BOATING SAFETY

Boating is a great summer activity that people around the Pacific Northwest enjoy greatly. But before you head out, make sure your boat is ready for the summer, and make sure your insurance is everything you need.

Our partners at Progressive Insurance provide us with these tips for what to have with you on your boat:

1. Life jackets or personal flotation devices (PFDs)

A PFD is a life jacket that must be available for each person on board.

2. Registration and license paperwork

Keep important documents such as your boat registration and insurance card in a safe place on your boat.

3. Throwable flotation devices

A minimum requirement for most boats is a floating cushion, a type IV standard buoyant cushion, for man overboard situations. These types of cushions can generally be thrown 25 to 50 feet, depending on conditions.

4. Fire extinguishers

You may need more than one fire extinguisher, depending on the size of your boat. Boats less than 26 feet in length are required to have at least one B-1 fire extinguisher on board. Boats 26 to 40 feet in length need to have at least two B-1 fire extinguishers on board.

5. Visual distress signals

Be sure to have visual distress signals on your boat, such as three hand-held red flares that are less than 42 months old. You may carry expired flares as a backup plan, but expired flares won’t count towards your boat’s legal requirement.

6. Sound signaling devices

All boats are required to carry some type of sound signaling device, such as a whistle or air horn, depending on the type and size of the boat.

7. VHF radio

A hand-held or fixed mount VHF radio is one of the primary ways for you to communicate on the water, and one of the most important safety items you can have on your vessel.

8. First-aid kit

Select a kit based on the duration of your trip and the number of people aboard. Basic first-aid kits are typically designed for four people or less on a one- or two-day trip.

9. Extra dock lines

Dock lines are required to secure your boat to a dock or to another boat when rafting. Be sure you have a few extras.

10. Manual bailing service

Keep a manual bilge pump or bucket on board (for smaller boats) to remove water from the inside of the boat in the event of a leak.

11. Watertight flashlight

Get a waterproof, impact-resistant flashlight that will hold up to the elements and conditions on board. You can even find new models that float in the event they’re accidentally dropped into the water.

12. Basic tool kit

Make sure you have a multifunctional screwdriver, needle nose pliers, locking pliers, a ratchet set, hose clamps, a wire stripper, electrical tape, wire nuts, extra marine wire, zip ties, a moisture meter, and spark plugs, as well as spare screws, nuts, and bolts.

At AIC Insurance, we represent many great insurance companies like Progressive that insure boats across the United States. Boat insurance is relatively inexpensive and protects you in event of the “unexpected”. Call AIC Insurance today at (509)-764-4447 to let us provide you with a boat policy that fits you.