(1) No person shall operate or permit to be operated any vessel having on board a gasoline engine used for any purpose, unless it shall be provided with proper ventilation.

(2) Compartments with gasoline engines. Each compartment in a vessel that has a permanently installed gasoline engine with a cranking motor must be open to the atmosphere, or be ventilated by a natural ventilation system and a mechanical exhaust blower system as required by the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971, as amended, and applicable federal regulations.

(3) Natural ventilation system. A natural ventilation system must be approved for use by the United States Coast Guard and include a supply opening or duct from the atmosphere or from a ventilated compartment or from a compartment that is open to the atmosphere, and an exhaust opening into another ventilated compartment or an exhaust duct to the atmosphere. Each exhaust opening or duct must originate in the lower third of the compartment; and each supply opening or duct and each exhaust opening or duct in a compartment must be above the normal accumulation of bilge water.

(4) Exhaust blowers. Each vessel that is required to have an exhaust blower must have a label that is located as close as practicable to each ignition switch, is in plain view of the operator, and has at least the following information: "WARNING - GASOLINE VAPORS CAN EXPLODE. BEFORE STARTING ENGINE OPERATE BLOWER FOR FOUR (4) MINUTES AND CHECK ENGINE COMPARTMENT BILGE FOR GASOLINE VAPORS."

(5) In lieu of the ventilation and warning label required in this section, a vessel may be provided with any type of ventilating system as required by the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971, as amended, and applicable federal regulations.