Safety information
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Avoid collisions
Scan constantly for people, objects, and oth-
er boats. Be alert for conditions that limit your
visibility or block your vision of others.
Operate defensively at safe speeds and
keep a safe distance away from people, ob-
jects, and other boats.
Do not follow directly behind other boats or
waterskiers.
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 aggres-
sive maneuvers to reduce the risk of loss
of control, 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 another direction.
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Weather
Stay informed about the weather. Check
weather forecasts before boating. Avoid
boating in hazardous weather.
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Accident reporting
Boat operators are required by law to file a
Boating Accident Report with their boating
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
other 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
For U.S.A.
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 recog-
nized by the United States Coast Guard.
Most, but not all, states accept this course to
meet their minimum requirements. While it
cannot replace an in-depth course such as
one offered by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S.
Power Squadron, or other organization, this
online course does provide a general over-
view of the basics in boating safety, require-
ments, navigation, and operation. Upon
successful completion of the course, the
user can download a certificate of comple-
tion immediately or, for a small charge, re-
quest one by mail. To take this free course,
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