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Boating Safety
Safe boating is your responsibility!
Did you know YOU are responsible for any damages or injuries caused
by the wake your boat throws?
Some basic rules to follow:
- Make sure everybody on your boat wears a functional personal flotation
device (Life Jacket).
- Understand the Rules of the Road for operation on your waterway.
- Stay in control of your boat for the safety and enjoyment of yourself and
others.
- Make sure weather conditions are safe before launching your boat.
- Make sure your boat is in good operational condition.
- Make sure you have all necessary emergency equipment.
- Designate a driver who will refrain from drinking.
- File a Float
Plan and leave it with a responsible person who can contact authorities
in case of emergency.
Safe boating habits:
- Set an example for others to follow. Whether you are boating with
friends or family, you should always set the right example for others to
follow.
- Own/use the right boat for you. Boat designs varied widely. Make sure
that you have the right boat for the purpose you have in mind.
- Know how to use your safety equipment. Every person on board should wear
a life jacket, and in many cases, it is required. Beyond life jackets, you
should also have and know how to use your signaling devices, fire
extinguishers, dewatering devices.
- Have the right equipment for your boat, and know how to use it. There
are legal considerations in addition to making sure you have the right
equipment on your boat to enjoy your boating experience. There's nothing
worse than setting expectations for your crew and guests, and then not being
able to have a good time because you were not prepared.
- Know how to handle your boat. Boats do not drive like a car. A safe
boating class will help prepare you for the skills necessary to handle your
boat safely - for you, your crew, and for the other boaters around you.
- Know the rules of the road. Just like on the roadway, you are expected
to know how to approach other boats on the water, as well as how to read and
follow directions provided by Aids to Navigation.
- Navigation is vital on small lakes or the ocean. You may not be trying
to find a small island in the middle of the South Pacific, but understanding
navigation will help you get to where you are going, and back home again
safely.
- Watch and understand the weather. Nothing can make a good day turn
miserable than ending up in a squall.
- If you trailer, know how to drive, launch and load like a pro.
- Don't drink and boat. 'Nuf said.
Generally required equipment for your boat:
- Correct Display of Numbers - these must be at least 3" inch block style
letters and numbers and in a contrasting color to the boat hull. Black
letters are recommended.
- State Registration or Federal Documentation - NYS registration must be on
the
vessel. If it is a Federally documented vessel this documentation must be on
the vessel.
- Personal Flotation Devices - there must be on each vessel one life jacket
for
each person on board. The life jacket must fit the person wearing it. For
example, if there are children on board, they must be wearing a life jacket
suitable for a child. In Nevada, children 12 and under must be wearing the
life jacket. If inflatable type life jackets are onboard, they must be worn
to count as a life jacket available for use!
- Visual Distress Signals - Boats that are 16 feet or longer are required
to
carry visual distress signals. Three flares will meet the requirements for
visual distress signals. They must be in date. Most flares expire 42 months
after their date of manufacture.
- Fire Extinguishers - Many boats are required to carry fire extinguishers.
Although recommended, it is not required that they be mounted. Boats with
inboard engines, boats with enclosed compartments where flammable substances
are stored, boats with closed living spaces and boats 26 feet or longer with
outboard motors are all required to carry fire extinguishers. These must be
Coast Guard Approved. Boats under 26 feet in length must carry at least one
B1 extinguisher unless they have a fixed halon type of system installed.
Ventilation - Vessels that contain an engine and fuel tank in an enclosed
compartment must have a powered ventilation system. This ventilator should
be operated before starting the engine.
- Backfire Flame Control - All boats constructed after April 25, 1940 that
operate with a gasoline engine must have a backfire flame control device.
This is usually installed above the carburetor in boats so equipped, while
fuel injected engines must have this control installed above the air intake.
Sound Producing Device - Nevada differs from Federal law in that all vessels
26 feet or longer must have a horn and a bell. Federal law only requires
this in vessels over 39.4 feet. Vessels operated in Nevada that are under 26
feet in length must have some efficient sound producing device. An athletic
whistle would be acceptable.
