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Water Safety

                                
 
Nolin River Lake provides recreational opportunities to over 2 million visitors per year. These visitors come to Nolin River Lake for camping, boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, hunting, and relaxing. With this many visitors plus full time residents, it is of critical importance to practice safe boating techniques and to wear your life jackets.

Take a moment to read these true stories on how life jackets have saved lives. 

Or take these free online courses on water and boat safety.
 


Lucy Loves Lifejackets
(Lucy lives on Nolin Lake)

 

Top Five Reasons Boaters Are Fined!

  1. Boaters operating against the flow of traffic.  Boaters should stay to the right of mid channel and travel the lake just like they keep their car in the right hand lane on a roadway.  
  2. Operating a boat above idle speed while standing.  Striking floating or fixed objects, or hitting waves can cause a standing boater to be thrown from or loose control of their vessel.
  3. Violating idle speed zones close to marinas, boat ramps, and recreation areas.  Waves created in these areas can cause safety issues as well as property damage to vessels moored close by or those that are being launched or removed from the lake.
  4. Children under 12 years of age not wearing an approved life jacket while in a vessel underway.  The life jacket must be serviceable and designed for the child's body weight.
  5. Boater safety equipment not present or non functional.  This includes life jackets, throwables, a sounding device, and an approved working fire extinguisher.

Safe Boating Checklist

When you're preparing for a day on the water, always cover the basics:

  • Arm yourself with swimming and boating skills: enroll in a swim course and boating
    course in your area.
  • Buckle up with a comfortable and properly fitted life jacket.
  • Install and maintain a CO detector in accommodation areas. Remember that you can be
    exposed to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide both inside and outside the boat.
  • Watch the weather to prepare for local conditions and electrical storms. Because water
    conducts electricity, it is time to stop boating if you can see or hear a storm.
  • Communicate your trip details in case of emergency. Tell your plan to a friend on the
    mainland: who is on the boat, where you will be, and how long you will be gone.
  • Never operate a boat while or after drinking alcohol.
  • Remember to keep all boat maintenance chemicals in their original containers. Keep
    these, as well as medications, lighter fluid, bug killers, lamp oil and alcohol out of sight
    and reach of children.
  • Post the Poison Control Center number, 1-800-222-1222, on the boat and call its 24-hour
    hotline for any suspected problems or questions concerning carbon monoxide or other
    poison emergencies.
  • List CPR instructions and a local emergency number on the boat. Keep up-to-date on
    CPR procedures.
  • Maintain constant supervision of children, regardless of their swimming abilities or use
    of life jackets.
  • Do not swim or wade near a boat's exhaust pipe, sit on the swim platform when the
    engine is running, or hold onto the deck while the boat is moving. Keep your boat a
    minimum of 20 feet from the nearest running generator or engine.
  • Never, ever enter the enclosed exhaust vent area under a swim platform! Exhaust from boat engines can be deadly sources of carbon monoxide poisoning.


BROUGHT TO YOU BY
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF POISON CONTROL CENTERS
AND THE NATIONAL SAFE BOATING COUNCIL