Top 10 Boating Safety Tips

May — Boating

National Water Safety Month, and Safe Boating Week closes it out.

Wear a properly fitted, Coast Guard–approved life jacket. Most drowning victims owned one — it was on board, not on them.
Take a boating safety course. A large majority of fatal accidents involve an operator with no formal instruction.
Designate a sober operator. Alcohol use is a leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents.
Run a pre-departure check: drain plug, fuel, battery, bilge, lights, steering.
Clip in the engine cut-off switch. An unmanned boat circling under power is a lethal hazard to everyone in the water.
Carry the required kit — visual distress signals, fire extinguisher, sound-producing device, working navigation lights.
Know the navigation rules and maintain a proper lookout at all times.
Check the forecast and keep checking. Watch for building wind and darkening sky; know your route back.
Beware carbon monoxide. It pools near swim platforms and in cabins. No one hangs off the back of a running boat.
File a float plan with someone ashore, and label your gear with Scan If Found decals.

Want this broken into weekly topics? See the May Weekly Content Calendar.

Not into boating? Try mountain biking instead — trails have dried out from spring mud, a land-based counterpart to a water month.