What must a rental craft carry in Finland?
The required safety equipment for a rental SUP, kayak, jet ski, motorboat and sailboat — every line with the section of the act and a link to it. Then what to tell customers at check-out.
Law Vesiliikennelaki 782/2019 § 108 (equipment) and § 7 (skipper’s duties)
Authority: Vesiliikennelaki 782/2019
Applies in Finnish waters to any craft under way with an engine, and to sailing craft with a hull over 5 m.
Read the official text ↗ · Rules checked 2 October 2026
General guidance: the lists below are the equipment rules for recreational craft. Hiring craft out is a business, and some countries add rules for rental or commercial craft, or ask for a permit. Before the season, check with Vesiliikennelaki 782/2019 or the local harbour master which rules apply to your fleet.
SUP board rental
Worked out for One paddler on a SUP board, no engine, by day.
Required 0
Finland’s equipment rules cover boats. A SUP board isn’t one, so no statutory carriage list applies — local bylaws, beach rules or wearing duties still may.
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Fit the buoyancy aid and say whether wearing it is required here (see “Licence, lifejacket and charter rules”).
- Show the leash: coiled ankle leash on flat water, quick-release waist leash on rivers and in current.
- Point out the area they may use, the swimming zones and the boat traffic, on a map.
- Offshore wind: kneel or lie on the board, paddle across the wind towards the nearest shore — not back to base.
- Agree the return time and how you will contact them.
- How to call for help: phone in a waterproof pouch, the rescue number below, stay with the board.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Quick-release waist leashMoving water demands a quick-release waist leash — an ankle leash in current is a hazard, not a safety device.
- Coiled ankle leashFlatwater. Your board is your biggest flotation device; stay attached to it.
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)A belt-pack inflatable is unobtrusive enough that people actually wear it.
- Floating waterproof phone pouchFloating, on you, not strapped to the board.
- Drysuit or thick wetsuitCold shock off a paddleboard is the classic early-season incident.
- Whistle on the vestCosts nothing, carries far.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Kayak / canoe rental
Worked out for One paddler in a kayak or canoe, no engine, by day.
Required 0
Finland’s equipment rules cover boats. A kayak / canoe isn’t one, so no statutory carriage list applies — local bylaws, beach rules or wearing duties still may.
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Fit the buoyancy aid; check the spraydeck release loop is outside and they can pull it.
- Capsize: stay with the kayak, hold on, swim it to shore or wait for help; show the paddle float if you supply one.
- Point out the area, the weirs, current or shipping lanes, and where they may land.
- Groups stay together; the strongest paddler last.
- Agree the return time and how you will contact them.
- How to call for help: phone in a waterproof pouch, the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)Worn the whole time. A buoyancy aid in the day hatch has saved nobody.
- Paddle float + hand pumpWith a hand pump, this is the actual self-rescue kit — practise before you need it.
- SpraydeckA swamped cockpit ends the trip.
- Buoyancy bagsKeeps the boat recoverable after a capsize.
- Handheld VHF, floatingSea kayaking: waterproof handheld, on your person.
- Personal strobe / vest lightYou sit very low. Being seen is the whole problem.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Jet ski / PWC rental
Worked out for A jet ski with a rider and a passenger, by day. Jet skis count as faster than 20 knots.
Required 5
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per person
An approved lifejacket, buoyancy aid or survival suit for everyone aboard, matched to their size and weight. Applies to craft with an engine and sailing craft over 5 m (a sailing dinghy of 5 m or less is exempt).
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 1 · source - Bilge pump or bailer
Bailing pump or other means of removing water.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 2 · source - Oars or paddle
Oars or a paddle — or an anchor with line — suited to the craft. Applies to jet skis too.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 3 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)
Signalling equipment under COLREGs Part D — under 12 m, any means of making an efficient sound signal.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(2) · source - Chart + means of fixing positionOnly: Beyond 5 nm
Appropriate charts and nautical publications when the trip needs route planning.
Vesiliikennelaki § 7 p 4 · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Kill cord on the wrist or the vest, every time the engine runs.
- Lifejackets on the rider and the passenger, fastened — check the wearing rule below.
- Show the area, the no-go zones, swimmers and the speed limits near the shore and in harbours (local rules).
