The holidays are a time of celebration, joy and making memories with family and friends. For many of us, these festivities extend to the waters, where we enjoy boating under the glistening holiday lights and among the seasonal cheer. However, amidst the merriment, ensuring safety on the water should remain a top priority.
Boating Under the Influence (BUI) caused 215 accidents and 88 boating fatalities nationwide last year. These sobering statistics serve as an important reminder to drink responsibly on the water this season. We’ve learned the importance of assigning designated drivers for car trips, but those same rules must apply on the water as well. BUI is always illegal, and it’s also 100% preventable.
To make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday season, consider these 8 essential tips:
Wear Life Jackets: Everyone on board should be wearing their properly fitted, US Coast Guard approved life jackets on top of all their layers. With colder water and air, plus early darkness at night, it is the safest option for everyone, regardless of their swimming abilities.
Monitor the Weather: Stay informed about weather conditions before and during your boating trip. Sudden weather changes can pose significant risks.
Plan Ahead: Plan your trip in advance, including a route and estimated return time. Share this float plan with someone staying on land who can alert authorities if you don’t return on schedule.
Decorate Safely: If you decorate your boat, make certain all lights and decorations are secure and won't interfere with the required red, green and white navigation lights or reduce the operator's visibility. Use battery-operated LED lights to minimize power usage and reduce fire risks. Make sure the decorative lights are working properly and won't cause any electrical problems. Additionally, don't overload your boat with decorations, as excessive weight can affect its balance and safety on the water. Distribute the decorations evenly.
Follow Boat Parade Guidelines: If you choose to participate in a holiday boat parade or watch one from your own boat on the water, pay attention to the parade route and guidelines set by the organizers. Maintain a safe distance from other boats, and don't impede the passage of larger vessels. And don’t all try to leave at the same time when the parade is over as the waterways will be crowded.
Designate a Sober Skipper: Boaters should always confirm that either they or someone else is designated as a Sober Skipper for every boating trip. A Sober Skipper is in charge of the safe operation of the boat and keeping all of the passengers on the boat safe. The goal of the Sea Tow Foundation’s Sober Skipper Campaign is to eliminate Boating Under the Influence accidents. Make sure to take the Sober Skipper Pledge this holiday season and always have a Sober Skipper behind the helm.
Offer Drink Alternatives: Provide non-alcoholic beverage options, like Root Beer, and encourage responsible drinking habits among your fellow passengers.
Limit Alcohol Consumption: In addition to a Sober Skipper, if passengers do plan to drink alcohol, they should do so responsibly and in moderation. Overindulgence can impair judgment and reaction time, increasing the risk of accidents.
This year, as we celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or any of the holidays on our boats, let’s commit to practicing responsible boating. Remember, the enjoyment of boating during the holidays is best when everyone returns home safely. Let's make responsible decisions and look out for each other to ensure a happy and incident-free holiday season on the water.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Updated: Thursday, November 16, 2023
The holiday season has officially started which means it’s time to think about what gifts to get your friends and family. If they are boaters, the Sea Tow Foundation may be able to help! Whether the boaters in your life are brand-new to the pastime or have been boating for the last 40 years, we’ve compiled a list of 10 gifts to help you pick just the right one for them. And, we’ve included gifts at multiple price-points for those budget-conscious shoppers. Plus, we’ve included the links to help you shop right now!
Boating in unknown waters is challenging, but even the local waterways can change as storms or tides move navigational buoys from time to time. A mobile app subscription to Navionics features charts, markers, weather and wind forecasts, tides, currents, sonar for fishing or diving, and turn-by-turn directions from one location to another on the water. Think of it as an on the water GPS, meteorologist and boating expert all in one!
Register your loved one with iLearntoBoat - the only interactive, online boating safety course that is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. It is important to meet the requirements of your state’s boating licensing agency and as laws can often be updated or changed, a boating safety course will ensure that your favorite boater is compliant and stays safe out on the water. . Plus, when they pass the test, many boat insurance companies will provide a discount.
Protecting the eyes is important for boaters who spend a lot of time on the water in the bright sun. Rheos Sunglassesare featherlight, high-performance glasses that will never sink and are also extremely comfortable to wear. Better yet, a portion of all proceeds helps to protect the coastlines and waterways.
A relatively new item on the market is the electronic flare. These devices are certified by the U.S. Coast Guard to replace traditional flares for emergency signaling by boaters. An ACR ResQFlare is 10 times brighter than a traditional flare, doesn’t expire or need to be replaced every few years, can float and still work after being in water, and won’t cause burns to people or equipment. Plus, the light from an E-Flare lasts for hours compared to the 2-3 minutes that a traditional flare burns.
You always want your loved ones to come back from their fishing or boating trip, which is why a brand-new, inflatable life jacket from Onyx Outdoorsis the perfect gift this holiday season. Not only does it allow your boater to have full mobility, but it does so without sacrificing safety.
