2003 BoatU.S. Foundation annual report

Boat/US Magazine, Sept, 2004

With the help of Boat U.S. members, the ever-growing number of boating safety and marine stewardship programs of the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water have been touching boaters' lives for over 20 years. The Foundation is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting safe and environmentally-sensitive boating. Last year, the organization reached out to more boaters than ever in a host of stellar projects:

Life Jacket Loaner Program

In 1997, the Foundation began providing kid's life jackets to marinas for boating families to borrow. Now there are over 300 loaner sites in 47 states. In 2003, this program was honored with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators' Public Service Award.

Online Boating Safety Course

Over 65,000 boaters took the Foundation's Online Boating Safety Course, making 2003 the busiest year ever. Why so many users? Because the BoatU.S. Foundation provides the only free course on the Internet. It received significant upgrades this year, including interactive Flash animation, thanks to a grant from the Brunswick Public Foundation.

EPIRB Rentals Saving Lives

In a mayday situation, an Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) will notify search and rescue authorities of a boat's location. A $900 price tag means many boaters can't purchase one themselves, however the Foundation rents EPIRBs for just $50 a week, shipping included. Three EPIRB activations took place in 2003, resulting in 10 lives saved, including three boaters who were plucked by helicopter from the waters off Florida. Reservations for EPIRBs can be made on our Web site or by calling 1-888-66-EPIRB.

Sportsman's Forum

According to the NRA, more hunters die from drowning each year than from gunshot wounds. Under a U.S. Coast Guard grant, the Foundation organized a coalition of national sporting organizations called the Sportsman's Forum, to promote safe boating for hunters and anglers. This year, the Forum reached over a million American households each week with ads and editorial content on national TV shows and magazines.

Boating Safety Grants--Boaters Reaching Boaters

Each November, local nonprofit groups submit numerous ideas for boating safety education projects, and the best are selected for funding as Boating Safety Grants. This year, 28 groups from 15 states were awarded about $40,000 to conduct projects in their communities.

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Foundation Findings--Belt Pack Inflatables

As part of the Foundation Findings product testing series--now in its 15th year and its 39th test--the Foundation tested inflatable belt pack PFDs. A team of testers measured their comfort and safety, their ease of maintenance, and hit a local wave pool to try them out in the water. The two-part test results appeared in BoatU.S. Magazine as Foundation Findings #37 and #38, and are available on the Web along with past Foundation Findings tests.

Courseline

The Courseline began as a toll-free hotline to help boaters find boating safety courses. Today, the Courseline Online connects boaters to courses, state educational requirements, captain's schools, and regional and national boating organizations.

Clean Water Grants--Cleaner, Greener Boating

Whether it's litter prevention or cleaner fueling, Clean Water Grants help boaters teach boaters cleaner habits on the water. This year, interest in Clean Water Grants surged and we saw a 65% jump in applications over 2002. Thirteen clean boating projects were chosen to receive a total of $20,000.

Great Lakes Marina Education

Through an EPA grant, Foundation staff talked to Great Lakes marina operators about how to be better prepared for petroleum spills and how to help their customers learn cleaner fueling habits. The "Did You Know?" brochure on EPA regulations that affect marinas was produced and made available to all Great Lakes marina facilities.

Clean Marina Program

Around the country, more states are developing voluntary Clean Marina Programs to help marinas and boat yards adopt cleaner, greener operating practices. The Foundation helped Delaware develop guidelines and educational materials for their new program, and served on the Maryland Executive Advisory Committee.

Brochures for Everyone

For 20 years, the BoatU.S. Foundation has given away brochures on safe and clean boating. In fact, the Foundation distributes around a million pieces of literature per year.

Industry and Community Involvement

Our staff serves on steering committees and panels throughout the boating safety and environmental communities and regularly gives presentations at major boating conferences. National and regional TV shows and magazines commonly interview the Foundation for stories on safe and clean boating.

Thank You, BoatU.S. Members!

BoatU.S. members keep the Foundation's programs afloat and we appreciate the widespread and continuing commitment to safer and cleaner boating. To learn more about Foundation programs, or to get involved, please visit www.boatus.com/foundation.