Boating Safety & Rules
Have Fun and Be Safe!
Boating has been such a big part of our familiy’s lives and we want everyone to have a great time on the water and experience all that boating has to offer, time and again. As such, we’ve taken great measures to ensure the safety of our customers, their guests and our equipment. We purchase the best equipped, fun and easy to operate boats and outfit them with everything you need to be safe on the water. PLEASE take the time to read the rules below to have a safe, fun experience with RAW Watersports.
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- All Children under 13 must wear a personal flotation device (PFD) at all times while boating.
- Do NOT allow passengers to ride at bow of boat with feet overhanging. It is safest for everyone to remain seated inside the gated railings of the boat when it is underway with arms and legs inside the craft.
- While the boat is moving everyone must remain seated.
- All arms and legs must remain inside the boat while the boat is moving.
- Do not let people try to stop the boat the with arms or legs, whether parking or otherwise.
- If you are unsure or unfamiliar with the waterways go SLOW,
- Remember, the slower you go the less damage you can cause.
- No smoking on board.
- Do not operate above 3⁄4 throttle for an extended time. This will save you gas too.
- NO pets over 20 LBS.
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- Wear PFD and Other Protective Clothing/Equipment
- You must wear an appropriate personal flotation device (PFD) at all times.
- Severe internal injuries can occur if water is forced into body cavities as a result of falling into water or being near jet thrust nozzle.
- Pass to Splash is strictly prohibited.
- Stay away from other watercraft.
- If you need to speak with another operator make sure you have their attention and they have come to a complete stop before approaching slowly.
- Additional protective equipment (such as footwear, eyewear) may be needed.
- No operation after dark as PWC’s do not have navigation lights.
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- Wear PFD and Other Protective Clothing/Equipment
- Stay away from other watercraft.
- No boating after dark as our fish boats are not equipped with navigation lights
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- Know the location and use of all Safety Equipment
- Locate all safety equipment so that you can use them in an emergency or in the event of a boarding my marine police or Coast Guard.
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Know How to Start and Stop the Engine
Keep Lanyard Attached
Securely attach engine shut-off cord (lanyard) to your wrist or PFD (as directed) and wear it at all times
To start the engine, be sure that the lanyard is attached and push the start button.
To stop the engine, push the stop button. Stopping the engine will not stop the forward motion of the Boat and will result in loss of steering.
The engine must be off when anyone is in the water.
When parked remember to turn the engine off.
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- The throttle controls your speed. Apply the throttle lever on the handle to accelerate and release it to slow down.
- The handlebars move the jet thrust nozzle directing thrust in different directions to steer the Boat. Without thrust you cannot steer the Boat.
- Apply the IBR (left handlebar) to stop and use reverse
- For Tiller controlled fish boats; there are a few points to consider for controlling the tiller handle engine. First, the tiller shifts the rudder of the boat, which is usually positioned behind the propeller, but the tiller may not be directly connected to the rudder. Second, the tiller also controls the acceleration of the boat using the tiller shaft itself through a twisting motion. One direction increases the speed while the other direction decreases it.
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- Most Boat Injuries and Deaths Result from Collisions, Do Not Release Throttle when trying to steer.
- You need throttle to steer. Take Early Action to Avoid Collisions.
- Remember, many PWC’s and other boats do not have brakes (IBR)
- GO SLOW – no boat wake is allowed within 75 feet of shore and within areas marked by buoys
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- Operate at safe speeds.
- Scan constantly for people, objects and other boats (including PWCs).
- Be alert for conditions that limit your visibility or block your vision of others.
- Keep a safe distance away from people, objects and other boats (including PWCs).
- Do not follow directly behind PWCs or other boats.
- Do not go near others to spray or splash them with water.
- Avoid sharp turns and other maneuvers that make it difficult for others to avoid colliding with you or that make it difficult for others to understand where you are going.
- THE CAPTAIN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYONE ON THE BOAT!
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- Avoid Aggressive Maneuvers
- This is a high-performance boat—it is not a toy.
- Ride within your limits and avoid aggressive maneuvers to reduce the risk of loss of control, ejection , and collision. Sharp turns or jumping wakes or waves can increase the risk of back/spinal injury (paralysis), facial injuries, and broken legs, ankles or other bones.
- Do not jump wakes or waves.
- Items such as long hair, loose clothing, or PFD straps can become entangled in moving parts resulting in severe injury or drowning.
- Do not apply the throttle when anyone is standing or swimming toward the rear of the Boat. Water and/or debris exiting jet thrust nozzle can cause serious injury.
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- Follow Rental Agency Rules and Boating Laws
- NO TOWING is allowed behind this watercraft.
- NO BEACHING the boat.
- Do not overload the boat.
- No Alcohol or Drugs whatsoever.
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- Know the area in which you will be operating and observe all navigational markers and signs.
- Review charts of the body of water where you will be boating.
- File a float plan that outlines where you are going, who you will be with and when you plan to return. Share this with someone that you will check in with upon returning..
- A free website for Marine Charts is GPS Nautical Charts.
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- For your Safety and that of others, you are responsible for following all Federal and Provincial Laws and RAW Watersports regulations.
- Download and Read the Safe Boating Guide.
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- Be Prepared! Use our interactive checklists to make sure you have everything you need onboard in working order before you are underway.
- Plan Your Trip! Check your equipment, check your weather forecast, know your signals and know your destination. It’s easy, and smart!
- Reference Guide! Filled with useful boating tips, and everything from PFDs to visual references for navigation buoys and more, this section is full of info you will reference regularly.
- Emergency! Just in case, we’ve got contact numbers for Search and Rescue, RCMP, most municipal marine police units, as well as some basic emergency procedures.
- Download the APP in the App Store or Google Play
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To ensure safe towing, make sure you have a suitable vehicle, hitch and trailer.
Make sure the ball on your hitch matches the coupler size on the trailer. There is a 2-inch ball hitch on the trailer
Always ensure the boat is secured using supplied straps.
Ensure bimini tops are lowered and secured and that covers are secured in place to prevent damage or loss of covers.
Always check that your drain plugs are properly inserted.
Watch this BoatUS tutorial to learn how to safely launch a boat.