Quick Safety Reference Guide

Navigation Rules Essentials:

• Red Right Returning: Keep red markers on your right (starboard) when returning from open water.
• Green Left Leaving: Keep green markers on your right (port) when heading out.
• Right of Way Priority: Not Under Command > Restricted in Ability to Maneuver > Constrained by Draft > Fishing Vessels > Sailing Vessels > Power-Driven Vessels
• Crossing Rule: When two powerboats cross, the vessel on the right (starboard) has the right of way.

Required Emergency Equipment (Coast Guard Minimum):

• Life jackets (PFDs): One per person aboard, Coast Guard-approved.
• Fire extinguisher: 5-B type for boats with enclosed spaces (boats under 26′ with no enclosed spaces are exempt).
• Sound device: Horn or whistle.
• Visual distress signals: Flares or signal devices
• Throwable flotation device: Required on boats 16′ and longer.

Safe Docking Checklist:

• Deploy fenders before approaching the dock.
• Have dock lines ready and secured to boat cleats.
• Approach slowly into wind or current.
• Never use your body to stop the boat’s momentum.

Weather Warning Levels:

• Small Craft Advisory: Winds 20–33 knots.
• Gale Warning: Winds 34–47 knots.
• Storm Warning: Winds 48+ knots.

BUI (Boating Under Influence) Facts:

• Federal BAC limit: 0.08%
• Amplified Impairment: One drink on the water = three drinks on land.
• Penalties: Fines up to $5,000, jail time, and license suspension.

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Safe boating requires commitment to proper procedures, emergency readiness, and responsible decision-making. Mastering these fundamentals protects you, your passengers, and contributes to a safer environment on the water for all.

Navigation Rules: Understanding the Water’s Highway System

Waterways, like roads, operate under a system of navigation rules known as the Rules of the Road, which are designed specifically to prevent collisions and maintain clear traffic flow.

The Red and Green Buoy System

The U.S. system is based on the “Red Right Returning” mnemonic. When returning from open water to port or heading upstream, keep red-colored markers on your starboard (right) side. Conversely, when leaving port or heading downstream toward open water, keep green-colored markers on your starboard (right) side.

• Color and Numbering: Red markers display even numbers, while green markers display odd numbers. These numbers increase sequentially as you travel toward the harbor or upstream, serving as reliable guides for tracking progress and confirming your position within the navigational channel.

Right of Way Rules

The general hierarchy prioritizes vessels based on their ability to maneuver, placing those with the least control at the top. The order is typically: vessels not under command, vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver, vessels engaged in fishing, sailing vessels, and finally, powerboats.

• Head-on Approach: When two powerboats approach head-on, both vessels must alter course to starboard (right) to pass safely on their port (left) side.
• Crossing Paths: In a crossing scenario, the vessel on the starboard (right) side is the stand-on vessel and must maintain course and speed. The other vessel is the give-way vessel and must slow down or alter course to pass behind the stand-on vessel.
• Overtaking: An overtaking vessel is always the give-way vessel and must yield to the vessel being overtaken.

Emergency Equipment: Your Essential Safety Net

U.S. Coast Guard regulations establish the minimum required safety equipment, though exceeding these minimums is always recommended. For comprehensive, official requirements, consult the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division.

Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs/Life Jackets)

Federal law mandates that every person aboard must have one readily accessible, Coast Guard-approved PFD. For boats 16 feet and longer, an additional throwable flotation device, such as a ring buoy or cushion, is required.

• For Children: In most states, children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times while the boat is underway.
• Importance of Fit: The PFD must be in good, serviceable condition and of the appropriate size for the wearer. Wearing a life jacket dramatically increases survival chances, making the best life jacket the one you actually wear.

Fire Extinguishers

Boats with enclosed engine compartments, permanent fuel tanks, or living spaces must carry at least one B-I type marine fire extinguisher. Larger boats, 26 to 40 feet, require two B-I extinguishers or one B-II type.

• Maintenance & Age: Extinguishers must carry a 5-B or 20-B rating and be less than 12 years old. For boats from model year 2018 or newer, only 5-B, 10-B, or 20-B rated extinguishers are acceptable. Boats from 1953 to 2017 may still carry B-I or B-II extinguishers if they are serviceable and less than 12 years old.

Sound and Visual Signals

• Sound: All boats must have a way to produce sound signals, such as a horn, whistle, or bell.
• Visual Distress Signals (VDS): VDS devices are mandatory for vessels operating on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, and connecting bodies of water up to two miles wide. Pyrotechnic devices, such as flares, must be replaced when they expire. Non-pyrotechnic options, such as electric distress lights or flag signals, do not expire.

Safe Docking Practices: Protecting Your Investment

Proper docking prevents collisions and damage to your boat and others.

• Preparation Before Approach: Deploy fenders well before reaching the dock. AERÉ inflatable fenders provide superior protection and are positioned at the boat’s widest point, just above the waterline.
• Dock Lines Ready: Ensure dock lines are secured to your boat’s cleats and ready for immediate use. AERÉ Dock Lines are built to resist UV degradation and maintain strength.
• The Approach: Approach the dock slowly and deliberately, ideally maneuvering into the wind or current, whichever is stronger, to maintain maximum control. Never use your body to stop the boat’s momentum.
• Secure Configuration: A secure tie-up uses bow and stern lines at minimum. For added stability and to prevent the boat from moving forward or backward, include bow lines, stern lines, and spring lines.

Weather Awareness: Reading Nature’s Warning Signs

Weather conditions on the water can change much faster than on land. Always check a National Weather Service (NWS) marine forecast before every trip.

• Warning Levels:
  • Small Craft Advisory: Warns of winds from 20 to 33 knots.
  • Gale Warning: Indicates high winds of 34 to 47 knots.
  • Storm Warning: Signals severe conditions with winds of 48 knots or higher.
• Visual Indicators: Monitor the sky constantly. Rapidly moving clouds, dark bases, sudden temperature drops, or sharp wind shifts often precede severe weather. If you see distant lightning or hear thunder, immediately head for a safe shore, as a boat can be the tallest object on the water, posing extreme lightning hazard.

Boating Under the Influence (BUI): Know the Risks

Operating a vessel while intoxicated is illegal across all 50 states and carries penalties similar to drunk driving on land.

• Amplified Impairment: The effects of alcohol are amplified on the water due to sun exposure, heat, glare, motion, wind, and engine vibration. One drink on the water can equal three drinks on land.
• Laws and Penalties: The federal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit is 0.08 percent. First-time BUI convictions can lead to fines up to $5,000, jail time, a permanent criminal record, and license suspension.
• Responsible Decisions: The safest choice is to designate a sober boat operator. If choosing to drink, limit consumption, stay hydrated, and eat food.

Boating safety is not about eliminating enjoyment. It is about ensuring freedom, adventure, and precious time with loved ones are protected.

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