National Safe Boating Week: May 17-23, 2025
Know the basics
of boating
Before you go for a boat ride with a friend, you should know some of the basics of boating. If the skipper is suddenly injured, becomes ill or falls overboard, you could be in charge.
When you are still at the dock, ask where the fire extinguisher, emergency signaling device, flotation devices and other safety gear are located. Practice throwing a flotation device or a line to an imaginary person in the water.
Don't be shy. Ask how to start and stop the motor and how to use the radio if there is one. Ask the skipper to let you operate the boat for a short time so you will be familiar with it.
If you will be a passenger on this or other boats, it's wise to take a basic boating safety course.
Should operating the boat fall to you, you'll have to know how to stop the boat or navigate back into port.
Boats settle and slow down quickly when the engine is put into neutral. Don't aim the boat at a person in the water or at a dock. Aim it where you want to stop before you shift to neutral or shut off the engine. As the boat slows, you will lose steering control.
Remember that you have to turn an outboard's throttle arm in the opposite direction of where you want the boat to go.
Shift to neutral before you think you should. Most novices overshoot their mark. You can always shift back to forward briefly if you fall short of a swimmer or the dock.