National Safe Boating Week Begins This Weekend

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Saturday will mark the start of National Safe Boating Week — the public safety campaign sponsored by the Washington State Parks Boating Program which aims to put an increased emphasis on safe boating behaviors just as boating and fishing seasons pick up steam.

“Of course, we are concerned about boating safety all year long,” said Wade Alonzo, State Parks Boating Program manager, in a press release. “But we find that on-the-water accidents and fatalities increase as the weather warms up, and more people get out on the water.”

The press release noted that while boating accidents and fatalities are gradually decreasing, there is still room to improve practices to prevent future incidents. The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that 70 percent of all boating accidents are caused by human error and that wearing a life jacket could prevent more than 80 percent of boating fatalities. 

At the time of the release, five people had died in 2018 in Washington as a result of boating-related accidents. Last year 15 people died and 51 people were injured in 109 reported boating accidents. Of those 15 fatalities, 73 percent were not wearing a life jacket.

National Safe Boating Week, which will run through May 25, is coordinated each year by the National Safe Boating Council and various partners across the U.S. and Canada.

“Safe boating begins with preparation,” Alonzo added, in the release. “Through basic boating safety behaviors, boaters can help keep Washington’s coastal, inland and offshore waters safe for everyone.” 

The Boating Program recommends the following safety tips for boaters:

• Get educated; Many recreational boaters in Washington are required to complete an approved boating safety education course and carry a Washington State Boater Education Card. Even if carrying a card is not required, the Boating Program recommends people take a boating safety course to increase their knowledge about boating safety, emergency procedures and navigational rules.



• Always wear a life jacket; State law requires all vessels, including canoes, kayaks and stand up paddleboards, to have at least one properly fitted Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person onboard. And all children, age 12 and younger, are required to wear one at all times. The Boating Program encourages boaters to wear their life jackets every time they go out on the water.

• Bring communication devices; Boaters should carry two forms of communication that will work when wet, such as a whistle, waterproof cell phone and/or VHF marine radio. Also recommended are flares, a signal mirror or air horn to aid emergency responders in search efforts. Boaters should also consider carrying a personal locator beacon (PLB).

• Avoid alcohol and drugs; Boat owners and/or operators are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of everyone on board. Operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including marijuana, is not only unsafe—it’s illegal. The Boating Program recommends designating a sober skipper. Washington state’s Boating Under the Influence (BUI) law applies to all boats including kayaks, canoes, rowboats and inflatable fishing rafts.

• Check and understand the weather: Boaters should check the weather frequently before and during their boating excursion, keeping an eye on current conditions and forecasts. Boaters should be especially concerned with warnings, weather conditions, wind and wave forecasts and tide and current conditions.

 • Protect against cold-water shock; Falling into water under 60 degrees is dangerous, and many of Washington’s waters remain below 60 degrees all year—including lakes and rivers—even during hot weather. The biggest risk is not hypothermia, it is cold-water shock, which occurs in the first stage of immersion. 

• Schedule a vessel safety check; Local marine law enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons have certified vessel examiners who will perform a free vessel safety check at no cost.