Boating season's in full swing - which means you and your family will be enjoying the water as much as possible. However, before casting away with your crew, it's important to make sure your boat is equipped with the required safety equipment, and that you're prepared to boat responsibly. Four factors are integral to boating safely and responsibly - wearing a life jacket, getting an annual Vessel Safety Check, never boating under the influence and completing a boating safety course.   

Life Jacket Values
Although boating fatalities have decreased in recent years, the percentage of those that occur due to neglecting to wear a life jacket continue to be high. Drowning remains the primary cause of death in recreational boating accidents, and 90 percent of those who drowned in 2004 were NOT wearing life jackets. Today's life jacket models have achieved new heights in design, style, comfort and simplicity - so boaters have every reason to stock up, and doing so just may save a life. Life jackets on the market today are quite affordable, as many models can be found in the $30 to $60 range.

With recently established rules requiring children under 13 years old to wear life jackets while boating on federal waters, maintaining an appropriate supply for children can get challenging. Kids quickly outgrow jackets that are bought for them as the boating seasons come and go. Since 1997, the BoatU.S. Foundation has sponsored a Life Jacket Loaner Program for kids to help families meet life jacket requirements for young boaters. Today, over 350 marinas, fuel docks, BoatU.S. Towing Operators and waterfront businesses lend out kids' life jackets for the day or weekend to families who need them. The rental process is simple, paperwork   is minimal, and participating lenders are trained to provide borrowers with the right jacket size and type for kids that will be on board. An average of 40 new lending sites spring up every year. The website for the BoatU.S. Foundation has an updated list of current lending sites organized by city and state ( www.boatus.com/Foundation/LJLP).

Vessel Safety Checks: Free And Fast

While there are almost 13 million registered boats on our nation's waterways each year, the number of them that are safe enough to actually be on the water remains unknown. Having a "sea-worthy" boat is crucial, especially for boaters who take to the water regularly. To help boaters ensure that their boats are safe and ready for operation, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the United States Power Squadrons® offer free Vessel Safety Checks (VSC) from qualified Vessel Examiners (VE). Arranging for an annual VSC is all you need to keep your boat in check and ready for the water.

Vessel Examiners check boats for mechanical safety, verify that the proper safety equipment is aboard, and speak with boaters on how to best outfit their vessels for compliance with federal and state regulations. Those that successfully complete the safety check receive a Vessel Safety Check decal. VSCs generally take approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete.

Booze And Boating: Spare The Bottle, Spare A Dime

Boating Under the Influence (BUI) can have deadly consequences. In 2004, alcohol use, when reported as the cause of an accident, resulted in 16 percent of all recreational boating fatalities. Careless and tragic accidents, heavy fines and possible imprisonment make boating under the influence a deadly risk that no boater should take. The impairing effects of alcohol, drugs, and some prescription medications are amplified due to marine conditions like motion, vibration, noise, sun, wind and spray. These conditions - when mixed with impairing substances - increase the rate of fatigue, causing a boat operator's coordination, judgment and reaction time to deteriorate much faster than normal.

Boating Safety Courses
In 2004, 70 percent of those who died in recreational boating accidents were on board vessels with an operator who had no form of boating safety instruction. Boating safety courses not only demonstrate and reinforce responsible behavior, they also teach operators how to avoid accidents and how to react quickly and properly in the event of an emergency. There are a number of free and inexpensive boating safety courses available for both young and adult boaters. Check with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadrons or your state boating law administrator's office to learn more about the variety of approved courses available. For more information  on boating safety courses, visit http://uscgboating.org/safety/courses.htm. The U.S. Coast Guard is asking all boat owners to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage and associated healthcare costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers. The U.S. Coast Guard reminds all boaters, "You're in command. Boat responsibly!" For more information on boating responsibly, go to www.USCGboating.org or call the U.S. Coast Guard at (800) 368-5647.

The U.S. Coast Guard is asking all boat owners to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage and associated healthcare costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers. The U.S. Coast Guard reminds all boaters, "You're in command. Boat responsibly!" For more information on boating responsibly, go to www.USCGboating.org or call the U.S. Coast Guard at (800) 368-5647.