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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/boat-drowning-near-shore

According to the Coast Guard, where do most boating drowning deaths happen?

Near shore in calm weather, not far out in a storm.

  1. Far offshore during storms
  2. In crowded marinas at night
  3. Near shore in calm weather ✔

Why: Most boating drownings happen close to shore on nice days, often within a few feet of safety. A calm day feels safe, so people skip the life jacket, then a slip or fall catches them off guard.

Huh, didn't know that: Where boat length was known, 4 of every 5 boaters who drowned in 2024 were on boats under 21 feet.

The dad joke
Why are lakes so relaxed? They have no current worries.
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Sources

  1. USCG, A Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats (2023) https://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/AssetManager/Boaters-Guide-to-Federal-Requirements-for-Receational-Boats-20231108.pdf
  2. USCG Recreational Boating Statistics 2024 (COMDTPUB P16754.38) https://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2024.pdf

Test yourself in the game

Boating & WaterIn 2024 Coast Guard data, where the cause was known, what share of boating deaths were drownings?Boating & WaterIn 2024, where life jacket use was known, about what share of boating drowning victims weren't wearing one?Boating & WaterHow long does the Army Corps of Engineers say it takes, on average, for an adult to drown?

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