National Safe Boating Week: May 21-27, 2011

National Safe Boating Week, May 21-27, is a national awareness campaign led by the National Safe Boating Council and its boating partners to promote the importance of wearing life jackets and personal flotation devices while boating. Approximately 80% of persons who drown in boating-related fatalities each year fail to wear or properly wear an approved life jacket, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

In Ohio, of the 16 persons who died last year in boating-related incidents, none were wearing a life jacket and 7 persons were on boats where no life jackets were on board.

In observance of National Safe Boating Week, the Division of Watercraft and its boating partners will be conducting free vessel safety checks at various public boat launch ramps across Ohio. Boating education classes also are being offered in various locations and require advance registration.

On May 21, to kickoff National Safe Boating Week, the Division of Watercraft is participating in the second annual Ready, Set, Inflate Day that is an attempt to set a world record for the number of people of inflating their life jackets as a show of support for boating safety. On May 20th, 2010 – the 1st Ready, Set, Inflate Day - history was made when 1,154 participants inflated their lifejackets. That number was 'inflated' to 1,569 when 415 Australians joined in on July 30, 2010, at the Sydney International Boat Show.