FWP encourages boater safety

Floaters and boaters and other water recreationists hoping to get in another river float or day on the lake are urged to continue to follow water safety guidelines.

“As summer winds to a close, we all want to continue our fun on the water, but its important that safety always remains our top priority,” said Sara Smith, Boating Education Coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Smith offered some basic safety tips for boaters and floaters to follow, starting with wearing a life jacket.

“The single most important thing for anyone to do is always wear a life jacket,” Smith said.

State law requires anyone under 12 to wear them, as well as anyone riding a personal watercraft or being towed behind a boat.

Some other tips to help you remain safe:

• Check the weather before launching and ask around to find if any new hazards have popped up in the river since your last trip.

• Check your gear to make sure it is in good working order before you leave home. Be sure all fasteners function on life jackets.

• Be sure to tell someone when and where you are going, and when you plan to return home.

• Never drink and boat.

• Choose your watercraft carefully; don’t take pool toys down rivers with strong currents or rapids.

• If floating in tubes, kayaks, or other single-person watercraft, be sure to stay with your group and stick to waters within your skill level.

• Paddlers need to be visible and avoid high traffic areas on lakes and reservoirs if possible.

• Pay attention to the weather. Summer storms can bring high winds and large waves to lakes and reservoirs, and even late summer water temperatures can still bring on hypothermia.

• Paddle boards and kayaks need to have a life jacket on board for each person on the vessel.

• Finally, be respectful of other boaters, floaters, and water users. Don’t block boat ramps; unload everything in advance and only pull down the ramp when ready to launch. Motorized boaters should watch their wake and know it can cause problems for smaller boats and paddlers.