BOATsmart! USA Knowledge Base

Module 04 - Safe Responsible Boat Operation

Using Common Courtesy

Be a responsible boater and practice situational awareness at all times. This means keeping in mind what may irritate, frighten or disrupt the people around your boat. For example, you must control the boat’s noise level by ensuring that the boat has a proper muffler for the engine and not cranking up the volume of your music when you’re operating close to shore!

Being a courteous boater also means that you:

Obey any wake restrictions.
Never operate the boat too close to shore—swimmers, floating docks, shallow water and local hazards could be there.
Obey posted speed limits—and if a limit is not posted, you always operate at a safe speed.