Safety First

Next week, May 18 through 24, is National Safe Boating Week.So we thought we'd get a little ahead of the game and write about ways to be the safest boater you can be. 

The first and most important thing you can do to drastically increase your safety on a boat is wear a life jacket. Take a look at these statistics, and that much is clear. 

Check out our blog post from a couple of months ago about how to choose a life jacket and take care of it, two important steps when it comes to wearing life jackets.

You can take other steps towards your overall safety while boating as well. Don't drink and boat. Don't forget nav lights and to give other boats a wide berth. Lots of this is just like you need to do when driving a car! Finally, make sure these US Coast Guard required items are on your boat. They will help you deal with situations if they arise, and will again contribute to your overall safety in the boat.

Personal flotation devices (PFDs): Life jackets must be Coast Guard approved, in good condition and of suitable size for each person on the boat (we recommend keeping a variety on the boat so you're prepared for any sort of crew). Remember that PFDs must be readily accessible if not being worn (but on boats 16f ft or smaller, they must be worn).

Visual distress signals (VDS): Recreational boats 16 ft and over used on coastal waters are required to carry a minimum of either 1) three day and three night pyrotechnic devices, 2) one day non-pyrotechnic device (flag) and one night non-pyrotechnic device (auto SOS light) or 3) a combination of 1) and 2). Recreational boats less than 16 feet on coastal waters need only carry night visual distress signals when operating from sunset to sunrise.

Fire extinguisher: Not required on all boats, but recommended. For example, if you have inboard engines or an enclosed living space, fire extinguishers are required. But as all boats have fuel and engines, it is highly recommended you keep one on board no matter your size. Make sure they are readily accessible (many boats feature recessed areas just for this purpose).

Sound producing device: You might have a built-in horn, but if not, carry a bell, whistle or other noise maker. (In fact, we carry multiple varieties just in case.)

Want to take things one step further? Then do a virtual vessel safety check next time you're at the boat (or have the local US Coast Guard Auxiliary do one for you). These checks have a few more requirements, which will just make sure you are that much more prepared!

How do you ensure your safety (and the safety of others on your boat) while you're out on the water?