Cobra makes a handheld VHF radio that also floats, has a noise-canceling microphone, a backlit LCD display, and connects to NOAA weather. Your boating friend will have everything they need to keep in touch when in remote areas or spending time off-shore!
Listening to music on the water is a great way to relax and have fun in your boat. Kicker Marine’s 6.5 inch speakers are UV treated and meant to be mounted in the hull. They feature seven color-changing LED lights and can handle 65 watts.
There’s no better gift for your favorite boater than peace of mind on the water. Whether your boating buddies are on lakes, rivers or the open ocean, a Sea Tow membership can be the perfect gift. A membership comes complete with 24/7/365 marine assistance, tows, fuel deliveries, jump starts and so much more. You can even buy the membership instantly online, making it the perfect last-minute holiday gift in the days, hours and even minutes leading up to whenever your friends and family open their presents!
The Qualified Captain has put together a rugged outdoor kit containing first aid supplies to treat common injuries and control bleeding. This first aid and trauma kit is great for a boat, RV, ATV or other outdoor adventure so it can be useful in lots of venues.
Getting help in an emergency is critical for boaters. Cell phones are unreliable out on the water, but a Garmin InReach Mini 2 is always able to get a signal if a boater has a good view of the sky so that rescuers know exactly where the boater is located and can send help to that exact position. And, it can also send a text message in a non-emergency situation so your loved one can let you know that they’ll be 30 minutes late for dinner!
Many people think that boaters are difficult to shop for, but these 10 gift recommendations make it easy, simple and stress free. Happy holidays, and happy shopping!
Please note that the Sea Tow Foundation may receive compensation as an affiliate of Amazon’s for purchases made with some of these links. Prices may vary from what is printed.
Just because summer is over doesn’t mean boating season is. For thousands of families across the country, boating is a year-round activity, which means the boating safety conversation is still needed. In fact, boating during the winter increases the risk of injuries and fatal overboard incidents are five times greater during colder months. Even in Florida, the air temperatures can drop to near freezing many times over the winter months and this can be dangerous if someone were to end up in the water and be chilled by the cold air. To help you and your family stay safe and navigate cold waters with confidence, we gathered 10 crucial boating safety tips for the winter so you can focus on creating lasting memories on the water:
Stay Informed about Local Weather Conditions
Always check the weather forecast before heading out on a boating trip. This is good advice year-round, but in the winter, the weather can be unpredictable. It's crucial to be aware of any potential storms, strong winds or sudden temperature drops.
Layer Up and Don’t Forget Your Insulated Gloves
Dress warmly and carry a towel and extra clothes in a waterproof dry bag in case you get wet or fall in. Layer your clothing, starting with a moisture-wicking inner layer, followed by insulating fabrics like fleece, polyester or wool. Avoid wearing cotton, as it doesn't keep you warm when it gets wet.
Cold hands can also make it challenging to operate equipment and handle ropes. Invest in a pair of insulated, waterproof gloves to keep your hands warm and functional when you are boating during the winter.
File a Float Plan
Always inform someone on land about your boating plans, including your intended route, estimated return time and emergency contacts. A float plan can be a lifesaver year round, but especially if unexpected events occur during your winter boating adventure.
Carry Emergency Signaling Devices
In winter conditions, visibility can be reduced due to fog, snow or rain. It also gets dark a lot earlier, which means that nighttime conditions may sneak up on you. Ensure you have reliable signaling devices on board, such as an E-Flare, an air horn or a whistle, so you can efficiently alert others in the case of an emergency.
Inspect Your Life Jackets
Check that your life jackets are in good condition and still fit properly. In cold weather, you should always wear your life jacket on top of a coat or any other layers, so it is possible that you’ll need a larger sized life jacket than what you usually wear in the summer. A properly fitted life jacket is even more critical for buoyancy and warmth. If you need to borrow a life jacket, you can do so free of charge from one of our many Life Jacket Loaner Stations. Just check to make sure the loaner station is not seasonal, as many stations are removed during cold weather.
Avoid alcohol
Avoid alcohol at all times in the boat, especially if you are the one behind the wheel. Alcohol doesn’t keep you warm and can lead to poor decision making no matter what time of year it is. Always make sure to be or designate a Sober Skipper before getting on the water. You can take the Sober Skipper pledge here.
1-10-1 Rule for Cold Water Immersion
If you find yourself in cold water, remember the "1-10-1 Rule." This rule applies to anyone who falls into cold water. You have about one minute to control your breathing, less than 10 minutes for self-rescue and about one hour before you become unconscious.
