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Safety information
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● Avoid sharp turns or other maneuvers that
make it hard for others to avoid you or un-
derstand where you are going.
● Avoid areas with submerged objects or
shallow water.
● Ride within your limits and avoid aggressive
maneuvers to reduce the risk of loss of con-
trol, ejection, and collision.
● Take early action to avoid collisions. Re-
member, boats do not have brakes, and
stopping the engine or reducing throttle can
reduce the ability to steer. If you are not
sure that you can stop in time before hitting
an obstacle, apply throttle and turn in anoth-
er direction.
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Weather
Stay informed about the weather. Check
weather forecasts before boating. Avoid boat-
ing in hazardous weather.
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Accident reporting
Boat operators are required by law to file a
Boating Accident Report with their state boat-
ing law enforcement agency if their boat is in-
volved in any of the following accidents:
1. There is loss of life or probable loss of life.
2. There is personal injury that requires
medical attention beyond first aid.
3. There is property damage to boats or oth-
er property over a certain amount.
4. There is complete loss of a boat.
Contact local law enforcement personnel if a
report is necessary.
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Boat education and training
Operators should take a boating safety
course. This may be required in your state.
Many of the organizations listed in the next
section can provide information about cours-
es in your area.
You may also want to consider an Internet-
based program for basic boater education.
The Online Boating Safety Course provided
by the BoatU.S. Foundation, is approved by
the National Association of State Boating Law
Administrators (NASBLA) and recognized by
the United States Coast Guard. Most, but not
all, states accept this course to meet their
minimum requirements. While it cannot re-
place an in-depth course such as one offered
by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Power Squad-
ron, or other organization, this online course
does provide a general overview of the basics
in boating safety, requirements, navigation,
and operation. Upon successful completion of
the course, the user can download a certifi-
cate of completion immediately or, for a small
charge, request one by mail. To take this free
course, go to boatus.org.
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Passenger training
Make sure at least one other passenger is
trained to operate the boat in the event of an
emergency.
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Boating safety publications
Be informed about boating safety. Additional
publications and information can be obtained
from many boating organizations.
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Laws and regulations
Know the marine laws and regulations where
you will be boating- and obey them. Several
sets of rules prevail according to geographic
location, but all are basically the same as the
International Rules of the Road. The rules
presented in the following section are con-
densed- and have been provided for your
convenience only.
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