17 Vol. 83, No. 1 | Proceedings educational and outreach events that promote and sup- port the professionals and volunteers that do the day- to-day work of making recreational boating as safe as possible. These events include a state RBS Workshop, the Education Seminar, and the RBS Leadership Academy held at NASBLA headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, each year. The annual NASBLA meeting takes place in a different location each year, and Operation Dry Water is a year-round prevention/education effort. The annual, two-day RBS Workshop provides boat- ing authorities with an opportunity to attend sessions on current and emerging issues affecting boating program management and engage in open dialog with colleagues on topics specific to state RBS programs. For RBS education professionals, the Education Seminar is a day-and-a-half event that allows attendees to experience hands-on learning about towed waters- ports, life jackets, outreach and education activities, social media marketing and more. The NASBLA RBS Leadership Academy offers valuable insights into the diverse aspects of RBS by allowing participants to engage in interactive events, collaborate in group discussions, and connect with peers as part of a cohort. Providing a comprehensive understanding of the community, the program offers an unparalleled opportunity to interact with new Boating Law Administrators and established leaders from a range of backgrounds. Graduates of the Leadership Academy are well-equipped to serve and lead within their states, NASBLA, and the broader National RBS Community. The NASBLA Annual Meeting combines information sharing, the annual business meeting, and colleague roundtable event for state RBS professionals and others in the community. Every year, the meeting provides focused learning sessions, thought-provoking speakers, an expo hall, and networking opportunities. Operation Dry Water is a national awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related incidents and fatalities while fostering a stronger, more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water. Conclusion Challenges continue to evolve. Emerging technologies, changing demographics, and increasing boating participation require constant adaptation, but the foundation remains solid. The Coast Guard, states, and NASBLA alliance is like a three-strand rope. Each strand is strong on its own, but together, they’re unbreakable, and this partnership ensures national standards are upheld while allowing states to tailor solutions to their unique waterways, cultures, and challenges. From inland lakes to open seas, the results speak for themselves with fewer accidents, fewer fatalities, and a boating public that is better informed and better protected. In the end, the success of the National Recreational Boating Safety Program isn’t the achievement of any single agency. It’s the triumph of a nationwide team pulling in the same direction. Anchored in formal agreements, sustained by grant partnerships and collaboration, and propelled by the common mission of making recreational boating safer for everyone, NASBLA and the Coast Guard cooperation creates a safer recreational boating environment for all Americans and visitors to U.S. waterways. About the author: Walt Taylor is the Coast Guard’s senior Recreational Boating Program specialist. With 35 years of total Coast Guard experience—including 14 years serving as the Northeast District’s RBP specialist—he retired from active-duty Coast Guard service in 2010 as a Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate. Endnotes 1. U.S. Coast Guard. (n.d.). The Strategic Plan of the National Recreational Boating Safety Program 2022-2026. U.S. Coast Guard. Retrieved December 1, 2025, from uscgboating.org/library/strategic-plan/Strategic-Plan-of-the-National- Recreational-Boating-Safety-Program-2022-thru-2026.pdf Operation Dry Water, administered by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in partnership with the Coast Guard, is a national awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities. Photo courtesy of NASBLA
