11 Boater Safety Tips For Summer

11 Boater Safety Tips For Summer

It’s that time of year when you start to get everything out of storage.Boats If you don’t have a boat or personal watercraft (PWC) but this is the year you are going to get one, make sure you are aware of all the rules and regulations for driving on water. Here is a quick guide of the basic water safety tips:

Personal Watercraft Rules

  1. Do you love to feel the wind in your hair when flying around on the lake? Make sure you know the speed limit for the lake. Every lake is different and some are slower than others.
  2. When you are either driving or riding on a PWC, you must be wearing a life jacket.
  3. Are you someone who loves to jump the wake of boats and catch air? This is okay to do, but you have to be at least 150 feet from boats or from a wakeboarder or tubers.
  4. Most states have laws just for PWC, such as you are allowed to run them between 9:30 a.m. to 1 hour before sunset.

Boat Rules

  1. There is nothing better than driving at night in the cool summer air. When driving at night between sunset and sunrise make sure your red and green lights are on in the front of the boat and the white light is visible on the back. These are great things to check right when you get it out of storage. The wires can become loose and will need to be fixed before you use our boat at night.
  2. Before leaving the dock, make sure there are enough life jackets for everyone in the boat. Also, some states require children 10 years and younger to be wearing a life jacket while the boat is moving.
  3. By law, all boats must have an up-to-date fire extinguisher in case a problem occurs while out driving.
  4. If your boat starts to have a problem and stops working, make sure you keep a rope in your boat at all times in case you need a tow back to the dock or to the launch.
  5. If someone is getting pulled behind a boat or a PWC, keep your distance in case they fall. The boats pulling someone have the right of way. It doesn’t matter if they are on your right or left side. When people get in their way, it could cause a serious accident.
  6. When you are driving around, you might see a buoy with an orange diamond on it—these mean danger. There are rocks or something under the water that could cause harm to your boat or PWC.
  7. Most of the time when you are out on a boat, you are with friends and family. It is a fun social activity, but make sure that you are being safe. Most states have the same rules for driving a boat as they do for driving a car when under the influence. On a boat, they are called boating while impaired (BWI).

Time To Buy Something Fun?

If you have had the same boat or PWC for years and you have decided to buy something newer and faster. You can donate your old boat or PWC to Vehicles For Veterans. We are a vehicle donation program that supports veterans and their families. Don’t waste your time trying to sell it when you can help veterans and make room for your new vehicle today! 

Related Posts

March 9, 2023
Best Veteran Discount Car Rental Comparison

There are plenty of military discounts to consider when renting a car as a U.S. servicemember. You can find discounted rates up to 35% and even waives on minimum age for renting a car. To get the maximum discount for renting a car we recommend having USAA as your insurance to add benefits like extra […]

Read More
October 7, 2022
Vehicles For Veterans Presents $696,318.66 to k9s For Warriors

Vehicles For Veterans is proud to support the mission of K9s For Warriors. In October 2022, Vehicles For Veterans presented a $696,318.66 donation to K9s For Warriors. This was made possible by the generous car donation across the country by people like you! All you need to benefit veterans charities like K9s For Warriors is […]

Read More
June 23, 2022
Benefit Veterans Airlift Command With Car Donation

Did you know that Veterans Airlift Command (VAC) is one of the many veterans charities Vehicles For Veterans benefits? That means you can donate a car to help the amazing Veterans Airlift Command mission. The unwanted car isn’t worth much to you, but it can make a big difference for veterans and their families. About […]

Read More
May 22, 2019
Mental Health Resources For Veterans

Vehicles For Veterans does not offer any helpline services, please see our "Crisis Hotline" section below if you are experiencing an emergency and need to speak with someone immediately. After returning home, many veterans face obstacles in finding the mental health resources they need. Veterans are 15 times more likely to develop post traumatic stress […]

Read More