www.boatsforboaters.com

That boating is a huge recreation is apparent by driving down any neighborhood street and observing the many boats parked beside driveways and tucked away in backyards. With so many boats along the coasts and on inland lakes and waterways, safety is imperative. As it is on land with automobiles, boating has its own set of rules and regulations that must be followed and certain items of safety equipment that should always be aboard.
For safe boating,

boat handling skills are a primary consideration to assure safety on the water. Like cars, boats have forward and reverse, they steer left and right and they go fast and slow, but that-s where the similarities end. Being able to control a boat in close, crowded quarters at slow speeds is a must and throwing in some wind and a current can complicate things fast. All boaters should have good docking and anchoring skills and be able to keep a firm command of their vessel.

There are no traffic lanes on the water, boats can go wherever they wish so there are rules of the road that must be followed. The rules can be quite complex depending on the waters being navigated and the new and casual boater should be versed in the rules of right of way for approaching other craft head on, overtaking vessels and the right of way for converging vessels.

There is a minimum amount of safety equipment that should be carried aboard any craft. Although long range cruisers will have radar, life rafts and electronic signaling devices, all craft must have personal floatation devices for each passenger, fire extinguishers within easy reach and a flare gun or other signaling device.
The most important safety device is a competent operator who thinks safety, keeps vigilant and knows the rules.