• Always wear a properly fitted PFD (lifejacket) while on the water.
• Never go boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Do not stand up in a canoe or kayak, and avoid weight shifts that may cause capsizing.
• Avoid weather or water conditions beyond your skill level.
• Be able to effectively steer and propel your boat.
• Never float or paddle over a low-head (submerged) dam, fallen tree, or other in-stream obstruction.
• Do not paddle alone. Inform others (friends, family, co-worker) of your trip plan.
• Carry a supply of food and water adequate for your trip plan.
• Learn about your route in advance, especially potential hazards, such as rapids low-head dams, or dam releases.
• Never overload the boat with more weight or persons than it is designed to safely accommodate.
• Plan for – and know where to go in case of – emergencies.

Wear a lifejacket at all times, particularly in moving water. By law, children under 10 must wear life jackets of an appropriate size.

File a “float plan” with a reliable person, indicating where you are going and when you will leave and return. Remember to contact the person once you have returned safely.

Know where you are along the trail at all times. Know how to get to roads if you must walkout.

Do not overload or unevenly load your boat. Keep the weight in the boat low and centered to maintain stability.

Be prepared to swim. If the water looks too hazardous to swim, then don’t boat on it!

Always maintain three points of contact (for example, two hands and one foot touching the boat) while moving around in the boat.

Be aware of motorized boats, stay close to shore unless crossing, wear bright colors for visibility, always point your boat into the wake to avoid capsizing.

If you capsize, hold onto your boat unless it presents a life-threatening situation. Position yourself on the upstream side of the capsized boat.

Carry plenty of drinking water. Avoid overexertion and guard against extreme weather conditions.

In case of emergency call 911. Know where you are along the trail in case you need to request emergency assistance.

Why You Need It

Expect to capsize and swim occasionally when paddling a canoe, kayak, or raft-it’s part of the sport! But when you hit the water unexpectedly, even strong swimmers need a lifejacket, also known as a PFD (Personal Flotation Device). It allows you to concentrate on doing what’s needed to execute a self-rescue or to assist others. Lifejackets not only provide additional flotation in case of a capsize or unexpected swim, but they also provide an essential layer of warmth in cold water. Boat safe. Boat smart. Wear it.

What Type is for Me?

Many people think that a lifejacket, or PFD, is bulky, smelly, and uncomfortable, but that stereotype just isn’t true anymore. The U.S. Coast Guard has a labeling system designed to make comparing features easier and to allow the consumer to make the best choice for his/her type of boating. The labels feature categories of buoyancy and a symbol to indicate if the jacket will turn the wearer face up, or will have no impact on the wearer’s position, other than to float.

Find the Perfect Fit

Because paddlers wear their lifejackets at all times on the water, make sure yours has a secure, yet comfortable, fit. When wearing a lifejacket properly, you will hardly know you have it on. Although all USCG-approved lifejackets meet certain strength and buoyancy standards, they are NOT all the same. It’s worth it to spend some extra money for a higher· quality model. It will have softer foam, a more comfortable fit, and improved adjustability.

Make sure the lifejacket adjusts easily and fits snugly over clothing worn for different weather conditions. Few universal­ sized lifejackets fit as well as models sized small, medium, large, extra-large, and extra extra-large.

Check the length of the jacket to make sure that it fits while you are paddling. A jacket that hits the backrest in a kayak with each stroke will get annoying by the end of the day.

We all have different shapes and torso lengths. Take the time to find your perfect fit. Several companies now make lifejackets designed specifically for women. Kids’ lifejackets are now available in more options than ever before, and the same goes for kayak fishing, so there is no excuse to skip the lifejacket.

You should be able to lift children by their life­ jackets without having them fall out! With very young children with flat torsos, a crotch strap is a great idea to help hold the lifejacket in place. The U.S. Coast Guard places people less than 90 pounds into a separate sizing category. If a child is heavier than that, look for an extra-small adult lifejacket. The bottom line is, make sure it fits the intended wearer.

IT’S THE LAW!

State law dictates when PFD use is necessary. Where state laws do not exist, federal law requires that children under the age of 13 wear a lifejacket on a recreational boat, unless the child is below deck, in an enclosed cabin. Since kayaks and canoes don’t have decks below or cabins, this means all the time when in use. Check with your state boating officials regarding state requirements. And remember, wearing a lifejacket sets a good example for youngsters.

Dressing the Part

Looking cool is one matter. Being too cool is another. Because immersion is a major cause of hypothermia, dress for it. When the water temperature is below 65 degrees, or the sum of air and water temperatures is below 120 degrees, check out specialized paddling wear like wet suits, dry suits, and the variety of fuzzy, rubbery apparel.

