The Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 is a United States federal law that regulates the safety features that must be made available on new vessels and specifies safety equipment that must be carried by recreational boats. The law was created to reduce the number of deaths and injuries that occur each year in recreational boating accidents.
This handbook contains essential information about safe boating practices, including the locations of boat-in campsites and picnic grounds; basic information on launching and retrieving boats, anchoring and mooring, navigation, and boating safety equipment; information about the many different ships in federal and non-federal waterways; rules that must be followed by boat operators, personal watercraft operators, and other persons on board; boating and alcohol, including boating while intoxicated; permits, stamps, and vessel registration requirements; personal watercraft safety; safety equipment requirements for boat operators; safety equipment requirements for passengers; safety equipment requirements for canoes and kayaks; safety equipment requirements for powered watercraft; safety equipment requirements for sailboats; safety equipment requirements for personal watercraft; and safety equipment requirements for paddle sports.