Post-Rescue Care
If you or someone else is rescued from cold water, it's crucial to prevent post-rescue collapse. This occurs when cold blood moves too quickly to the heart, potentially leading to a fatal heart attack or stroke. Remove wet clothes and put on dry ones, warm up slowly and avoid any alcohol or caffeine. Seek medical help immediately, even if you feel fine, as only trained professionals can properly address cold water immersion injuries.
Educate Your Passengers
Ensure all of your passengers know the safety protocols, including how to wear life jackets, the location of emergency equipment and how to respond to different emergency situations. Even though you might be a four-season boater, it doesn’t mean your passengers have been out on the water in winter.
Practice safe hunting practices
Many people choose to hunt from a boat in the winter months and may even bring a dog along to help retrieve ducks or geese. Make sure you stay balanced in the boat before pulling the trigger, as the recoil can easily throw you overboard. Also, be careful reaching for the dog or the game as you bring them on board so you don’t fall in.
As temperatures drop and conditions become more unpredictable, boating safety is needed now more than ever. Safety is not just a recommendation; it’s the key to being able to go out on the water another day. Following these important tips and guidelines will help ensure you have a fun and enjoyable boating experience in the colder months. Stay safe, stay warm and continue to enjoy the beauty of our waterways year-round.
As a non-profit organization, the Sea Tow Foundation does not receive dedicated funding from any source, so your support is important to continue our life-saving programs. These programs include our nationwide Life Jacket Loaner Program, Sober Skipper Campaign, Flare Education Program, and the National Boating Safety Awards. Our goal is to provide free education, tools and resources to eliminate preventable boating accidents, but we need your help. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.
The Sea Tow Foundation programs are available to our nationwide network of Sea Tow Captains, and many of them utilize our programs or provide monetary support, like Capt. Kerry Kline of Sea Tow Central Florida Lakes. In the video shown below, Capt. Kerry says, “we see too many accidents and fatalities on the water. It is heartbreaking…. That’s why Sea Tow Captains like me donate so much of our time and effort to establishing, maintaining, and promoting free life jacket loaner stations across the country.”
Capt. Kerry supports the Sea Tow Foundation. His reason: “I know it makes my community safer. I want my community, my neighbors, my friends, my family and my members to be safe.”
Help keep the people you care about safe and support the Sea Tow Foundation with a donation today at www.boatingsafety.com/donate.
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Updated: Thursday, October 26, 2023
Costumes, candy corn, Jack-O-Lanterns, trick-or-treats, pumpkin spice everything – it’s officially that time of year once again! Here at the Sea Tow Foundation, Halloween is one of our favorite holidays. While most blog posts out there share tips on the perfect DIY costume or home decor, we thought, being the boating safety nonprofit we are, we’d take things in a different direction by sharing a few secrets on how to dress up your boat or paddleboard!
If you’re looking for some fun ways to really get into the spooky spirit this Halloween, check out the ideas below:
Spooky Sounds and Halloween Hits – You didn’t splurge for those top-of-the-line marine speakers for nothing! Make good use of your boat’s sound system by playing spooky sound effects or your favorite Halloween hits. You can never go wrong with “Monster Mash!”
Jack-O-Lanterns Galore – There are no shortage of great ideas and themes for carving pumpkins this time of year and you’re sure to turn some heads this Halloween season with well thought out Jack-O-Lanterns on your boat! Use battery-operated lights inside instead of candles, though. Open fires and boats don’t mix!
Pumpkins aren’t just for decorating - Consider signing up for a giant pumpkin water race with some friends. Find a giant pumpkin, hollow it out, put on a life jacket and climb inside. And then see how far you can paddle!
Lights, lights, and more lights – Whether you’re piloting a yacht, a pontoon or a small dinghy, you’ve got room to add a few festive lights to your boat. Even if you don’t have the time or space to really take your haunts to the next level, you can’t go wrong with a string of orange lights to get into the spooky spirit. Just make sure that your navigation lights are still visible and won’t be blocked.
Host a dockside trick-or-treat – A great way to get the young ones hooked on a lifelong love of boating is to spend as much time as possible with them in and around the water. This Halloween, instead of heading door to door in your neighborhood, see if your local marina is willing to host their own trick-or-treat event down on the docks. Everyone can decorate their boat and the dock around it and the kids are sure to love it! They can even find fun ways of incorporating their life jackets into their costume ideas!
Do you have other Halloween-inspired boating ideas? Share them with us on Facebook or Instagram!
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Friday, October 13, 2023
Updated: Friday, October 6, 2023
Boating can be an exhilarating experience, but it's important to remember that safety must always accompany adventure. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a novice navigator, staying informed about local boating safety laws is crucial for a successful voyage.
