Here is a quick and easy way to gain new knowledge about boating. You have the list of our best videos accessible in one click. You need to be more prepared before and after you head out onto the water. Are you ready?

Boating terminology - Explanation of the different parts of a boat.

Always check the capacity plate to make sure you are not overloading your boat.

What is the purpose of a capacity plate on a boat?

Learn the 5 types of navigation lights that a boat can show: Port and Starboard sidelights - Mastheah light - All-round light - Sternlight.

See the specific lighting configurations required for boats operating between sunset and sunrise or in times of restricted visibility.

Know which lights should be visible at night on different kind of commercial vessels.

The aids to navigation are the road signs of the water. The lateral markers indicate the navigable channel by their position, shape, coloring, numbering and light characteristics.  

Non-lateral markers are navigation aids that give information other than the edges of safe water areas. 

When operating in a narrow channel, the rules tell you to stay as far to the outer limit of the channel as practical on your starboard side. Do not anchor in a narrow channel.

Lear the difference between that stand-on vessel and the give-way vessel.

Meeting situations - How the operator of a pleasure craft should act to avoid colliding with other vessels. Head-on, overtaking, and crossing situations.

See different situations for which a power-driven vessel underway must always keep well clear of the course of another vessel.

Crossing situations - When two power-driven boats are approaching at right angles or nearly so, the boat on the right is the stand-on vessel, has the right of way and must hold its course and speed.

Overtaking  situations - When two vessels are moving in the same direction, the vessel passing is the give-way vessel and should keep out of the way of the vessel being passed.

Head-on situations - When two power-driven vessels are approaching head-on or nearly so, neither vessel is the stand-on vessel.

Know how to safely use your flares. Read and understand the instructions and replace them if necessary.

Pyrotechnic VDSs must be carried onboard to satisfy USCG requirements. Hand-held red flares - Aerial red meteors - Parachute flares - Orange smoke.

Orange distress flag - Electric distress signal - Arm signal are types of non-pyrotechnic devices.

PFDs/Life jackets are important life saving devices and are required onboard. In addition to a wearable PFD/Life jacket for each person aboard, one throwable device, which should be immediately available, is also required on each boat 16 feet or larger.

Select a PFD that is USCG-approved, is of the Type that is recommended for its intended use and is designed for a person of your size and weight. 

Always make sure that all your PFDs/life jackets are in good condition. Check for rips, tears, and holes and make sure seams, straps, zippers and hardware are okay. Rinse it with fresh water. Stow them in a well-ventilated place.

Inflatable PFDs require regular maintenance. It's illegal for child under 16 to wear them. Inflatable PFDs are not for use when water impact is expected.

Choose only a USCG-approved PDF/life jacket of the correct size for the weight of the person. A properly fitted PDF/life jacket will not ride higher than the ears or mouth of the wearer and will keep the head and chin out of the water.

There are the 4 types of fire extinguishers. Class A is for combustible solids - Class B is for flammable liquids - Class C is for electrical fires - Class D is for combustible metals.

Inspect your fire extinguishers monthly to make sure they are properly stored, charged and undamaged. Dry chemical extinguishers should occasionally be turned upside down and shaken.

Vessels are required to carry some kind of efficient sound producing device to signal their intentions or to use them in restricted visibility. Know the meaning of one, two, three or five short blasts.

Know how to use a VHF radio on a boat. MAYDAY - PAN PAN. Ensure that you are tuned in to the appropriate channel for good communication. 

The trailer must have a load capacity adequate to carry the boat, motor, fuel and all equipment which may be carried in the boat as it is trailered. Neglecting the trailer’s maintenance can result in damage to your boat, your towing vehicle, or both.

How do you prepare to tow your boat safely? How do you safely pull a trailer?

Proper fueling procedures are very important in preventing onboard fires. Always use the 'one-third rule': one-third of your fuel to get out, one-third to get back, and one-third in reserve.

You should be aware of any specific local hazards in the area where you will be boating. Have charts onboard for all areas where you boat.

Checking local weather forecast and water conditions prior to leaving the dock is just as important in planning your trip as checking for fuel and required equipment. 

Maintaining your boat in a good working order is an essential component of the overall boating experience, just as integral as being out on the water itself.

The boat operator has primary responsibility for the safety of everyone on board. He must have a constant awareness of weather, water and other environmental conditions. He must inform the crew and passengers of the rules of safe boating.

Boaters should be careful about the amount of wake that they are leaving when operating close to shore. It may cause personal injury or damage. Control your waste - Control your boat noise - Control your speed.

 

The boat operator must keep eyes and ears open to observe or hear something that may endanger someone or affect their safety. A proper lookout can avoid a collision.

There are the 3 basic dock lines: A bow line to secure the bow - A stern line to secure the stern - and at least one spring line to reduce fore-and-aft movement.

There are 3 most common types of anchors: danforth anchor - plow anchor - mushroom anchor. There is no single anchor design that is best in all conditions.  

