Boating is a fantastic way to spend time with family and friends and enjoy the fresh air. However, we all know that conditions can change, and things can happen, so it is important to be prepared and carry all of the required equipment. The Sea Tow Foundation has put together a list of the 10 Essentials for Boating to make sure you have everything you need (plus everything required to take) before heading out for a day or weekend on the water. And, these would be great gift ideas for the boaters in your life! We've provided some links to help you purchase our favorite items*!

1. Life Jackets – The Coast Guard requires that a properly fitted life jacket be on board for each person in the boating group plus a throwable device like a ring buoy or floating cushion. While the universal-size life jackets that came with your boat will meet the requirements for adults, they won’t fit children, so you’ll need to have other life jackets for them. And it’s also a good idea to invest in some better life jackets for the adults that are comfortable and will provide better buoyancy like an inflatable life jacket. And, make sure that throwable device has some rope tied to it so you can bring someone back onto the boat! Don't forget that the Sea Tow Foundation’s nationwide life jacket loaner program has over 1,300 stations where you can easily borrow a vest-style life jacket if you invite any last minute guests on board and need a life jacket for them.
   
   
2. Fire Extinguishers – If your boat has an engine, you are required to have a fire extinguisher on board. It also needs to be rated for marine use. Even a personal watercraft needs to have a fire extinguisher on board. 
   
   
3. Signaling Gear – If you need to get help to your position or notify someone of a problem, you’ll need to carry signaling gear. For non-powered boats on inland lakes and rivers, a mirror is usually sufficient, but if you are on a power boat or are going into the Great Lakes or Coastal waters, then you're required to carry traditional flares or an E-Flare. For more information about the different types of flares, check out our page devoted to Flare Education.
   
   
4. Lights – Boats are required to have Navigation Lights (red, green and white) to help other boats see you on the water and know which direction you are moving. If you are in a non-powered boat, even if you don’t plan to be on the water after dark, it is a good idea to carry a water-proof flashlight on board. As the days get shorter in the fall and spring, the nighttime often sneaks up on you and it is good to know that a flashlight can help you with finding the boat ramp and it also alerts other boats to your position so that they can avoid you.
   
   
5. Anchor and Extra Line – Being able to stop your boat from moving is important if the battery or engine fails so that you don’t drift into a boating channel or into dangerous waters. That's why carrying an anchor is required. The anchor should be strong enough for the type and size of boat that you’re using and rated for the bottom type that is found in that area whether that is mud, sand, clay, grass, or rocks.
   
   
6. Safety Kit – This is one of the items that it's required for legal purposes, but you should still take the time to put together a boating safety kit that includes a first aid kit complete with bandages, gauze, tape, alcohol wipes, anti-nausea medicine, gloves, tweezers, and cold compresses. If anyone in your boating group has a medical condition like Diabetes, it is a good idea to include glucose tablets or tubes of icing to assist with low blood sugar. Adding a Multi-Tool and duct tape to any safety kit are good ideas as they both can be used in multiple ways whether that is patching up the boat or a wound.
   
   
7. Sound Signal Device – Depending on the type of boat you’re using, helps determine the type of signaling device youre required to carry. A canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard should have a whistle attached to every life jacket and it isn’t a bad idea to add whistles to the life jackets on every type of boat, too. Any boat less than 39.4 feet in length must have some device that can produce a sound, so powerboats often have a horn on board to meet this requirement. Boats that are larger need to make sure that the device can be heard for a half mile with a 4-6 second duration.
   
   
8. Communications Device – Getting in touch with a friend or family member to let them know that you’ll be late for dinner is important, but being able to get help in an emergency is critical. You can’t always rely on a cell phone to work, even on an inland lake or river, so it is a good idea to carry a VHF radio or a satellite communication device like a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) or a Garmin InReach.
   
   
9. License, Registration, and Nautical Chart – All boat operators are required to carry their boat’s registration paperwork as well as a copy of their boating license and/or driver’s license. It’s also a good idea to have a paper chart of your waterway just in case the electronics don’t work for some reason. And, keeping all of these in a waterproof pouch is a smart idea so that they stay dry at all times.
   
   
10. Food and Water – The last item isn't required, but is always a good idea for any trip out on the water. Plan to pack enough food and drinks for everyone on board for at least double the amount of time that you plan to be on the water. If you are packing for an afternoon boat ride that will last 4 hours, make sure to have enough food and water that you can be comfortable for at least 8 hours. That way, if you are delayed in returning to the boat dock for whatever reason, you and your boating group will not feel as hungry and thirsty as they otherwise would.