States are frequently revising their boating laws and requirements to protect the safety and well-being of their local boaters. Another possible change made by states may include implementing new mandatory boating education requirements. It's essential to stay up-to-date about changes in your state’s boating safety laws so you can be certain you comply with the rules before heading to the water. These laws are put in place to protect both boaters and the environment, which is why they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
To ensure you are meeting the most up-to-date boating safety requirements, regularly check your state’s laws online for updates and changes. We recommend searching “Boating safety laws/requirements in {state name}” – you will typically be directed to that specific state’s official website, which will have all of the information you need. Boaters should closely research the laws in any state where they may be boating, not just the state where they live.
Whether or not your state requires you to take a boating safety course, it's still a wise choice to take a course. Education is the key to safe and enjoyable boating, regardless of where you live. Plus, you can often get a discount on your boat owner’s insurance with proof of completing a boating safety course.
Boating safety education courses provide valuable knowledge and skills that every boater should have. Here’s why you should consider enrolling in a boating safety course:
Enhanced Safety: Learning about maritime rules, navigation and emergency procedures can significantly reduce the risk of accidents on the water.
Legal Compliance: As state laws evolve, completing a boating safety course can ensure you remain in compliance with current regulations.
Environmental Awareness: Boating safety courses often include modules on eco-friendly practices, helping you protect the waterways you love.
Confidence on the Water: Gaining expertise through education can boost your confidence while boating.
Responsible Boating: Taking a safety course demonstrates your commitment to responsible boating and sets a positive example for others. You can check out our Sober Skipper Program, an initiative to eliminate Boating Under the Influence (BUI) by encouraging all boaters to be or designate a sober skipper before leaving the dock. In every state, it is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The ever-changing landscape of boating safety laws highlights the need for continuous education and awareness. Chart your course to a safer boating experience – stay informed about your state’s boating laws, and take the necessary steps to make safety a priority on the water at all times.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Updated: Friday, September 29, 2023
The winners of the 2023 National Boating Safety Awards were presented at the Soundings Trade Only event on October 2, 2023 prior to the start of IBEX in Tampa, FL.
The Sea Tow Foundation received a record-breaking number of entries for their Boating Safety Advisory Council to review and judge. The winners for 2023 are:
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Updated: Wednesday, September 13, 2023
The Sea Tow Foundation is excited to announce that we won a Power of Associations Gold Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) for our successful Life Jacket Loaner Program. ASAE’s Power of Associations Awards honors associations that go above and beyond their everyday mission to undertake initiatives that benefit their community, and the world.
The Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program is the largest of its kind in the world, with more than 1,300 stands located across all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. Established in 2008 to prevent drowning, the Life Jacket Loaner Program features loaner stations that each contain life jackets ranging in size from infant to adult extra-large that boaters can borrow and return free of charge to ensure that they have a safe day on the water.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
The Sea Tow Foundation’s new Flare Education Toolkit is designed to provide boaters with the information they need to safely and properly use traditional flares as well as electronic flares (known as E-Flares). The toolkit also includes pre-made social media copy and email templates for industry leaders to easily spread flare knowledge to boaters.
The Sea Tow Foundation previously produced a series of short videos focused on flare safety and disposal, the use of flare guns and E-flares which can be found here. The toolkit also features key talking points, infographics and a Flare Disposal Locator to accompany each of the videos.
Since E-Flares are relatively new to the boating industry, many boaters may not be aware of them or know that they are a great alternative to traditional flares to meet the requirements for carrying Visual Distress Signals. The Sea Tow Foundation encourages companies, organizations and individuals within the boating industry to use this toolkit to help increase boaters’ E-Flare knowledge as well as proficiency with traditional flares.
The toolkit was produced using grant funds from the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program is the largest of its kind in the world, with more than 1,300 stands across all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Established to prevent drowning, each stand has life jackets ranging in size from infant to adult extra-large that boaters can borrow and return free of charge to help ensure a safe day on the water. During the 2023 boating season, the Sea Tow Foundation received more than 250 Life Jacket Loaner Program applications from 46 states – a record number – which created a gap of 15,000 life jackets between what communities and organizations need and what the Sea Tow Foundation was able to provide through grants and donations.
As a result, the Sea Tow Foundation called on the boating industry to help support their Life Jacket Loaner Program and fill the gap by donating life jackets. Newell Brands, a leading global consumer goods company, answered the call by donating more than 10,000Stearns and Coleman branded life jackets and floating cushions, which will help keep people safe across the country.
The quantity of donated life jackets and floating cushions went to the following:
1,200 life jackets were shipped to the Sea Tow Foundation for distribution to Life Jacket Loaner Station Hosts across the country.
1,700 life jackets were shipped to Sea Tow Venice in Florida as a central distribution point to help replenish supply and re-establish loaner stations hosted by them and other groups in Southwest Florida that were affected by Hurricane Ian last fall.
7,300 life jackets and floating cushions were made available for existing Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Station Hosts and boating safety groups to pick up from the Newell Brands warehouse in Kansas.
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