Proclamation 5815 -- National
Safe Boating Week, 1988
By
the President of the
A
Proclamation
As
a people whose land is blessed with a bounty of rivers, lakes, and streams,
Americans have always prized the relaxation and pleasure of the open water.
``You feel mighty free and easy,'' Twain's Huck Finn said, ``and comfortable on
a raft.'' This quality of the American spirit has made recreational boating one
of the most steadily popular and rapidly growing leisure-time activities in the
Each
year, however, our Nation's waterways become more crowded with new and faster
watercraft as well as an increasing number of traditional vessels. Despite this
fact, boating remains one of the least regulated transportation activities. It
is essential, therefore, that all operators be familiar with the rules and
courtesies of safe boating. National Safe Boating Week reminds all Americans
who use the Nation's waterways to educate themselves about and to respect the
dangers of the marine environment and to learn how to operate watercraft in a
safe and prudent manner.
Boating
has its very own ``rules of the road.'' An operator needs to know a great deal
before going out on the water. For this reason, the theme of this year's National
Safe Boating Week is ``Know Before You Go.'' Those who
operate small boats for fishing, hunting, and other sporting activities should
have detailed knowledge of the boats they are using, their handling
characteristics, how to safely load them, how to prevent them from capsizing,
and how to operate and maintain their equipment. In case of an emergency, all
boat operators and riders should know how to use their craft's safety devices
and be certain they will work as intended; for example, life jackets should be
checked, tested, and properly fitted. In addition, boaters need to be watchful
for potentially dangerous situations. They must have a thorough knowledge of
the waters they are using, the particular hazards they may encounter, and the
prospects for environmental conditions such as tides, currents, temperature,
and weather that may be dangerous. To avoid collisions and keep traffic moving,
all boaters should know the Navigation Rules and the courtesies of safe
boating. Most of all, boaters should know their own limitations so that they do
not involve themselves and others in situations beyond their skill or physical
endurance.
One
especially dangerous problem for boaters is the use of alcohol or drugs. Wise
boaters will avoid the use of alcohol and drugs while operating a vessel. That
wisdom is backed by the law: Operation of a vessel while intoxicated is a major
impediment to safety and is now a Federal offense punishable by hefty civil and
criminal penalties.
Boating
safety is the responsibility of all who use
To
promote boating safety, the Congress enacted the Joint Resolution of
Now,
Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the
In
Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of May, in the year
of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and of the
Ronald
Reagan
[Filed with the Office
of the Federal Register,