


# 171.052 Passenger heel requirements for pontoon vessels.

(a) Each pontoon vessel, in each condition of loading and operation, must have an area under the righting arm curve from the angle of equilibrium to an angle of 40 degrees, the downflooding angle, or the angle of the maximum righting arm, whichever is less, of at least:

(1) For operation on exposed or partially protected waters—

(i) 10 foot-degrees with a crowding density of 5 square feet per person (2.15 persons per square meter); and

(ii) 7 foot-degrees with a crowding density of 2 square feet per person (5.38 persons per square meter); and

(2) For operation on protected waters—

(i) 5 foot-degrees with a crowding density of 5 square feet per person (2.15 persons per square meter); and

(ii) 2 foot-degrees with a crowding density of 2 square feet per person (5.38 persons per square meter).

(b) When assessing compliance with the criteria of this section, passengers are assumed to be distributed in all areas accessible to passengers so as to produce the most unfavorable combination of heel and trim.

[USCG-2007-0030, 75 FR 78085, Dec. 14, 2010]