Recreational Water Safety - Boating

Safe Boating Tips

You learned the "rules of the road" before you sat behind the wheel of a car and you should do the same before taking the helm. Just like studying to get your driver’s license, it is very important to have the boating information and certifications you need to be a safe boater before you hit the water.

1. Be Weather-Wise - Always check local weather conditions before departure. If you notice darkening clouds, volatile and rough changing winds or sudden drops in temperature, play it safe by getting off the water.
2. Follow a Pre-Departure Checklist - Proper boating safety includes being prepared for any possibility on the water.
3. Use Common Sense - One of the most important parts of boating safety is to use your common sense. This means operating at a safe speed at all times (especially in crowded areas), staying alert at all times and steering clear of large vessels and watercraft that can be restricted in their ability to stop or turn. Also, be respectful of buoys and other navigational aids, all of which have been placed there to ensure your own safety.
4. Designate an Assistant Skipper - Make sure more than one person on board is familiar with all aspects of your boat’s handling, operations, and general boating safety. If the primary navigator is injured or incapacitated in any way, it’s important to make sure someone else can follow the proper boating safety rules to get everyone else back to shore.
5. Develop a Float Plan - Whether you choose to inform a family member or staff at your local marina, always be sure to let someone else know your float plan. This should include where you’re going and how long you’re going to be gone.
6. Make Proper Use of Life jackets - Boaters enjoy the feel of sun and spray. So it’s tempting to boat without wearing a life jacket – especially on nice days. But modern life jackets are available in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Many are thin and flexible. Some are built right into fishing vests or hunter coats. Others are inflatable — as compact as a scarf or fanny pack until they hit water, when they automatically fill with air. There’s no excuse not to wear a life jacket on the water!
   Things to know:
   • Certain life jackets are designed to keep your head above water and help you remain in a position which permits proper breathing.
   • To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, a boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III, or V life jacket for each person aboard. Boats 16 feet and over must have at least one Type IV throw-able device as well.
   • All states have regulations regarding life jacket wear by children.
   • Adult-sized life jackets will not work for children. Special life jackets are available. To work correctly, a life jacket must be worn, fit snugly, and not allow the child’s chin or ears to slip through.
   • Life jackets should be tested for wear and buoyancy at least once each year. Waterlogged, faded, or leaky jackets should be discarded.
   • Life jackets must be properly stowed.
   • A life jacket — especially a snug-fitting flotation coat or deck-suit style — can help you survive in cold water.
   • How to Choose the Right Life Jacket Brochure - United States Coast Guard
7. Avoid Alcohol - Practice boating safety at all times by saving the alcohol for later. The probability of being involved in a boating accident doubles when alcohol is involved and studies have shown that the effects of alcohol are exacerbated by sun and wind.
   Did you know:
   • A boat operator is likely to become impaired more quickly than a driver, drink for drink?
   • The penalties for BUI can include large fines, revocation of operator privileges and serious jail terms?
   • The use of alcohol is involved in about a third of all recreational boating fatalities?
   Every boater needs to understand the risks of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs (BUI). It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in every state. The Coast Guard also enforces a federal law that prohibits BUI. This law pertains to ALL boats (from canoes and rowboats to the largest ships) — and includes foreign vessels that operate in U.S. waters, as well as U.S. vessels on the high seas.
8. Carbon Monoxide - Did you know carbon monoxide poisonings are preventable. Every boater should be aware of the risks associated with carbon monoxide - what it is; where it may accumulate; and the symptoms of CO poisoning. To protect yourself, your passengers, and those around you, learn all you can about CO. Educate yourself about this potentially lethal boating danger.
   • Carbon monoxide (CO) can harm and even kill you inside or outside your boat!
   • CO symptoms are similar to seasickness or alcohol intoxication.
   • CO can affect you whether you're underway, moored, or anchored.
   • You cannot see, smell, or taste CO.
   • CO can make you sick in seconds. In high enough concentrations, even a few breaths can be fatal.
   • Downloadable Education Tools on Carbon Monoxide - United State Coast Guard.
9. Learn to Swim - If you’re going to be in and around the water, proper boating safety includes knowing how to swim. Local organizations, such as the American Red Cross and others, offer training for all ages and abilities. Check to see what classes are offered in your area.
10. Take a Boating Course - Beginning boaters and experienced experts alike need to be familiar with the boating safety rules of operation. Boater education requirements vary by state; however, some require validated completion of at least one boating safety course. Regardless of your individual state's requirements, it's always important to be educated and prepared for every circumstance that might arise. You can learn boating safety rules by taking a local community course or online course to help educate yourself.
11. Consider a Free Vessel Safety Checklist - Take advantage of a free vessel safety check from the US Coast Guard. They offer complimentary boat examinations to verify the presence and condition of certain safety equipment required by state and federal regulations. Free of charge, they’ll provide a specialist to check out your boat and make helpful boating safety tips and recommendations. They also offer virtual online safety checks as well.

Sources: US Coast Guard (uscgboating.org) and Discover Boating (discoverboating.com)