A publication of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
Mike Haynes sits on his boat on Lake Barkley near a boat ramp at Bumpus Mills Marina where he once had an experience where he fell off the boat without a life jacket and needed assistance getting out of the water. Courtesy Asset photo “Did you know most car accidents occur within five miles of […]
For years, recreational boaters across the country have been “firing off” concerns about the carriage requirements for visual distress signals on their boats. Federal and state agencies saw the flares, and now they’re responding. Visual distress signals alert search and rescue teams in an emergency. Recognizing their importance in protecting lives, the Coast Guard required […]
Since its first meeting in 1960, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators has developed a wide range of recreational boating safety public policy. Resolutions, model acts, model procedures and other documents have helped make boating safer for all on our nation’s waters. Unfortunately, very few states have enacted NASBLA’s Model Act on the […]
Every spring, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water receives questions from boaters about fire extinguishers. To help set the record straight here are four fire extinguisher myths debunked: Myth #1: Tapping or striking the extinguisher keeps the contents “fresh.” Reality: Leave the mallet at home. Unlike days of old, today’s modern fire […]
The American Canoe Association has launched the Paddle Smart WebTV Series, made possible by grant funding through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. The goal of this video series is to reduce paddlesport-related accidents by providing immediate knowledge through short and focused instructional videos. The series covers stand up paddleboarding, recreational dayaking and […]
Traditional paddlesports, such as kayaking or canoeing have been identified as one of boating’s less safe activities. This fact was first noticed in statistics from the United States Coast Guard’s Boating Accident Report Data for 2014. An alarming number of accidents and deaths were being attributed to paddlesports. Further analysis proved a trend showing that […]
The Diversity of SUP With approximately just under three million people in the United States trying Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) in 2015, paddlers have integrated SUP into literally all of our nation’s waterways. From SUPing on calm inland lakes to challenging whitewater rivers to miles offshore in the open ocean, board materials and human skills […]
The American Canoe Association has recently undertaken a project, funded by a grant administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, that focuses on creating sustainable paddlesports education for underserved and underrepresented communities. Led by ACA Education & Outreach Coordinator T.J. Turner, this grant project will allow the ACA to increase its current capability to conduct on-water […]
Like us, you have probably noticed a growing number of people paddling canoes, kayaks and paddleboards over the last few years. The numbers back up that trend. According to a 2015 Special Report on Paddlesports, in 2014, over 21.7 million Americans took to the water by kayak, canoe, raft or paddle board, an increase of […]
All too often drunk boating accidents end in tragedy. Take for instance a crash that occurred in Ft. Lauderdale. The drunk boat operator slammed the vessel into a piling on a bridge. The crash injured the operator and killed her boyfriend. In another incident, a young man in West Virginia was reportedly using drugs and […]
