Inflatable rafts (890710) are generally non-motorized, flat-bottomed buoyancy platforms not designed for directed navigation, while inflatable boats under 8903 are designed to be propelled and steered as watercraft. If an inflatable article has a defined bow, stern, and means of propulsion or steering, it is more likely a boat under 8903; a simple buoyancy platform without navigational design features falls under 890710.

Buoys and beacons installed in US navigable waters must meet US Coast Guard standards for aids to navigation, including specifications for light characteristics, color, and reflectivity. While customs entry itself does not require Coast Guard pre-approval, the end-use deployment in US waters does. Importers procuring buoys for US maritime use should coordinate with the Coast Guard's Aids to Navigation program in parallel with customs clearance.