- Licence and age: check the renter is allowed to drive it here (see below) before handing over the key.
- Capsize: how to right it (sticker on the hull) and climb back on from the stern.
- Fuel, return time, and how to call for help.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Impact / buoyancy vestImpact protection as well as buoyancy — you hit the water hard.
- Kill cord / wireless kill switchWrist lanyard, every single time.
- Floating waterproof phone pouchOn you, not in the hull.
- Whistle on the vestEngine off, voice gone — a whistle carries.
- Drysuit or thick wetsuitImmersion is a matter of when, not if.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Motorboat rental
Worked out for An open motorboat, 5 m, outboard up to 25 kW (34 hp), CE-marked, up to four adults, by day, no cooker aboard.
Required 5
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per person
An approved lifejacket, buoyancy aid or survival suit for everyone aboard, matched to their size and weight. Applies to craft with an engine and sailing craft over 5 m (a sailing dinghy of 5 m or less is exempt).
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 1 · source - Bilge pump or bailer
Bailing pump or other means of removing water.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 2 · source - Oars or paddle
Oars or a paddle — or an anchor with line — suited to the craft. Applies to jet skis too.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 3 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)
Signalling equipment under COLREGs Part D — under 12 m, any means of making an efficient sound signal.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(2) · source - Chart + means of fixing positionOnly: Beyond 5 nm
Appropriate charts and nautical publications when the trip needs route planning.
Vesiliikennelaki § 7 p 4 · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
Cooker or heater with a flame, gas, or fuel cans aboard1
- Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
An annually inspected hand extinguisher with a flame appliance, an inboard or inboard-outboard, or an outboard over 25 kW. Not required on a jet ski.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 4 · source
Outboard over 25 kW (34 hp)1
- Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
An annually inspected hand extinguisher with a flame appliance, an inboard or inboard-outboard, or an outboard over 25 kW. Not required on a jet ski.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 4 · source
Inboard or sterndrive engine1
- Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
An annually inspected hand extinguisher with a flame appliance, an inboard or inboard-outboard, or an outboard over 25 kW. Not required on a jet ski.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 4 · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Kill cord on the driver, every time the engine runs.
- Where the lifejackets are, how to put them on — children’s sizes by weight.
- Engine start and stop, fuel, the anchor, and how to come alongside.
- Show the area, the shallows, channels and no-go zones on a chart; propeller near swimmers.
- Weather limits and the return time; lights if they could be out after sunset.
- How to call for help: VHF channel 16 if fitted, the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Kill cord / wireless kill switchA planing boat that loses its driver circles back over them. The single highest-value item on a motorboat.
- Lifejacket, 150 N auto-inflateAuto-inflate, so it works whether or not you were conscious when you hit the water.
- Boarding ladder reachable from the waterGetting back aboard alone, from the water, over a high topside — plan for it before you need it.
- Fixed VHF with DSCDSC distress with position, monitored by everyone around you.
- PLB, 406 MHz, registeredFor when you’re beyond VHF range or the set has drowned.
- CO alarmPetrol engines and an enclosed cabin.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Sailboat rental
Worked out for A sailing yacht, 9 m, with a cabin, an inboard engine and a gas cooker, CE-marked, up to six adults, by day.
Required 6
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per person
An approved lifejacket, buoyancy aid or survival suit for everyone aboard, matched to their size and weight. Applies to craft with an engine and sailing craft over 5 m (a sailing dinghy of 5 m or less is exempt).
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 1 · source - Bilge pump or bailer
Bailing pump or other means of removing water.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 2 · source - Oars or paddle
Oars or a paddle — or an anchor with line — suited to the craft. Applies to jet skis too.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 3 · source - Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
An annually inspected hand extinguisher with a flame appliance, an inboard or inboard-outboard, or an outboard over 25 kW. Not required on a jet ski.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(1) p 4 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)
Signalling equipment under COLREGs Part D — under 12 m, any means of making an efficient sound signal.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(2) · source - Chart + means of fixing positionOnly: Beyond 5 nm
Appropriate charts and nautical publications when the trip needs route planning.
Vesiliikennelaki § 7 p 4 · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
Yacht of 12 m or longer1
- Whistle / fog horn (12 m+)
COLREGs Part D: a whistle from 12 m.
