swamping.
Avoid collisions
Scan constantly for people, objects, and oth-
er boats. Be alert for conditions that limit your
visibility or block your vision of others.
Operate defensively at safe speeds and keep
a safe distance away from people, ob- jects,
and other boats.
●
Do not follow directly behind other boats or
waterskiers.
●
Avoid sharp turns or other maneuvers that
make it hard for others to avoid you or un-
derstand where you are going.
●
Avoid areas with submerged objects or
shallow water.
●
Ride within your limits and avoid aggres-
sive maneuvers to reduce the risk of loss of
control, ejection, and collision.
●
Take early action to avoid collisions. Re-
member, boats do not have brakes, and
stopping the engine or reducing throttle can
reduce the ability to steer. If you are not sure
that you can stop in time before hitting an
obstacle, apply throttle and turn in another
direction.
Weather
Stay informed about the weather. Check
weather forecasts before boating. Avoid
boating in hazardous weather.
Accident reporting
Boat operators are required by law to file a
Boating Accident Report with their state
boating law enforcement agency if their boat
is involved in any of the following accidents:
1. There is loss of life or probable loss of
life.
2. There is personal injury that requires
medical attention beyond first aid.
3. There is property damage to boats or
other property over a certain amount.
4. There is complete loss of a boat.
Contact local law enforcement personnel if a
report is necessary.
Passenger training
Make sure at least one other passenger is
trained to operate the boat in the event of an
emergency.
Boating safety publications
Be informed about boating safety. Additional
publications and information can be obtained
from many boating organizations.
Laws and regulations
Know the marine laws and regulations where
you will be boating- and obey them. Several
sets of rules prevail according to geographic
location, but all are basically the same as the
International Rules of the Road. The rules
presented in the following section are con-
densed- and have been provided for your
convenience only.
Contact the U.S. Coast Guard, the National
Association of State Boating Law Adminis-
trators, or your local Power Squadron for a
complete set of rules governing the waters in
which you will be using your boat.
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