🦺 Boat Safety Fundamentals

Essential Rules

1. 1

   Always wear your PFD (life jacket) when underway or in rough conditions — it only works if you are wearing it

2. 2

   File a float plan before every trip — tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back

3. 3

   Check the weather before departure and understand how to read changing conditions

4. 4

   Know your VHF radio — Channel 16 is the emergency channel monitored by the Coast Guard 24/7

5. 5

   Carry required safety equipment: fire extinguisher, flares, throwable device, sound signal, and navigation lights

6. 6

   Never exceed the maximum weight capacity posted on your boat's capacity plate

7. 7

   Have a designated spotter when someone is in the water — never leave a swimmer unattended

8. 8

   Keep a dry bag with your phone, ID, and emergency contacts — assume you may go in the water

9. 9

   Know the rules of navigation: give way to larger vessels, watch for no-wake zones

10. 10

    If your boat swamps, stay with the boat — it floats and is easier for rescuers to spot than a person in the water