Life jackets save lives, but only if they are worn. Each year, 75% of the people who died in a boating incident drowned because they weren’t wearing a life jacket. Many of these people considered themselves long-term boaters who knew how to swim, but if knocked unconscious or hurt when entering the water, it is impossible to swim which is why having a life jacket on is critical. You wouldn’t try to put a seatbelt on in your car in the middle of a car crash, so don’t think you can try to put on a life jacket when you are in the middle of a boating emergency.

The Sea Tow Foundation’s nationwide network of Life Jacket Loaner Stations exists to make sure that every boater, no matter their age or size, can have access to a free life jacket to borrow to keep them safe on the water. Whether you forgot to pack yours or invited additional people on your boat and need extras, the Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program has over 950 locations nationwide, so that you can hopefully one close to wherever you are boating. Find one near you at www.boatingsafety.com/map.

Did you enjoy this blog? To help us continue providing these boating safety tips, please consider a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.

Before every boating trip, boaters should check the weather forecast. If high winds or storms are predicted, another day should be chosen to go out on the water. Even if the weather forecast predicts a beautiful day, it is important to monitor the weather throughout the day as summer storms can appear without much warning.

Keeping an eye on the weather is easy thanks to the NOAA weather channel on VHF or on the radio. You’ll need to check NOAA’s website at www.weather.gov for the correct channels in your area. You can also download the NOAA Radar and Weather app for free on your cell phone or tablet.

If a thunderstorm should start while you are out on the water, make sure everyone is wearing life jackets. Close all the windows, hatches, doors, and other openings and store any loose gear or equipment. Turn off electrical equipment except the navigation lights so that you can be seen. Keep your boat moving at a slow speed with the bow turned into the waves so that the waves don’t come over the side of the boat and swamp you. Get to the lowest, most central part of the boat as soon as possible and keep your VHF radio or cell phone close by in case you need to call for help.

Did you enjoy this blog? To help us continue providing these boating safety tips, please consider a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.

VIDEO BLOG

Lafferty Media Partners won the 2021 National Boating Industry Safety Awards in the Top Marine Media Category for their work developing and launching America’s Boating Channel for the U.S. Power Squadrons, now known as America’s Boating Club.

The presentation of the awards took place at MRAA’s Dealer Week, but Gail Kulp, Sea Tow Foundation Executive Director, recently sat down with Marty Lafferty to find out a little more about their award-winning entry and plans for 2022.

America’s Boating Channel features a growing library of custom boating safety videos showcasing content on numerous boating safety topics that is featured on a custom YouTube channel. Topics covered include fire extinguisher regulations, cold weather boating, basic marine communications, docking, anchoring, mooring, and basic operation of a boat among many others.

As Lafferty Media Partners prepares for Season Six, watch the video interview below to learn more about their award-winning efforts as well as their plans for the new season of content.

Now that we are fully into spring, there are many people who are already out on the water enjoying the spring weather and there are also people who are just starting to think about getting the boat ready to head out for the first time this year. Whether you find yourself in the first group or the second, there are definitely some steps every boater should take to make sure you’re ready for the spring and summer boating season. The Sea Tow Foundation has you covered as you “spring into boating” if you just follow these 5 tips:

1. Spring Clean Your Boat
Start by wiping down any dust and dirt that many have accumulated. Clean the seats and treat the fabric to prevent mold from forming. This is also a good time to wax the boat.

2. Check the Electronics, Wiring and Hoses
Look for loose connections, frayed wires and split hoses. If you know how to make the necessary repairs, you can tackle them yourself, but having a good boat mechanic on speed-dial is also a plus to make sure that everything is done correctly the first time.

3. Inspect the Safety Equipment
Check on the expiration dates for the fire extinguisher and emergency flares and replace any that have expired. You can also get an e-flare instead of your old pyrotechnic flares and never have to buy flares again! Also, check the life jackets to make sure that they have not mildewed or dry-rotted. While mildew can be cleaned using these tips, you must get rid of a life jacket with broken straps or dry-rot. This is also a good time to make sure the life jackets still fit everyone who will be wearing them. If the kids grew over the winter, they may need a new life jacket.

