Seasickness is not as serious a condition as hypothermia, but it can spoil a fun day. Being seasick will also make a person more prone to hypothermia if they should be unfortunate enough to fall overboard as well. Some people Read more…
There are a few different ways to get hurt on a boat. Any of these could kill you under the right circumstances, so take them seriously. The risks are easily minimized if proper caution is used. Fall overboard Don’t think Read more…
Along with the Coast Guard PFD requirements already mentioned, most states require additional safety equipment on board boating vessels. Again, reference your specific state’s boating laws to determine exactly what equipment is legally required, but the list is likely to Read more…
Lifejackets – or more generally personal flotation devices (PFDs) – are classified by their function and buoyancy into five types. The table below describes each type. Federal law requires at least one lifejacket (any non-throwable type) per person to be Read more…
A somewhat surprising fact about boating is that hypothermia is usually a bigger threat than drowning, particularly in chilly waters. Most people are aware of the possibility of drowning, but neglect the risk of hypothermia and therefore aren’t adequately prepared Read more…
Sound signals can be made by either a horn that is built into the boat or a handheld air horn. There are two types of basic signals, a short and a long blast. A short blast is about 1 second Read more…
The rules of the road are described in terms of right of way hierarchy in the following figures. Sometimes you’ll see these are listed in opposite order (“A gives way to B” instead of “A has right of way over Read more…
Lights communicate the type and size of the boat, as well as its position and heading. There are many different light configurations for specific types of commercial boats, but in general, larger (and therefore more dangerous) vessels have more lights Read more…
Modern cruisers typically have instrumentation that tells you the boat speed in a nice easy digital readout. However, it is also possible to measure the speed in a more primitive way. By tossing something – preferably biodegradable – into the Read more…
Getting from point A to point B without running into anything above or below the water. That’s the essence of navigation. It’s all about figuring out where you are, where you want to go, how to get there, and what Read more…