28 Proceedings | Vol. 83, No. 1 Coast Guard graphic by Munseila Sarun captured includes the elements covered above, as well as: • The number of LEOs—the standard is one LEO for each 3,000 registered vessels • The number of patrol boats or vehicles—the standard is one for each 4,500 registered vessels • The number of boardings or stops—a stop or boarding of 5% of the registered vessels is standard • The number of officers receiving the minimum level of initial and continuing training Comparison of State and Coast Guard Recreational Boating Safety Law Enforcement For calendar year 2024, the states conducted nearly 1.15 million boardings, stops, and inspections of recreational vessels. By comparison, the Coast Guard reported nearly 24,000 boardings of recreational vessels. The states are conducting nearly 48 times more boardings, stops, and inspections than the boarding done by the Coast Guard, which is the intent of the RBS Program The states issued 91,556 citations, or a citation to inspection rate of 8.0%. The Coast Guard issued 3,919 violations, or a violation to boarding rate of 16.4%. The states also issued 281,480 warnings with a warning to inspection rate of 24.6% compared to the Coast Guard’s 1,950, or a warning to boarding rate of 8.1%. It was far more likely the Coast Guard would issue a violation— the state’s version of a citation—and a state would issue a warning. The most prevalent reasons for the states and the Coast Guard to issue citations, violations, or warnings to vessels are expired or missing registration or vessel documents and personal flotation device deficiencies. The states also had 2,908 BUI arrests for 2024. Coast Guard BUI arrests are much lower, since many Coast Guard cases are passed off to a state or local agency. This is another example of states taking the greater share of RBS law enforcement, allowing the Coast Guard to focus its resources on commercial vessel enforcement and other issues. Conclusion In summary, the Federal Boat Safety Act’s goal of getting the states to conduct the lion’s share of enforcement has been successful. Collectively, both the Coast Guard and the states, at all levels of government, perform an important collaborative role in RBS law enforcement to ensure boaters are safer. About the author: Jeff Decker has served in the Boating Safety Division since 2015 and as the Program Management & Operations Branch chief since 2023. Prior to that, he ran a boating education company with on-line video views in the millions, and he was the nation’s outstanding State Boating Safety Education Officer at the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. A court-certified Boating Safety expert, he retired from the U.S. Coast Guard as a senior chief boatswain mate. Endnotes: 1. 46 U.S.C. §13102(a) 2. 46 U.S.C. §13103(c)(3) 3. The State Guide, COMDTPUB 16755.3B, Appendix 1
