HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — The Hot Springs Village Board of Directors has set aside Saturday through Friday, May 27, as Hot Springs Village Safe Boating Week.
All residents, property owners and guests are urged to improve their safety on waterways by enrolling in a safe-boating course, wearing life jackets and enjoying their time on the water responsibly.
There are more than 700 recreational boating fatalities in the United States each year, and almost 70 percent are caused by drowning. For the past 10 years, 90 percent of those drowning victims were not wearing life jackets. Moreover, the vast majority of fatality or injury accidents were caused by human error, and the boat operator did not have any formal boater education. Many of these fatalities could have been prevented if life jackets had been worn or the boat operator was better prepared.
Safety Checklist
• One wearable personal flotation device, type I, II or III in serviceable condition and of proper size for each person on board, plus one type IV PFD (throwable). Children younger than 13 must wear flotation devices at all times, except within the railings of a party barge not under way.
• Boats with motors more than 50 horsepower must carry a minimum of $50,000 liability insurance. Proof of insurance must be onboard the boat.
• Children younger than 12 years old may not operate a boat powered by a motor more than 10 horsepower except when under the direct supervision of a person older than 17 years of age and must have completed the boater education requirement.
• Loading a boat beyond its stated carrying capacity is illegal.
• Fire extinguishers are required on inboard boats, open boats with built-in fuel tanks and boats with bilges where flammable gases may accumulate. Although not required on all boats, it is strongly recommended that all boats have a type B fire extinguisher on board.
• Boats must be equipped with a combination red and green light on the bow and a white light on the aft. A readily available light source is also required. These are required and must be turned on at dark.
• Boats engaged in towing activities must have, in addition to the driver, an observer at least 12 years of age or a wide-angle convex marine mirror to observe the person being towed.
• Arkansas residents born after Jan. 1, 1986, and of legal age to operate a motorboat must have successfully completed an approved 6-hour Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Boater Education Course and carry proof of such while operating a motorboat.