A blue pontoon boat floats on a calm lake under a partly cloudy sky as two children in kid's life jackets jump into the water, while an adult watches from the boat. Lush green hills are visible in the background.

Eight Top Boating Tips for Memorial Day Weekend

A young child wearing a kid's life jacket smiles while holding onto the steering wheel of a boat, with water and greenery visible in the background.

Water Sports Foundation Video Featured on Amazon Consumer Information Page

A person in a red kayak, wearing a kid's life jacket, paddles on a calm lake surrounded by forested mountains, with the landscape and sky reflected in the water under a cloudy sky.

Paddling Season is Back: 5 Tips for Kayak and SUP Fun

Royalty-free image - A speeding motorboat moves through the water with large text above: "YOU'RE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK." At the bottom, small text warns about distractions while boating and promotes wearing life jackets and staying vigilant.

WSF Debuts New Boating Safety Campaign

Royalty-free image - A child in a life jacket walks toward a docked boat, while two adults hold hands in the foreground. Text emphasizes the importance of safety before leaving the dock.

WSF debuts ‘The Moment That Matters’ Ad Series

Royalty-free image - A young boy with curly hair, wearing a bright orange kid’s life jacket, smiles brightly while sitting on a boat. The sun is shining, and a calm body of water with a distant shoreline is visible in the background.

Boating Fatalities Fall to Lowest Level in 50 Years

Water Sports Foundation News
Recent Articles
A young woman in a level 50 life jacket holds a wakesurf board while standing on a red boat by a calm lake, with trees and hills in the background under a cloudy sky.

Everything You Need to Know About the New Level 50 Life Jackets

What They Are, Who They’re For, and When to Use Them Personal flotation devices (PFDs) have come a long way from the orange horseshoe life jackets of yesteryear. Life-saving buoyancy aids of all types have steadily grown more comfortable, specialized and effective. The latest evolution is the Level 50 standard, a new classification of U.S. […]

Wake surfer surfing in level 50 life jacket

Level 50 Buoyancy Aid Educational Materials

Campaign Resources Level 50 Flyer Educational flyer in PDF format describing the proper uses of the Level 50 buoyancy aid as outlined by the U.S.C.G. Flyer created by the National Safe Boating Council. FINAL-Level 50 FlyerDownload Level 50 Logo Level 50 logo provided by the National Safe Boating Council.

A blue pontoon boat floats on a calm lake under a partly cloudy sky as two children in kid's life jackets jump into the water, while an adult watches from the boat. Lush green hills are visible in the background.

Eight Top Boating Tips for Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day is the busiest boating weekend of the year ORLANDO, Fla. – May 12, 2026 – As the traditional opening of the summer boating season approaches this Memorial Day, the Water Sports Foundation (WSF) encourages boaters to prepare for the busiest boating weekend of the year. “Memorial Day weekend traditionally signals the start of […]

An adult in a red jacket, both wearing level 50 life jackets for kayaking, stands on a paddleboard with a child sitting in front on a calm lake, surrounded by dense green pine trees reflecting on the water.

Level 50 Life Jackets For Standup Paddleboarding

New PFDs Built for Balance and Mobility Standup paddleboarding demands balance, agility and freedom of movement. Whether paddlers are cruising a quiet harbor, exploring a mangrove shoreline or practicing fitness paddling on a lake, SUP riders constantly shift their stance and use their torsos for strong paddle strokes. Traditional life jackets can inhibit the freedom […]

A person paddles a yellow kayak through a narrow, rocky coastal inlet surrounded by tall cliffs, with the open sea visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Level 50 Life Jackets For Kayaking

New PFD Standard Delivers Comfort for Everyday Paddlers Recreational kayaking is one of the most popular ways to explore calm lakes, quiet rivers and protected coastal waters. Paddlers often spend hours on the water, making comfort a key factor in whether they keep their flotation on throughout the trip. The new Level 50 PFD standard […]

Statistics, Reports & Data
Royalty-free image - A smiling young child wearing an orange life jacket is outdoors near water. Text on the image reads “2024 Recreational Boating Statistics,” published by the U.S. Coast Guard in July 2025.

Recreational Boating Statistics 2024

An annual compilation of recreational boating statistics in the United States, compiled by the U.S. Coast Guard using data supplied by the U.S. states and territories.

Recreational Boating Statistics 2023

An annual compilation of recreational boating statistics in the United States, compiled by the U.S. Coast Guard using data supplied by the U.S. states and territories.

Most Recent Images & Video

Stay Safe On Your Next Paddling Adventure

Paddling is a fun and safe activity, especially if you pay attention to these common-sense rules — always wear a life jacket, don’t paddle alone, dress for water temperature and don’t mix alcohol and paddling.

Read More

Bargain Kayak (Remember a Life Jacket!)

If you go to the box store for paper towels and end up with a kayak, make sure you also pick up a life jacket. Because nobody wants to pull a Brad.

Read More

Learn to Get Back On Your Kayak BEFORE You Flip

Getting back on your sit-on-top kayak isn’t that hard – if you know how. That’s why it’s a great idea to take a paddling safety class BEFORE you flip.

Read More
Powered by WordPress | WP Magazine by WP Mag Plus