---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 C.F.R. § 83.33"
title: "33"
number: "83.33"
heading: "Equipment for sound signals (Rule 33)."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/33/83.33"
---

# §83.33. Equipment for sound signals (Rule 33).

- (a) A vessel of 12 meters or more in length shall be provided with a whistle, a vessel of 20 meters or more in length shall be provided with a bell in addition to a whistle, and a vessel of 100 meters or more in length shall, in addition, be provided with a gong, the tone and sound of which cannot be confused with that of the bell. The whistle, bell and gong shall comply with the specifications in Annex III to these Rules ([33 CFR part 86](/cfr/33/part86.md)). The bell or gong or both may be replaced by other equipment having the same respective sound characteristics, provided that manual sounding of the prescribed signals shall always be possible.
- (b) A vessel of less than 12 meters in length shall not be obliged to carry the sound signaling appliances prescribed in [paragraph (a)](#a) of this Rule but if she does not, she shall be provided with some other means of making an efficient sound signal.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 2071; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.3.

### Source

Source: USCG-2012-0102, 79 FR 37912, July 2, 2014, unless otherwise noted.