ALABAMA BOATING SAFETY
COURSE
Alabama Marine Police Division
ALL ABOUT BOATS
• Motorboats are divided into four classes
according to length.
• A motorboat is measured from end to end
along the centerline or parallel to the
centerline.
• The measurement is from the outside of
the hull and does not include outboard
motors, brackets, other attachments or
similar fittings.
Boat Measurements
Basic Hull Designs
• Basic hulls are either displacement hulls or
planing hulls.
• A displacement hull moves through the
water.
• A planing hull is designed to skim on top of
the water and can travel at a much higher
speed.
CAPACITY PLATE
• This plate will tell you the maximum
number of people or carrying weight in
pounds and the maximum horsepower
recommended for the boat.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
• Alabama requires all mechanically
propelled vessels, sailboats, and rental
boats principally used in Alabama to be
registered and numbered.
• All boats built since 1972 must have a Hull
Identification Number (HIN). This number
is like a serial number on a car.
PROPER DISPLAY OF BOAT
NUMBERS
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Must read from left to right
Displayed on forward half of bow
Numbers must be in bold, block letters
Not less than 3 inches high
Contrasting color of boat
Must be above waterline
No other numbers or letters
Valid decals must be displayed within 6 in. of
number
PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES
(PFD)
THROWABLE PFD
PFD
PFD
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You will need one wearable per person
One throwable
Don’t alter your PFD
Let your PFD drip dry before storing it
PFD must be U.S. Coast Guard approved
Practice throwing your type IV PFD
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
• All boats should carry readily accessible fire
extinguishers that are U.S. Coast Guard
approved
• Fire extinguishers are classified by letters and
numbers according to the type and size of fire
they can put out.
• Check frequently to be sure that fire
extinguishers are properly stored and
undamaged.
• Replace cracked or broken hoses.
• Check pressure gauges for proper pressure.
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
EMERGENCY SHUT-OFF
SWITCH
• It is illegal to operate a motorboat less than 24 feet in
length with an open cockpit and a motor with more than
50 horsepower unless it is equipped with an emergency
engine or motor shut-off switch of which the lanyard
must be attached to the operator.
BACKFIRE FLAME ARRESTORS
• Internal combustion engines may backfire.
• To safeguard against fire, all motorboats
must have a U.S. Coast Guard approved
backfire flame arrestor system on each
carburetor.
WHISTLES, HORNS, AND BELLS
• According to both Inland and International
Rules, all boats must carry some means of
producing an efficient sound signal.
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS
• All vessels must show
required running
lights between sunset
and sunrise and
during periods of
restricted visibility.
PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS
CONDITIONS
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Inadequate number of PFDs or fire extinguishers
Overloading
Failure to display required lights
Fuel leakage
Fuel accumulation
Failure to meet ventilation requirements
Failure to meet backfire flame arrestor
requirements
• Excessive leakage or accumulation of water in
the bilge
BASIC SAFETY REGULATIONS
• The U.S. Coast Guard and each state
have enforcement officers for all state
waters.
• In their jurisdiction, an enforcement officer
has authority to stop and board boats to
check for compliance with federal or state
law.
NEGLIGENT OPERATION
• Negligent operation is the failure to exercise the
degree of care necessary to prevent the
endangering of life, limb, or property to any
person.
• Skippers are responsible for damage caused by
wakes.
• Do not ride on gunwhales, transom, or in any
position that is obviously dangerous.
• Only moor to buoys that are marked for mooring
WATER SKIING
• Water skiing is prohibited in Alabama from one
hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
• There must be a second person on the tow boat
at least 12 years of age acting as an observer
who must be capable of communicating to the
operator the progress of the person being
towed.
• If there is not a passenger, the vessel must be
equipped with a wide angle mirror of at least 78
inches square.
• The give-way vessel should alter it’s course or
speed to give the other vessel the right of way.
• The stand-on vessel holds course and speed
and has the right of way.
• If you are being overtaken, let them pass you.
OTHER NAVIGATION RULES
• A vessel leaving a dock should sound one
prolonged blast.
• All vessels, including the stand-on vessel, must
take action to avoid a collision if the other boat
isn’t following the rules in sufficient time.
• During fog, motorboats must sound one
prolonged blast.
• Non-motorized vessels have the right of way.
WATERWAY MARKING SYSTEMS
• Some buoys are to
regulate speed and
others are for danger
ahead.
WATERWAY MARKNG SYSTEMS
• Some buoys give the
skipper information
and some may
prohibit certain things.
TYPES OF BUOYS
• Green buoys have
odd numbers.
• Red buoys have even
numbers.
MARKINGS
• “Red Right Returning” reminds the skipper
that the red buoys mark the right side of
the channel when returning from sea.
FLAGS
• These are two
examples of the diver
down flags. The first
picture is of the flag in
use.
LOADING
• To prevent capsizing a small boat, hand
equipment to someone in the boat.
• Do not carry equipment aboard.
• Distribute all weight evenly fore and aft, as
well as side to side.
• Never overload a boat!
BOARDING
• When boarding a small boat from a dock
or pier, step into the center of the boat.
• Stay low and hold onto both sides to keep
your balance.
• If it is necessary to change positions in the
boat, reduce speed or come to a complete
stop.
• When changing positions, keep low in the
boat and hold onto both sides for balance.
FLOAT PLAN
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Description of boat
Number of people on board
Radio equipment
Trip plan
If not at destination by…
If emergency arises contact…
GETTING UNDERWAY
• If you have a boat equipped with a power
ventilation system, turn it on for at least 4
minutes prior to starting the engine.
• When underway, the skipper is
responsible for the safety of all guests, the
boat, and any damage the boat’s wake
may cause.
• Avoid taking unnecessary risks that could
endanger life, limb, or property.
ANCHORING
• Anchoring is done for two principal
reasons: first to stop for fishing,
swimming, or an overnight stay; and
secondly to keep you from running
aground in a storm or engine failure.
• Lower the anchor to the bottom and slowly
back away. Do not throw the anchor over!
• Never anchor by the stern!!!
TRAILERING
• The length of the boat determines the length of
the trailer.
• The beam (width) of the boat determines the
width of the trailer.
• Never use a ball hitch that is too small.
• The trailer should be equipped with two safety
chains. They should be strong enough to control
the trailer if the regular hitch breaks. Hook the
chains in the form of an “X” to the frame of the
towing vehicle.
ACCIDENTS
• Most boating fatalities are the result of a
capsizing or falls overboard.
• Most boating fatalities occur in small open boats
on small inland bodies of water in mid to late
afternoon, on weekends during summer months.
• Should the boat capsize, grab a PFD if you’re
not wearing one. Do not try to swim ashore!
Stay with the boat until help arrives!!!
• Reach, Throw, Row, Go
• Pull person in over the stern.
ACCIDENTS cont…
• The operator of a vessel must submit an
accident report if a person dies, a person
disappears, a person is incapacitated for a
period of 72 hrs., or property damage is
$50 or more.
• Hypothermia is a condition in which the
body loses heat faster than it can produce
it. This causes a dangerous reduction of
the body’s inner core temperature.
SIGNALS
• The U.S. Coast Guard requires all boats
operating in the U.S. coastal waters to
carry visual distress signals.
WEATHER
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Most weather comes from the WEST
Reduce speed. Put on PFDs.
Head for the nearest shore.
If engine fails, anchor. If you do not have
an anchor, use a sea anchor.
• A sea anchor is anything on board that can
create a drag.
POWER POINT
• Alabama Boating Basics Course Book
• Power Point produced by Tyler H. Murray
– September 2006