Tennesee’s Wild Side Weekly Article

Make This Boating Season a Safe One

Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of the boating season in Tennessee. For many, this will be the first time to have the boat in the water. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) urges all Tennessee boaters to take a few extra minutes to review the basics, which may be the key to having a fun, safe day on the water.

TWRA wants to remind all boaters to:

• Have a wearable life jacket for every person onboard.
• If your boat is 16 feet or longer, there must be a type IV throwable device onboard also.
• Have onboard a fire extinguisher if you have enclosed fuel compartments or cabins.
• Anyone under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket at all times while the boat is underway – drifting is considered underway.
• Any boat/pwc operator born after January 1, 1989 must have the TWRA – issued wallet Boating Safety Education Certificate if operating alone.
• Keep alcohol to a minimum – choose a designated boat operator.
• Make sure the boat/pwc registration is current and onboard.

For all information about safe boating in Tennessee log on to www.tnwildlife.org.

TWRA

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