46 CFR 161.006-2: Motor lifeboat searchlight type

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section covers the type of searchlight used on a motor lifeboat. The searchlight shall be incandescent with a lamp of approximately 90 watts. Paragraph (b) is reserved.

Applies toThe section applies to the motor lifeboat searchlight.

What it says

  1. The motor lifeboat searchlight must be of the incandescent type.

    46 CFR 161.006-2(a)“The motor lifeboat searchlight shall be of the incandescent type equipped with a lamp of approximately 90 watts”

  2. The searchlight must have a lamp of approximately 90 watts and of proper voltage for use with the lifeboat's electric power installation.

    46 CFR 161.006-2(a)“equipped with a lamp of approximately 90 watts of proper voltage for use with the electric power installation of the lifeboat”

  3. The text notes that the lifeboat's electric power installation is usually a 12-volt radio storage battery.

    46 CFR 161.006-2(a)“usually a 12-volt radio storage battery”

Common questions

What type of searchlight must a motor lifeboat have?

The motor lifeboat searchlight must be of the incandescent type. It must have a lamp of approximately 90 watts.

“The motor lifeboat searchlight shall be of the incandescent type equipped with a lamp of approximately 90 watts”

What voltage lamp does a motor lifeboat searchlight need?

The lamp must be of proper voltage for use with the lifeboat's electric power installation. The text says this is usually a 12-volt radio storage battery.

“of proper voltage for use with the electric power installation of the lifeboat, usually a 12-volt radio storage battery.”

The text of 46 CFR 161.006-2

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Type

(a) The motor lifeboat searchlight shall be of the incandescent type equipped with a lamp of approximately 90 watts of proper voltage for use with the electric power installation of the lifeboat, usually a 12-volt radio storage battery.

(b) [Reserved]

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.