NSBC’s 2026 Annual Report Now Available
The National Safe Boating Council’s 2026 Annual Report highlights a year of remarkable progress in boating safety, training, and outreach. Click the title to read now!
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Navigating Safer Waters: Insights on Global Water Safety Collaboration With IBWSS Leadership
The International Boating and Water Safety Summit (IBWSS), presented by the National Safe Boating Council, serves as a global gathering dedicated to solving these challenges. The summit unites safety professionals, educators, government agencies, and industry partners to share research, establish best practices, and introduce life-saving education programs. In this Executive Q&A, we speak with Executive Director Peg Phillips about the summit’s mission, its role in modern water safety, and what attendees can expect from its milestone 30th annual gathering. Click the title to read more.
Anchorline, Sponsored by Brunswick
You won’t want to miss this issue of Anchorline! In this issue: A Note from the Executive Director, Life Jacket Harmonization: Read the Label, The NSBC Connects, Learns, and Collaborates at the 2026 NASBLA Annual Conference, Adventure Ready with Brunswick, Industry Veteran Dave Marlow Honored with 2026 Marine Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, National Safe Boating Week Makes Nationwide Impact, Surviving the Surge: Why I’ll Never Hit the Water Without a Life Jacket, Pinellas County Fire Department Certifies 28 New National Safe Boating Council Instructors, and more! Please click the title to read more.
September 15, 2026 BADs Report Released
The September 15, 2026 BADs report has been released. All copyright material has been removed. Click the title to read more.
Safe Boating Campaign Encourages Boaters to Make Safety Part of Labor Day Weekend Plans
As boaters prepare to enjoy one of the final holiday weekends of summer, the Safe Boating Campaign is encouraging everyone heading to the water this Labor Day weekend to make safe, responsible boating part of the plan. Please click the title to read more.
Adventure Ready. Built to Move: What to Know About Level 50 Buoyancy Aids
The National Safe Boating Council’s Level 50 Buoyancy Aid educational campaign helps people understand what a Level 50 buoyancy aid is, who it is designed for, and what to consider before choosing one for time on the water. Please click the title to learn more.
U.S. Coast Guard Proceedings Volume 83, Number 1 Available
Explore the latest issue of Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council dedicated to Recreational Boating Safety. Discover how the U.S. Coast Guard, state agencies, NASBLA, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, nonprofit organizations, and industry partners work together to reduce boating fatalities, strengthen boating laws, improve vessel safety, leverage data, promote boater education, and advance recreational boating safety across America’s waterways. Please click the title to read more.
The NSBC Featured in the NYT: The Best Kids Life Jackets
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.
NSBC Member Connection
News and updates about NSBC programs, industry happenings, and more from the National Safe Boating Council. Please click the title to read more.
BoatUS Foundation Calls on Boaters to Take Action on Abandoned Vessels This Boating Season
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.