Top 10 Tips for Boating Safety

The BOAT/US Foundation for Boating Safety has provided some useful tips for boating safety.

1. Take a Safe Boating Coarse.
As an extra benefit, you may earn lower boat insurance costs.

2. Life Jackets Don't Work Unless You Wear Them.
Even if you're a strong swimmer, you may involuntarily grasp and drown if you fall without a life jacket into water cooler than your body. Struggling to stay afloat in cold water hastens hypothermia.

3. Bring Any Extra Gear That You May Need and Distribute the Load Evenly.
Stay within load limits shown on the capacity plate. Make extra trips for gear rather than risk capsize. Distribute the load evenly; keep it low.

4. Stay Seated.
If You Have to Change Seats, Stay Low and Near the Center Line of a Small Boat. Standing to shoot, land a fish, relieve yourself over the side or pull up the anchor is not worth the risk of parting company with your boat! Sitting on the sides or bow can swamp or capsize the boat very quickly.

5. Watch the Weather and the Water.
Check the forecast before you leave home, and keep an AM radio with you for updates. Avoid running broadside to waves; keep weight even and low, and trail a sea anchor. Keep low in thunderstorms. Use caution around dams, rough water, fast currents and areas where rocks, limbs or other debris may be submerged.

6. Ventilate After Refueling.
Open hatches, run blower, and most important, carefully sniff for gasoline fumes in the fuel and engine areas before starting your engine.

7. Anchor Your Boat From the Bow.
Adding anchor pull to the stern can let water over the transom, swamping the boat.

8. Drinking and Boating Don't Mix.
Half of all boating fatalities involve alcohol. Even without alcohol, a day on the water typically impairs reactions as much as being legally drunk.

9. Leave a Float Plan.
So people will know if you're missing, tell someone when you're leaving on your boat, where you're going and when you'll return.

10. Be Ready for Trouble When a Power Boat Passes You In A Narrow Channel.
As the lead boat (which always has the right of way) stay on your side of the channel and maintain a steady speed so that the overtaking vessel can pass you safely. Use your radio to discuss this with the passing boat.