Bonus item: Having a Sea Tow Membership is always a smart idea so that you and your boat will be taken care of because members always get priority service. And this mans that you can get back to enjoying your day on the water even faster.

*The Sea Tow Foundation may receive compensation as an affiliate of Amazon for purchases made with these links.

In case you haven’t heard, large parts of the United States will be treated to a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 . And, for those not in the direct path, there will be a partial eclipse. 

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, blocking all or part of the sun. While the total eclipse will last only a few minutes, there will be a few hours of reduced daylight leading up to and after the total eclipse, which is scheduled to happen in the middle of the day.

The Sea Tow Foundation is providing the following tips to boaters that may decide to get out on the water to observe the eclipse so that they can do it safely and have fun at the same time.

1. Research what time the eclipse will occur in your specific area by checking out the NASA website. Plan to head out on the water well before the eclipse will occur. You don’t want to miss it because you’re busy finding the perfect spot to anchor.
   
   
2. Be aware that the eclipse will cause darkness similar to the middle of the night if you are in the path of totality and the time leading up to and after the eclipse, or for those not in the direct path, the light will be like dusk or early dawn in terms of the amount of light. For this reason, make sure your navigation lights are working before you head out as you’ll need to use them.
   
   
3. Whether you intend to watch the eclipse from your boat or on land, ensure you have proper eyewear by purchasing solar eclipse glasses. Without proper eye protection, you can harm or burn your retinas if you look directly at the sun, causing permanent damage. Eclipse glasses should be certified by the American Astronomical Society. Make sure you plan to get them early so that they arrive on time for the big event.

4. Be prepared, get anchored and stay away from busy boating channels and bridges. Make sure your anchor sticks so that you don’t drift.
   
   
5. All passengers should be wearing life jackets during the eclipse since it will be very dark during the event.
   
   
6. Consider carrying a spotlight in case a boat is headed in your direction and doesn’t see you.
   
   
7. Don’t forget the sunscreen. Before and after the eclipse, you’ll still be in direct sunlight.
   

The last time the U.S. saw a total solar eclipse was in 2017, but the weather was cloudy through much of the country back then, so most people could not actually see the phenomenon. You don’t want to miss the April 8^th eclipse because the U.S. will not witness another one until August 23, 2044.

New Yamaha life jackets place on a Sea Tow Foundation Loaner Stand hosted by The City of Oceanside, CA.

Yamaha Motor Corporation is generously donating 800 brand-new adult sized life jackets to be used in the Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program. These life jackets are located at Yamaha facilities in California, Georgia and Wisconsin so the Sea Tow Foundation reached out to hosts of our nationwide Life Jacket Loaner Program in the nearby areas and they jumped at the chance to add these life jackets to their loaner stations and put them into immediate use during the current and upcoming boating season.

In California, roughly 225 jackets will be used in loaner stations hosted by Sea Tow Newport Beach, Sea Tow LA, the City of Oceanside Harbor Division and the LifeSail Organization. All of these loaner stations are located in busy areas featuring a wide variety of boaters including stand-up paddleboarders, sail boaters and powerboaters.

Additionally, 320 life jackets in Georgia are headed to Sea Tow Lake Sinclair, Sea Tow Lake Allatoona, Sea Tow Lake Oconee and Sea Tow Clarks Hill Lake to be used at their combined 12 loaner stations. Also, they will be used in local state parks through a partnership with Georgia’s DNR Law Enforcement Division. And, they will also go to the US Army Corps of Engineers in Lake Allatoona who manage 22 loaner stations in the region.

1st photo:US Army Corp of Engineers volunteers Greta and Jody Bales, Jon Gridley of Sea Tow, Jack and Linda Croach and James Mills from Yamaha Motors. 2nd photo: Chris McCarthy of Sea Tow Newport Beach/LA. 3rd photo: Matt Schulz of LifeSail in Marina del Ray, CA. 4th photo: US Army Corp of Engineers Lake Allatoona, GA Lead Ranger Chris Purvis and Linda Croach. 5th photo: Mike Weidel from the Milwaukee Sail & Power Squadron and a Yamaha representative.

Nearly 250 life jackets in Wisconsin will go to the Milwaukee Sail & Power Squadron who manage two loaner stands as well as to other Sail & Power Squadrons in the region. There are also plans to use these life jackets at upcoming boat shows in the area.

If you have brand new or gently used life jackets that you would like to donate to a life jacket loaner station near you, use the Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Drive online form and we’ll be in touch about a local life jacket loaner station that is in need of more life jackets. You can also find out more in this video blog about how to inspect your gently used life jacket to know if it is in good shape to donate.

