Safe Boating Hints for the Summer

Any person convicted of one moving violation while operating a vessel must complete and pass a boating safety course.
Cal Boating offers a FREE home study course for boaters (two persons can take the exam with each handbook ordered).
Those who successfully complete the course are awarded Certificates of Completion that are recognized by many insurance companies for discounts on boat insurance policies.

Properly dispose of your trash and keep our waterways safe and pleasant for everyone.
Spilled gas and plastic wrappers can endanger birds and fish.

It is just as important to wear a life jacket as it is for you to wear a seatbelt or for athletes to wear the right protective equipment.
Children under 12 years of age must wear a properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while underway in a boat.
Any person on board a personal watercraft and any person being towed behind a vessel on water skis, an aquaplane or similar device must wear a Type I, II, III or V U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
If you are operating a boat, canoe or kayak of any length, you must carry a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person on board. If stored, they should be readily accessible.

Boat at a safe speed and keep a safe distance from other boats and obstacles.
Do not exceed 5 miles per hour within 100 feet of a swimmer, or 200 feet of a swimming beach, a swimming float, a diving platform, a lifeline or a dock with boats tied to it.
Always look out for hazards so you can avoid getting into an accident.

It is against the law to operate a boat or water ski with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or more.
People under the age of 21 who are convicted of operating a boat or motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 percent or higher can lose their privilege of getting or keeping a driver’s license.
Alcohol affects reaction time and impairs judgment.
Drinking alcoholic beverages will not prevent hypothermia.
People who drink alcohol or use other drugs and operate a boat can hurt themselves or someone else.