Statistically, more than 80 percent of all boating fatalities occur in boats less than 26 feet in length, often the result of capsizing or falls overboard. In many cases, a contributing factor is one or a combination of the Coast Guard’s Big 4: 
- Excessive speed
- Reckless operation
- Operator inattention/inexperience
- Boating under the influence
For safety’s sake, complete a pre-departure checklist prior to launch to make certain your boat is in good working order and has all the necessary safety equipment on board. And, big boat or small, be sure to check the weather report and waterway conditions, bearing in mind that conditions considered safe for a 40-foot boat might be unsafe for one half that size.
Small boats are a lot of fun and important to many water-related activities. Take a moment to do a 15-minute inspection before launch, watch your load, and mind the Big 4.
Make sure everyone on board wears a life jacket and do your part to make sure that all of your small boat journeys are safe ones.
Pre-Departure Checklist
- Check the operating condition of your boat: motor, steering, battery, hoses, clamps, bilge pumps, wiring, fuel tanks, lines, float switches, and lights.
- Make sure you have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket of correct size and type for you and every passenger (and, on the water, make sure they are worn, not just stowed).
- If your boat is greater than 16-feet in length, be sure you also have a Coast Guardapproved throwable flotation device – i.e. buoyant cushion, ring buoy, or horseshoe buoy (kayaks and canoes are exempted from this requirement).
- Check for other safety equipment appropriate to the size of your boat and the area where it will be operating; for example, flashlight, tool kit, first-aid kit and sunscreen, paddles, oars, binoculars, anchor and anchor line, fire extinguisher, spare battery, visual distress signals, charts of the local area, and a VHF-FM marine radio.
- Check the capacity plate (if affixed to the hull) or calculate the maximum load to make sure you don’t overload the boat with passengers and gear.
References:
Courtesy of the United States Coast Guard [online]
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