- Navigation Lights - Boats longer than 16 feet must have navigation lights
installed and in working order. The number and type vary with the size of
vessel and its construction.
- Pollution Placard - Vessels larger than 26 feet must display a pollution
placard.
- MARPOL Trash Placard - The Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships requires
boats
longer than 26 feet to display this placard which indicates what materials
may be thrown overboard. It is illegal to throw overboard any plastic type
of material in the ocean or waters of the United States.
- Marine Sanitation Devices - All recreational vessels with installed
toilet
facilities must have an operable marine sanitation device on board. Direct
discharge toilets are illegal.
- Navigation Rules - Vessels 39.4 feet or longer must carry a copy on board
of
the Navigation Rules. These are available at many bookstores.
- Overall Vessel Condition - The boat must be in good overall condition.
The
bilge area must be clean, the deck free of hazards, electrical and fuel
systems in good condition, and galley and heating systems must operate
correctly.
Coast Guard recommended items for your boat:
- VHF Marine Radio - Next to a life jacket, a VHF radio is probably the
most
important piece of gear to have on your boat. If you get into trouble, you
will be able to radio the nearest Coast Guard Station for help. The real
beauty of the VHF marine radio is that other boaters on the same water as you
monitor Channel 16, the emergency channel, and can assist you promptly. Help
may only be a few hundred yards away!
- CB radios and cell phones are not good substitutes. They are not
monitored
by other boaters or the the Coast Guard. Cell phones are convenient second
method of communication, but do not replace a marine VHF radio. If you
cannot get a signal, you may not be able to communicate with the Coast Guard
Station or other sources of help.
- Fixed-base VHF radios typically are equipped with an 8 foot antenna and
put
out 25 watts. They will be heard at a much further distance than a hand held
radio which has a very short antenna and only transmits at up to 5 watts.
The primary determinant of distance of transmission is the height of the
antenna - the higher the better.
- Dewatering Device - A bilge pump may mean the difference between sinking
and
keeping your boat afloat. Check its function and have a hand held pump as a
backup.
- Mounted Fire Extinguisher - The Coast Guard regulations require that a
fire
extinguisher be present on a boat, but they do not require that it be
mounted. Mounting the extinguisher in an accessible place makes sense and
prevents the extinguisher from falling or being damaged from bouncing over
waves.
- Anchor and Line appropriate for the area - An anchor is an essential
safety
device. Should your boat break down you can anchor and prevent your boat
from drifting into rocks or other hazards. The anchor also orients your boat
into the wind which will keep your boat from being breached or hit by a wave
on the side of your boat. The bow of the boat is best suited for taking on a
wave. The anchor should be equipped with "rode" or anchor line made of
nylon. The length of the line should be sufficient for the water you are on.
See Boating Tips for more information.
- First Aid Kit - A first aid kit can come in handy for minor injuries,
including sunburn.
- Person in the Water Kit - The person in water kit can consist of a "throw
bag" which is attached to a line and allows you to pull someone back to the
boat.
- Inland Distress Signals - In addition to the required coastal distress
signals, additional distress signals for day and night are recommended.
Capacity / Certificate of Compliance - Most boats now have a capacity plate
which tells the maximum carrying capacity of the boat. This should never be
exceeded! The weight carried on a boat is the most important thing to
consider.
- Float Plan - The float plan is a pre-prepared note indicating who you are
with, what boat you are on, and where you plan to go. It also indicates when
you will return. It should be left with someone who will know if you do not
return at the appropriate time so they can notify emergency personnel. The
Coast Guard Auxiliary has a Float Plan form free to download.
Boating Rules & Regulations
It is the responsibility of the captain of a vessel to be aware of the
boating laws and regulations for the area in which he or she will operate
their vessel. You can get the most current information on boating laws by
clicking on the links below. And don't forget, you are also subject to
federal in addition to state and local regulations.
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