Before anchoring, select an area that offers maximum shelter from wind, current, boat traffic etc. Never anchor in a busy channel or traffic separation zone. Lower the anchor from the bow of your boat to avoid swamping. Have the right amount of rode, etc.

Docking a boat can often be a nerve-wracking experience, especially for those who are new to boating. However, mastering the art of docking doesn't have to be difficult. Follow few simple steps to become expert in maneuvering your boat with precision.

Before undocking, consider the direction of wind and current, the traffic in the area and the depth of the water. Implement an undocking plan with the help of your passengers.

Know how to undocking when the wind or current is pushing your boat away from the dock, or when the wind or current is pushing your boat toward the dock.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless and tasteless gas. It enters the bloodstream through the lungs and displaces the oxygen. Know the warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning and how to treat it. How can you get carbon monoxide poisoning while boating?

How do boat propeller strike happen? How can you reduce the risk of someone getting hit by the propeller? Which devices could reduce the risk of a "propeller strike"?

Most boating accidents involve the use of alcohol and one-third of all boating fatalities are alcohol related. Alcohol is a stressor and can decrease a person’s ability to handle a boat in many ways: Eroding sense of balance - Vision fades - Physical reactions become slower - Surface blood vessels dilate.

An onboard fire is a serious event. Be prepared to know how to quickly stop it. You should read and understand the instructions on your fire extinguisher(s). Know the 4 steps in using a fire extinguisher.

The fire triangle is made up of fuel, oxygen, and heat. In order to ignite a fire, all three elements must be present, and the elimination of just one can swiftly extinguish it.

The boat operator should explain and/or demonstrate how to step into a boat and how to load the boat. 

What you need to do if you are involved in a boating accident in USA. According to federal law, if you find yourself in a boating accident that includes injury requiring medical treatment, death, disappearance of a person, or property damage, you are required to stop, disclose your identity and vessel, and provide assistance as required.

Actions to take if your boat runs aground: check the people onboard to make sure no one is injured; assess what damage that might have occurred; if the boat taking on water, find the source of the leak; etc.

The major causes of boating accidents involving hunters and anglers are: not wearing a PDF/life jacket; accidental falls into the water; boats capsizing, flooding, sinking, running aground, or involved in collisions with another boat.

Managing hypothermia requires medical intervention. In cases where immediate medical care is not available, the body temperature can be slowly elevated to restore it to normal levels.

Cold water immersion creates a specific condition known as immersion hypothermia. The 4 stages of cold water immersion are cold shock - swimming failure - hypothermia - post-rescue collapse.

Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency which requires immediate attention. Know the symptoms such as hot, red, dry skin, headache, confusion, strange behavior, etc., and how to treat it. 

Know what to do in case someone falls overboard. Do not go into the water to assist the person unless absolutely necessary.

What should you do to avoid capsizing or swamping. Do not overload your boat. Do not attempt to carry items aboard the boat. 

Capsizing and falls overboard are the leading causes of recreational boating fatalities. Know what to do if your boat capsizes. The first thing is to take a head count to make sure everyone is there, and they are wearing a PDF/life jacket.

Wearing a PFD/life jacket in the water is a key to survival. A PFD/life jacket allows you to float with a minimum of energy expended and allows you to assume the HELP position if you're alone or the huddle position if you are with others.

If you ever find yourself in water, there are important survival techniques that can help while awaiting rescue. One technique involves the horizontal back float, while another involves the vertical back float.

Spread the device open with the inside facing up out of the water; rotate the device so as to look at the neck opening; extend both arms through arm openings; etc.

A jet drive requires moving water through the drive nozzle for maneuverability. So you must have power applied in order to maintain steering control of your PWC. If you release the throttle to idle or turn off the engine, you will lose the ability to steer, leaving the PWC to move forward without any maneuvering control.

What is a  PWC (Personal Watercraft)? How is it propelled through the water? What do federal regulations require of all Personal Watercraft (PWC)?

What is the best way to reboard a personal watercraft? Most PWCs carry a label on the hull that indicates the direction that the PWC should be rolled. 

Skiing, or another towed water sport, should be a team sport: The boat driver - the observer - the skier (or the person being towed).

There are common hand signals in towing water sports in order so the person being towed can be  able to communicate with the towing boat.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are non-indigenous species that threaten the diversity or abundance of native aquatic species. Inspect your boat and trailer before you leave the ramp area, and remove any suspected AIS and mud in order to eliminate their spread to other waters that may be visited.

Know the difference between displacement and planing hulls.

There are 4 types of hulls: flat bottom - vee bottom - round bottom - multi-hull.

There are 4 basic types of boat engines: outboard - stern drive - inboard - jet drives. Most recreational boats in the United States today use outboard engines.

What are the best safety practices while canoeing and kayaking? Be aware of the risks. Never go out alone.

Boating safety course and boating exam accredited in USA

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