You are about to go out for the day with a bunch of friends, and if you are like most recreational boaters, you are just going to get the engine(s) started, untie the boat, and get underway. If you have not taken a few minutes to go over some basic things with your passengers, you are making a potentially dangerous and costly mistake. You need to go over some important points with your guests first.
First, ask if anyone wants a life preserver (PFD). Many passengers will be a little embarrassed to ask, but will appreciate and take you up on the offer of one if you make it. Be careful to not put anyone in a difficult position about it either. Say something like, “look I normally do not wear a life jacket, but we have one here for each and every one of you, and if you are more comfortable wearing one, please feel free to put one on.”
Second, you need to go over basic safety information with everyone. Assuming that your guests are not out with you all the time and normally operate the boat with you, you need to think about the many things that can happen and what responsibility will be thrown onto someone who does not know what to do. It is a good motto to “hope for the best but plan for the worst.”
Tell everyone: where they can find life jackets, how to use the marine VHF radio if you have one and how to call for help, how to stop the engines, where a throwable life preserver is, and to throw it the moment someone goes overboard and to yell that someone has fallen overboard, what else to do if someone falls overboard, where to find the boat’s position if you have a GPS or multi-function display, and anything else you think they should know.
You should assume that you, as the primary operator will be the one that suddenly has fallen ill or fallen overboard – assume the worst-case scenario – and make sure that everyone knows what to do. It might be best to assign someone to be the primary person in charge should something happen to you.
Years ago, I took my granddaughter out sailing one day. She had learned to sail at camp, and wanted to go on my boat. I assured her that nothing was going to happen to me, BUT just in case, I told her how to get the boat to stop, how to set off the “distress” signal on my VHF radio, where to find the boat’s position on my multi-function display, and where to find the instructions to call the U.S. Coast Guard. Nothing happened that day, or so far on any day since, but I always take the time to go over that information with whoever is going out with me on any given day.
Many Coast Guard Auxiliary flotillas teach a class known as “Suddenly in Command,” and you can find that class listed in the courses if you click on the “Boating Courses” link at the top of the page, or in the green bar at the top of the right column of this page.