Weather; Accident Reporting; Boat Education And Training; Passenger Training - Yamaha F4 Owner's Manual

Safety information
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Weather

Stay informed about the weather. Check
weather forecasts before boating. Avoid
boating in hazardous weather.
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Accident reporting

Boat operators are required by law to file a
Boating Accident Report with their state
boating law enforcement agency if their boat
is involved in any of the following accidents:
1. There is loss of life or probable loss of
life.
2. There is personal injury that requires
medical attention beyond first aid.
3. There is property damage to boats or
other property over a certain amount.
4. There is complete loss of a boat.
Contact local law enforcement personnel if a
report is necessary.
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Boat education and training

Operators should take a boating safety
course. This may be required in your state.
Many of the organizations listed in the next
section can provide information about cours-
es in your area.
You may also want to consider an Internet-
based program for basic boater education.
The Online Boating Safety Course provided
by the BoatU.S. Foundation, is approved by
the National Association of State Boating
Law Administrators (NASBLA) and recog-
nized by the United States Coast Guard.
Most, but not all, states accept this course to
meet their minimum requirements. While it
cannot replace an in-depth course such as
one offered by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S.
Power Squadron, or other organization, this
online course does provide a general over-
view of the basics in boating safety, require-
ments, navigation, and operation. Upon
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successful completion of the course, the
user can download a certificate of comple-
tion immediately or, for a small charge, re-
quest one by mail. To take this free course,
go to boatus.org.
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Passenger training

Make sure at least one other passenger is
trained to operate the boat in the event of an
emergency.
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Boating safety publications

Be informed about boating safety. Additional
publications and information can be obtained
from many boating organizations.
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Laws and regulations

Know the marine laws and regulations where
you will be boating- and obey them. Several
sets of rules prevail according to geographic
location, but all are basically the same as the
International Rules of the Road. The rules
presented in the following section are con-
densed- and have been provided for your
convenience only.
Contact the U.S. Coast Guard, the National
Association of State Boating Law Adminis-
trators, or your local Power Squadron for a
complete set of rules governing the waters in
which you will be using your boat.
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Boating organizations

The following organizations provide boating
safety training and information about boating
safety and laws.
United States Coast Guard
Consumer Affairs Staff (G-BC)
Office of Boating, Public, and Consumer Af-
fairs
U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
Washington, D.C. 20593-0001