Safety is key when renting any boat. Before you leave the dock, check to make sure your rental boat has all of the required safety equipment needed. Look for the ideal boat according to its price, size or availability. When you have found the boat of your dreams or a rent my boat type, fill in your profile and send a booking request to the owner. Boating can be a blast, but the price for that fun can be high.
Safety assured
All vessels are equipped with one USCG approved life jacket, type I, II, III or V for each person on board or being toward on water (tubes, skis, etc.) Please check your state laws regarding PFD wearing requirements for children, watercraft, and water sports. Every vessel less than 65 ft (20 m) must carry a sound producing device (a bell, whistle.) On federally controlled waters, vessels larger than 65 ft (20m) must carry a whistle and a bell. Vessels less than 26 ft (7.9m) must carry one B-l type approved hand portable fire extinguisher, not required for outboard vessels less than 26 ft in length and of open construction. Vessels 26 to less than 40 ft (12.2m) must carry two B-l types or one B-ll type approved portable fire extinguishers. If your vessel is 40 to 65ft (19.8m), you must carry three B-l types or one B-l type plus one B-ll type approved portable fire extinguishers. Vessels less than 16 ft (5m) must carry approved visual distress signals for night-time use. Vessels larger than 16 ft (5m) must carry approved visual distress signals for both day and night time use.
Consider your level of boating knowledge and experience.
If you are a beginner you might want to consider taking a boat safety course approved by your state. At the very least, you can ask the boat owner to take you out on the water for a familiarization tour of your rental boat. Boat owners can fully explain all the rules of the water, including how to read charts and navigate the waterway.
