Boating Council stresses tips to prevent accidents on the water

May 21, 2021 | 3:00 PM

May 22-28 is North American Safe Boating Awareness Week.

Managed by the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC), the occasion’s goal is to promote safe and responsible boating practices.

The CSBC says 16 million Canadians enjoy recreational boating, with that number going up, they say, because of COVID-19.

“Marine dealers across North America have reported empty shelves of boating safety gear and exhausted inventories of new and used boats as many people new to boating have made purchases and are taking to the water for the first time,” the organization states in a PSA.

“Although this ‘new’ to boating group has made boating safety information more critical than ever before, prior to COVID, boating safety was still an important communication by boating safety educators and advocates to make boaters more aware of their roles and responsibilities to themselves, their passengers, other boaters and those on shore.”

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Courtesy SBAW.ca

The five key messages when it comes to boating safety and preventing accidents are:

1. Wear a lifejacket

2. Boat sober

3. Be prepared (both you and your boat)

4. Take a boating course

5. Be aware of cold water risks

“I’m an Albertan before joining the RCMP and a lifelong boater. Although you want to go out and have fun, you want to come back safe. So it’s important to follow some simple guidelines,” says Alberta RCMP Staff Sgt. Brent Meyer.

More information is at SBAW.ca.

Courtesy SBAW.ca

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Boating Council stresses tips to prevent accidents on the water

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