4. Update the Float Plan
Whether you use a written form or an app, make sure that the information in your float plan is updated with all of the details that you want rescuers to know if you should fail to come back on time from your boating trip and your family needs to call and start a search for you.

5. Refresh Your Knowledge
Take a boating safety class and look for any updated laws that you should know about related to the waters where you plan to go boating. Update your maps and charts as well to ensure that they contain all of the buoys and navigation aids that you may encounter.

We’re just as excited as you about getting out on the water, but making sure the boat is ready to go for another season is an important part. Once you’re ready to launch, check out these 4 Spring Boating Safety Tips from a Sea Tow Captain for tips to keep you safe out on the water.

Did we miss any tips? What would you include on your list? Let us know in the comments.

To continue providing these blogs, please consider a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.

Every child can likely tell you that green means go and red means stop. This signage is ingrained in us at an early age. However, rules on the water are not common knowledge. The colors don’t have the same meaning that they do on land, so it can be very confusing for a new boater and even the most experienced boater can be puzzled at times.

To help you and your crew avoid wrong turns and accidents on the water, the Sea Tow Foundation has prepared the following list of boating navigation basics. While this list is not a substitute for all the rules that you should know (and would learn about in a boating safety course – which we suggest you take), it provides a good start.  

Some Definitions to Help Get Started  

Port - The left-hand side of the boat when facing forward. The port side of the boat must show a red light at night. An easy way to remember this is that LEFT and PORT have the same number of letters and RED is the shorter of the two color names to go with the shorter name of the two sides.  

Starboard - The right-hand side of the boat when facing forward. The starboard side of the boat must show a green light at night.  

Bow – The front of the boat when facing forward. At night, a white light and the edges of the red and green lights should be visible from the bow.  

Stern – The back of the boat when facing forward. The stern must show a white light at night.  

Buoy - An anchored float serving as a navigational marker. Buoys come in various shapes and colors, and each design has a different meaning. A buoy will also have colored lights on it so that it can be seen at night.

• Green Buoys are square-shaped or have a squared-off top, have odd numbers, and are referred to as “cans” - an easy way to remember this is that the green soda brand with a certain odd number in its name comes in a can.
• Red Buoys are triangle-shaped or pointed at the top, have even numbers, and are referred to as “nuns.”
• If a buoy is both red and green, the shape of the buoy or the top color tells you the preferred channel to take your boat.
• White Buoys or Signs with orange markings are informational or regulatory. They can tell you about a danger ahead like a rock, mark a swim area where you can’t take the boat, provide a speed limit, or mark a no wake notice.
• White Buoys with a blue marking are for mooring or tying up the boat in the middle of the waterway.
• Yellow buoys are used for special purposes to mark pipelines, cables, or other areas to avoid.    

“Red, Right, Returning”  

This is a common boating navigation phrase, but with red lights on the left (port) side of a boat and red buoys marking the channel, it can get confusing. In this case, the phrase is talking only about the buoys. When you are returning to your port, you should keep the red buoys on your starboard (right) side; the even numbers on the red markers will increase as you go upstream.  

The Navigation Rules, Simplified  

1. The Rule of Responsibility has two points: first, a boat’s operator is required to comply with rules and practice responsible seamanship that shows thought. Second, the boat’s operator must do everything possible to avoid a collision – even if that avoidance means breaking a rule.
2. Every boat is required to have a person whose only job is to keep a look-out around the entire boat. This job includes listening and looking for things in the way. If a boater is heading out on the water alone, this responsibility is something to be aware of.
3. Boats should be operated at a safe speed that allows plenty of time to avoid collision or stop before a dangerous situation develops. The safe speed may change due to the weather, other boating traffic, the type of boat, and time of day.  

The Navigation Rules are much more detailed and there are many more rules than just these three that boaters are required to know and follow. We encourage you to take a boating safety course to learn more and suggest taking the new interactive, online course iLearntoBoat.

Did you know all of these rules or did you learn something new? What did we forget that you think we should have included? Let us know in the comments!

To continue providing these blogs, please consider a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.