Boating Safety

Coast Guard Auxiliary and Power Squadron Ramping up Vessel Safety Checks

A vessel-safety check can increase safety and this spring, more in-person checks are being made available around the country.

Vessel-safety checks, a staple of the waterfronts and harbors around the country in the past, are back in 2021. The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and the United States Power Squadron are working hard to get volunteers back in the field to conduct in-person checks. Additionally, boaters are being encouraged to conduct DIY virtual checks.

Just Like The Real Thing

A new virtual safety check continues the tradition of no-cost inspections by offering a combination of a downloadable safety checklist and an online guide that makes it easy for any boater to perform his/her own evaluation. Performing a DIY check gives first-time boaters a line-by-line guide to keeping their boats safe. It also greatly enhances the chance of a boat successfully passing an in-person check.

 

A check list can be downloaded at the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s home page, but only an in-person inspection will result in the sticker that indicates a boat has passed.

 

All inspections will be conducted by COVID-19 guidelines and both agencies will be releasing local information on when and where the inspections will take place. Individuals can also request an exam at cgaux.org/vsc.