This article was co-authored by Travis Lund and by How.com.vn staff writer, Eric McClure. Travis Lund is the General Manager at the Vallejo Marina, a large marina located between the San Francisco Bay and the Delta in California. Sailing since he was six-years-old, Travis has over 15 years working in sailing operations and instruction and has pioneered a coaching platform that combined traditional coaching with multi-camera video support. He studied English at Michigan State University, where he was on the sailing team.
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If you’re taking a boat out and there’s no speed limit sign in sight, you may be wondering just how fast you can (or should) go. While it can be tempting to get out on the water and put the pedal to the medal, staying safe is paramount on the water, and that means you need to maintain a reasonable speed. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what accounts for “reasonable” so that you can make safe and informed decisions on the water.
Things You Should Know
- There is no universal speed limit. However, safe speeds range from 5–30 mph (8.0–48.3 km/h) depending on your boat.
- External factors that influence what counts as a safe speed include traffic, weather, visibility, and water depth.
- Go slow if you’re operating a lightweight boat, the motor is smaller, or you’re not experienced as a boat operator.
- Keep your life vest on, always follow the posted speed limits, and don’t consume alcohol when you’re boating.
Steps
Expert Q&A
References
- ↑ https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/maine-boating-laws.pdf
- ↑ https://discoverthedinosaurs.com/is-60-mph-fast-for-a-boat-average-boat-speed-mph/
- ↑ https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/boating/personal-watercraft
- ↑ https://parks.ny.gov/documents/recreation/boating/2017NYSBoatersGuide.pdf
- ↑ https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/maine-boating-laws.pdf
- ↑ https://parks.ny.gov/documents/recreation/boating/2017NYSBoatersGuide.pdf
- ↑ https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/maine-boating-laws.pdf
- ↑ https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/maine-boating-laws.pdf
- ↑ https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/maine-boating-laws.pdf
- ↑ https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/maine-boating-laws.pdf
- ↑ https://discoverthedinosaurs.com/is-60-mph-fast-for-a-boat-average-boat-speed-mph/
- ↑ https://discoverthedinosaurs.com/is-60-mph-fast-for-a-boat-average-boat-speed-mph/
- ↑ https://uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2021.pdf
- ↑ https://uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2021.pdf
- ↑ https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF
- ↑ https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/maine-boating-laws.pdf
- ↑ https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF
- ↑ https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/boatwater/boatingguide.pdf
- ↑ https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF
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