The NSBC was recently featured in an article by the New York Times on the best kids life jackets. For families who love the water, there are nearly as many ways to enjoy it as there are fish in the sea. Whether your family paddles in quiet water, zooms around in a powerboat, or cruises the bay in a sailboat, the one nonnegotiable accessory for your kids is a US Coast Guard–approved life jacket. Please click the title to read more.
News and updates about NSBC programs, industry happenings, and more from the National Safe Boating Council. Please click the title to read more.
SPRINGFIELD, Va., June 18, 2026 – This summer, the BoatUS Foundation is urging boaters and coastal residents to help address the issue of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) by reporting them through the nation’s only and first of its kind national abandoned vessel database. Built to turn individual sightings into collective action, each report strengthens a national understanding of the issue, empowering communities, agencies, and advocates to identify risks, prioritize removals, and accelerate efforts to keep waterways clean. Abandoned boats cause significant damage to waterways, crushing seagrass and coral habitats, leaking fuel and pollutants, blocking navigation channels, and putting other boaters at risk. With removal costs averaging $24,000 or more depending on the size, location and condition of the vessel, identifying where they are is a critical first step to getting them out of the water. “Boaters now have an easy way to take action when they encounter an abandoned vessel,” said Alanna Keating, Director of Outreach for the BoatUS Foundation. “By reporting a vessel, a boater is taking the first step to help give communities and agencies the information they need to prioritize cleanups and stop the problem before it grows.” To report an abandoned or derelict vessel, boaters can visit https://boatus.org/database. Once on the site, users can upload an optional photo, log the date and time of the sighting, answer a brief set of safety and vessel-related questions, and pinpoint the vessel’s exact location on an interactive map. The database is part of BoatUS Foundation’s national initiative to remove hundreds of ADVs from coastal waterways, supported by a 2023 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. This initiative also supports targeted ADV removals in eight states and territories, as well as a national summit on sustainable disposal solutions for ADVs, called Turning the Tide Summit. ABOUT THE BOATUS FOUNDATION: BoatUS Foundation is supporting projects that were selected through their nationally competitive grant program for the removal of abandoned and derelict vessels throughout coastal and marine areas of the United States, including the Great Lakes, U.S. territories, and Freely Associated States. This project is supported by a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program. In an effort to help educate and prevent future ADVs, the Foundation also created a national ADV database to track the scope of the challenge and measure success, document ADV prevention and removal activities to share with the public, and support a national dialogue and education efforts on boating-related debris disposal.
Southern California communities formally recognized the efforts of U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary of the Southwest District – Southern Region (SWD-SR) that actively promoted the 2026 National Safe Boating Week (NSBW), observed May 16–22, 2026. Please click the title to learn more.
The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) announced the 2026 recipients of the International Boating and Water Safety Summit (IBWSS) Communication Awards virtually on May 8, 2026. IBWSS is a global event dedicated to education, training, awareness, and networking for the advancement of boating and water safety. Please click the title to learn more.
This June, Bridge Marina is hosting what may be one of the largest collections of classic wooden boats, vintage marine engines, and rare boating memorabilia ever offered at public auction. Click the title to learn how you can participate.
EH2O provides real-world F&I guidance for the marine industry. Click the title to read the May newsletter.
The 2025 Boating Accident Statistical Report is now available from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Please click the title to learn more.
National Safe Boating Council Executive Director, Captain Peg Phillips, joined Amanda on the Reel Talk Podcast during National Safe Boating Week to talk in depth about safety equipment requirements and how to stay as safe as possible on the water this summer. Please click the title to watch the podcast!
May, and National Safe Boating Week, marks the unofficial start of the boating season. Many of the rules are basic for boaters, but still important to know.
“The biggest mistake that we see with boaters is not actually wearing a life jacket. And I think what happens is when people get on a boat, they really don’t expect that they’re going to end up in the water, right? So, it’s just like wearing a seatbelt in a car. You don’t expect you’re going to get in an accident. So, you just wear that seatbelt to protect yourself. Same thing with a life jacket,” National Safe Boating Council Executive Director Captain Peg Phillips said. Please click the title to read more.