Think in layers. Layers trap air (which provides insulation), and allow for personal climate control. Synthetic materials dry quickly, wick moisture away from the body, and retain their insulating ability when soggy. A coated nylon or Gore-Tex paddling jacket guards against wind and spray. Top yourself with a fleece or wool hat to reduce heat loss.

In the tropics, or anywhere it sizzles, light­ weight full coverage and frequent application of waterproof sunscreen are your best defense. A hat with a wide brim shields you from harmful UV rays. Sturdy footwear is a must, but bulky shoes won’t fit inside most kayaks, are cumbersome under canoe seats, and can seri­ously compromise swimming. Try lightweight, low-profile watersport shoes, river sandals, or neoprene booties.

All boaters, whether recreational or commercial, powered or human-powered, have common interests. All boaters love water, need safety and security, and everyone desires unimpeded access to their waterways.

Conflicts often arise between various boating groups because of craft size, education and training of the operators, maneuverability, geographic constraints, and the sheer numbers of recreational users of the waterways. Paddlers do need to be aware of a few of the “Rules of the Road” when sharing resources with other marine traffic.

First and foremost, be aware of your surroundings. You may be the only craft on the water, or you may be sharing the channel with a large container ship. Whatever the circumstance, your awareness of other traffic may make the sole difference in the safety of everyone on the water.

Paddlers do not travel as fast as motorized craft. If you see a powerboat, do not assume that you can pass ahead of it if traveling across its path. The safest way for paddlecraft to cross the path of powerboat is astern.

Remember to cross other boats as a group instead of straggling across a river and blocking other traffic. Don’t let your safety depend on others finding YOU on the water.

Always assume that powerboaters don’t see you. Kayaks and canoes do not show up on radar, and many powerboaters miss seeing you on the horizon. They tend to keep watch to the right forward side of their boat and may miss those approaching on the left when low to the horizon. Help them by being obvious. Wear bright noticeable colors and even consider buying a boat in a fun neon color. Use reflective tape on the paddle or boat and always have a white light ready for use.

Keep a sound-signaling device handy and at the ready so that you can attract attention if you feel that a boater in a larger vessel may not
notice your position.

Remember, in shared waterways, the more boaters watching out for others, the safer everyone will be.

Learn the channels in your area and what the buoy markers mean. While onboard and facing downstream or leaving a harbor, green lights indicate starboard (right) and red lights indicate port (left). When returning or heading upstream, red lights or buoys should be on your starboard side. Remember, “Red Right Returning”.

The markers are for the larger craft, so if you stay between the light or buoy and the shore, you are out of the way of many of the larger, faster craft and less likely to encounter wake and turbulence from commercial vehicles.
Since the events of 9/11, recreational boating in the United States has changed. Now, many harbors and waterways have security zones surrounding different resources.

In ports and harbors, there are now restrictions on crafts within 100 yards of all U.S. Navy vessels. On local lakes and rivers, there may be restricted areas around bridge abutments, large dams, and some shore-based facilities, such as power plants. Some jurisdictions also have law enforcement personnel stationed near drinking water reservoirs to protect against biological incidents. As an American citizen, please cooperate with those individuals and understand that we all need to work together in public and private to keep our nation safe. Safeguard all the things we value, including our boating resources.

Remember to be courteous to other boaters and law-enforcement officers. They’re there to help you to be safe and have fun!

Know the waters to be paddled. Guide books and topography maps are valuable references in trip planning. Plan alternate routes.

Set up locations for put-ins and take-outs along with possible lunch break stops. Consider time and distance. Arrange for the shuttle, if necessary.

Participant Responsibilities: Each paddler should take responsibility for personal participation, the selection of appropriate equipment, and the decision to run or scout rapids. More experienced paddlers should assist those with less experience in making proper decisions on the trip.

Paddle within your, and your group’s, limits.

Be a competent swimmer with the ability to handle oneself underwater, moving water, surf, or current.

Keep your boat under control; Do not enter a rapid unless reasonably sure you can navigate it or swim the entire rapid in case you capsize.

Be sure to keep an appropriate distance between craft (a good general rule is to keep the boat behind you in view). Normally, stay behind the lead boat and in front of the sweep boat. Both the lead and sweep boats whould be experienced boaters.

Keep a lookout for hazards and avoid them. Watch for fog, especially on coastal waters.

Know your emotional and physical limitations. Group members need to constantly assess the behavior of others in their group.

Respect the rights of anglers and landowners when paddling.