For more information on the Life Jacket Drive and Life Jacket Loaner Program go to www.boatingsafety.com/page/life-jacket-loaner-program

Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Life Jacket Fabric Wreath

Spring is here and it is time to check your life jackets to make sure they are in good shape for the boating season. We’ve talked about how to inspect your life jackets and even how to donate your kid’s outgrown life jackets, but we haven’t talked about what to do with them when they are not in good shape and need to be discarded.

In this month’s craft project, we’ll be making a life jacket fabric wreath for your door or wall using damaged life jackets that can no longer be used for keeping you safe on the water. And, as the spring season and holidays are upon us, we can think of this as a fun spring wreath!

Materials to Make Life Jacket Fabric Wreath:

• Damaged life jackets
• Foam craft ring
• Ruler
• Sharp scissors
• Tacky glue
• Plastic plate
• Knitting needle
• Paper to protect table
• Wooden Craft Sign (optional)
• Other fabric scraps in coordinating colors (optional if life jackets don’t produce enough fabric)

  
  
  Directions for How to Make the Life Jacket Fabric Wreath :

1. Remove the fabric from the life jackets using scissors. Depending on the size of the life jacket and the amount of fabric, you may want to have other fabric scraps in other colors. Multiple colors are better than a single color for this wreath design. Save the straps for hanging the wreath at the end. Also, if the foam is in good shape, save that for a future craft project.
   
   
    
2. Cut all of the fabric into approximate 2-inch squares using the ruler and scissors. You can also use a cutting board and rotary cutter if you are a frequent fabric crafter.

    

3. Place protective paper on the table and arrange the craft ring on top. Pour the glue into the plastic plate and place nearby along with your piles of fabric pieces.

    

4. Take a piece of fabric and wrap it around the end of the knitting needle. Dip the end into the glue and then poke the glue-covered fabric into the foam ring and remove the needle.

    

5. Repeat step 4 all along the wreath covering the front and sides by alternating colors of the fabrics. Once finished, allow the glue to dry overnight. The glue will dry clear.
   
   
6. Use one of the life jacket straps to wrap around the top for the wreath to hang.
   
   
   
   
7. Add a wooden craft sign to the wreath using pins, if desired.

    

8. Enjoy the wreath and remember the good times you had in those life jackets!

    

   Congratulations on making a Nautical Wreath! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime

   If you found this article helpful or entertaining, 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.

   
   
   The Sea Tow Foundation has created monthly nautical crafts to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts or home décor.

Winter Storage Tips for Life Jackets

Picture it: Spring weather has arrived, and you and your family are getting ready for the first boating trip of the year! You have all been talking about it for the past week. The cooler is packed, your gear bag is loaded, and the boat is ready to go in the water. As you take out the life jackets, you notice the smell first. After simply throwing the life jackets in the garage last season, a moldy mildew smell took hold. The fabric has torn and the foam inside of the life jackets has hardened.

An amazing day on the water can be stopped in its tracks if you do not take the time to take proper care of your life jackets today. The Sea Tow Foundation wants to help you extend the life of your life jackets – so you do not need to buy a new one each season. Here are 5 tips  to consider regarding your life jacket care during the off-season. 

1. Make sure that your life jacket is stored in a cool, dry place away from the elements. There are many zippered pouches on the market that can help store your life jacket as well.
2. Allow the life jacket to fully dry in open air before storing it. This will help prevent the growth of mold and keep your life jacket in good shape before your next use.
3. Allow for adequate ventilation. As opposed to placing them in a box , try hanging your life jackets off the ground to help air circulate.
4. Do not place your life jacket direct in front of a heat source to dry. This can cause damage to the vinyl and plastic parts on the jacket.
5. Do not store your life jackets outdoors, or in areas that are not temperature controlled. A life jacket outdoors can be rained or snowed on, which doesn’t allow it to stay dry. And if a life jacket has any moisture in it and is stored in an unheated garage or shed, the foam could freeze if temperatures reach below freezing. Do not store inflatable life jackets and their cartridges in below zero temperatures. If you must store life jackets in an unheated area, make sure they are completely dry for at least a week inside the house and remove the CO cartridge from inflatable life jackets before they go into storage.

By taking a few simple steps to ensure that your life jacket is stored correctly now, you can help make sure that your life jacket will be ready for you when spring comes!

And remember, before putting on a life jacket, take a moment to inspect it. Is there anything broken or damaged? Is there mold or mildew? Are the bobbins and pins operating properly on your inflatable vest showing that it is properly recharged?

Where do you store your life jackets during the off-season? Let us know in the comments below.

If you found this article helpful or entertaining, 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.