Tips to help boaters keep our ocean clean and healthy while on the water and at the dock.
Best boating practices help boaters look beyond the bow and make a difference for clean, healthy water.
Boating goes hand-in-hand with wildlife watching, swimming, fishing, snorkeling and diving—and each of these experiences is enhanced by the clean water needed for a healthy ocean.
Unfortunately, mishandling a boat can harm ecosystems, wildlife and water quality. Improper handling, irresponsible or neglectful vessel maintenance, and poor refueling, repair and storage habits all present environmental risks. Reducing these risks not only helps preserve clean water and protect the animals that live in it, but also keeps boaters and their families safe – and could even save them money.
The Good Mate Manual covers these topics in greater detail and also provides boaters with many informative and useful tips to be leaders in water protection. Electronic copies are available for download here.
Learn about the five easy ways that boaters can protect our ocean and waterways here.
It’s time to look beyond the bow and realize you can make a tremendous difference in preserving the health of the ocean and waterways.
Refueling is when most spills happen. The U.S. Coast Guard recommends filling the tank only 90 percent to capacity to reduce the chance of spills from overfilling.
Even small oil spills spell trouble for water quality; bilge pumps can often discharge oil directly into the water. Use oil absorbent pads in the bilges of all boats with inboard engines.
Inspect thru-hull fittings often. A sinking boat is not only a safety risk for passengers, but also leaks dangerous fuel, oil and chemicals into the water.
Install and use a marine sanitation device as required by law.
Sewage and chemicals from holding tanks readily contaminate water; patronize marinas that offer pump-out services.
Bring portable toilets ashore for proper disposal.
Use nonhazardous materials—if it’s hazardous to you, it’s hazardous to the environment.
Old batteries can leach dangerous lead or cadmium, and expired marine flares contain toxic materials, too, so dispose of them properly.
When you paint your hull, choose products that are less dangerous to the environment than others.
Bring your food containers, cigarette butts and other trash back to shore and recycle when possible.
Let your marina know if it can provide better waste collection facilities.
Boaters are known for being good stewards and routinely picking up trash. For greater impact, raise awareness and collect data on what’s out there by participating in Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.
Discard worn motor parts carefully so oil doesn’t wash from them into storm drains.
Dispose of trash properly in onshore bins.
Anchors aweigh: Choose anchor sites carefully and use proper techniques to avoid damaging sensitive habitat.
Avoid boating in shallow water, where you can stir up sediments and disturb underwater habitat—not to mention damage your propeller, hull and engine if you run aground.
Know where to go slow to prevent shore-damaging wakes.