Vesiliikennelaki § 108(2) · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Lifejackets and harnesses: where they are, when to wear them, how to clip on.
- Man overboard: who throws the lifebuoy, who points, how to come back under engine.
- Gas cooker: valve shut after use, ventilation; the fire extinguisher and blanket.
- Reefing, the engine, the bilge pump and the anchor.
- Weather limits, the area and the charts; return time and check-in.
- VHF: channel 16, the DSC distress button, and the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Lifejacket, 150 N auto-inflateOffshore, a 150 N auto jacket with sprayhood, light, harness point and crotch strap — a 100 N jacket won’t turn an unconscious person in a seaway.
- Jackstays + tethersClipping on is what stops a man-overboard from happening at all.
- AIS-MOB beacon, on the lifejacketOne per crew, on the jacket. It puts a mark on your own plotter — a flare only helps if someone is already looking.
- Fixed VHF with DSCDSC distress at the press of a button, with your position attached.
- EPIRB, 406 MHz, registeredThe alert that doesn’t depend on anyone being within VHF range.
- Radar reflectorBusy shipping lanes — the Gulf of Finland, the Channel, the Strait of Gibraltar — are heavy and fast.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Licence, lifejacket and charter rules
For renters and skippers, from the authorities’ own texts. Checked 14 October 2026.
Operators of pleasure craft over 24 m must hold an International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft (ICC). Traficom notes the ICC is widely accepted as proof of competence when renting boats.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency)Each person on board must have an approved, correctly sized life jacket or other flotation device, worn or kept within easy reach.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency)The skipper of a crewed (manned) charter boat must hold Traficom's certificate for operators of charter boats. No separate bareboat rule was found.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency)If a rental needs rescue
The maritime rescue centre for Finland’s waters — put it on your briefing card and in your staff phones.
Where Fleet helps
Fleet doesn’t replace a single item above. It helps your staff keep an eye on every rental once it is out — we are building it with pilot operators for the 2027 season.
Printable checklist for Finland
A sheet per craft for the waters you rent in: the required kit with the section of the act, what to tell the customer, and a sign-off line for your staff. Print it or save it as a PDF.
Questions operators ask
What safety equipment must a rental SUP board carry in Finland?
Finland’s equipment rules for recreational craft do not cover a SUP board, so no statutory carriage list applies to it. Wearing duties, beach rules or local bylaws may still apply — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental kayak / canoe carry in Finland?
Finland’s equipment rules for recreational craft do not cover a kayak / canoe, so no statutory carriage list applies to it. Wearing duties, beach rules or local bylaws may still apply — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental jet ski / PWC carry in Finland?
Under Vesiliikennelaki 782/2019 § 108 (equipment) and § 7 (skipper’s duties), for the rental we assume (A jet ski with a rider and a passenger, by day. Jet skis count as faster than 20 knots): Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE), Bilge pump or bailer, Oars or paddle, Sound signal (horn or other), and Chart + means of fixing position. Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental motorboat carry in Finland?
Under Vesiliikennelaki 782/2019 § 108 (equipment) and § 7 (skipper’s duties), for the rental we assume (An open motorboat, 5 m, outboard up to 25 kW (34 hp), CE-marked, up to four adults, by day, no cooker aboard): Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE), Bilge pump or bailer, Oars or paddle, Sound signal (horn or other), and Chart + means of fixing position. Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental sailboat carry in Finland?
Under Vesiliikennelaki 782/2019 § 108 (equipment) and § 7 (skipper’s duties), for the rental we assume (A sailing yacht, 9 m, with a cabin, an inboard engine and a gas cooker, CE-marked, up to six adults, by day): Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE), Bilge pump or bailer, Oars or paddle, Fire extinguisher, 2 kg, Sound signal (horn or other), and Chart + means of fixing position. Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
Do renters need a licence in Finland?
Operators of pleasure craft over 24 m must hold an International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft (ICC). Traficom notes the ICC is widely accepted as proof of competence when renting boats.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a summary of the official texts, with a link to each one, to help you prepare. The operator and the skipper stay responsible for the equipment; when in doubt, the cited act and the national authority win.
A summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. The operator and the skipper stay responsible for the equipment and its condition. Rules change — when in doubt, the cited act wins, and local bylaws, permits or your insurer may ask for more.
Other countries
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