Boating Safety Topics
The USPS America's Boating Course (ABC) safety course topics include:
- Introduction to Boating:
Types of power boats; sailboats; outboards; paddle boats; houseboats; different uses of boats; various
power boating engines; jet drives; family boating basics. - Boating Law:
Boat registration; boating regulation; hull identification number; required boat safety equipment; operating
safely and reporting accidents; protecting the marine environment; Federal boat law; state boating laws;
personal watercraft requirements. - Boat Safety Equipment:
Personal flotation devices ("life jackets"); fire extinguishers; sound-producing devices; visual-distress
signals; dock lines and rope; first aid kit; anchors and anchor lines; other boating safety equipment. - Safe Boating:
Bow riding; alcohol and drug abuse; entering, loading, and trimming a boat; fueling portable and permanent
tanks; steering with a tiller and a wheel; docking, undocking and mooring; knots; filing a float plan; checking
equipment, fuel, weather and tides; using charts; choosing and using an anchor; safe PWC handling; general
water safety. - Navigation:
The U.S. Aids to Navigation system; types of buoys and beacons; navigation rules (sometimes referred to
as right-of-way rules); avoiding collisions; sound signals; PWC "tunnel vision." - Boating Problems:
Hypothermia; boating accidents and rescues; man overboard
recovery; capsizing; running aground; river hazards; strainers: emergency radio calls; engine problems;
equipment failures; carbon monoxide (CO); other boating and PWC problems. - Trailering, Storing and Protecting Your Boat:
Types of trailers; trailer brakes, lights,hitches, tires, and bearings; loading, balancing, and towing
(and backing) a trailer; boat launching and retrieving; boat storage and theft protection; launching, retrieving
and storing a PWC. - Hunting and Fishing, Water-skiing and River Boating:
Carrying hunting gear and weapons in a boat; fishing from a boat; water-skiing safety guidelines and hand
signals; water-skiing with a PWC; navigating rivers, and other boating tips.