Programs

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.

Black Oak Creative Develops New Boating Safety Campaign for the WSF

For the first time in its 15 years managing life-saving boating safety campaigns, the Water Sports Foundation (WSF) has contracted a top-tier creative design agency. The WSF selected Black Oak Creative of Winter Haven, Florida, for its years of marine industry experience and forward-leaning creative designs. The WSF has so far debuted seven new advertisements […]

Royalty-free image - A man in a cap smiles and shows a peace sign while sitting on a boat at sea during sunset, with calm water and an orange sky in the background.

The Pocket-Sized Beacon That Could Save Your Life

Aaron Carotta’s dramatic rescue from the mid-Pacific is the best argument to carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) By Jeff Moag In my years as an adventure journalist I’ve written about plenty of amazing journeys. There was Aleksandr “Olek” Doba, who paddled a kayak across the Atlantic three times in his sixties and seventies. Randall […]

Royalty-free image - A bearded man wearing a baseball cap and a yellow life jacket is on the ocean with waves and blue sky behind him. The text "LOVE Y'ALL" is written across the center of the image.

Fisherman Opens Up About the Beacon That Saved His Life

Thanks to a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), Easton Barrett and his friends survived after their boat sank in the Gulf of Mexico. By Jeff Moag The video that made Easton Barrett famous was only the beginning. His boat had just gone down in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving Easton and four friends treading water and […]

A person in an orange life jacket looks surprised while adjusting their goggles. They are holding a red object in their left hand against a plain white background.

Un Paseo En Bote

¿Por qué el papá siempre es el tonto en estos videos? En este video titulado “Un paseo en bote”, el canal de YouTube WSF Boating & Paddling Safety presenta una historia educativa sobre la seguridad en actividades acuáticas. A través de una narrativa centrada en una familia que se embarca en un paseo en bote, […]

¡Porque Los Niños No Saben Nadar!

El video titulado “¡Porque los niños no saben nadar!” del canal de YouTube WSF Boating & Paddling Safety aborda la importancia de la seguridad infantil en actividades acuáticas. A través de situaciones cotidianas, el video destaca cómo la supervisión constante y el uso de chalecos salvavidas son esenciales para prevenir accidentes en el agua. Se […]

Two children wearing life jackets joyfully raise their arms while standing on a wooden dock. The boy on the left wears an orange life jacket, and the girl on the right wears a yellow one. Boats are visible in the background.

La Nieta Sabia

Este video titulado “La Nieta Sabia” del canal de YouTube WSF Boating & Paddling Safety presenta una narrativa educativa centrada en la seguridad en actividades acuáticas. A través de la historia de una nieta y su abuelo, se destacan prácticas seguras al navegar y remar. El video enfatiza la importancia del uso de chalecos salvavidas, […]

No Intentes Esto En Casa

Este video, titulado “No intentes esto en casa”, es publicado en el canal de YouTube WSF Boating & Paddling Safety, y presenta una serie de situaciones que ilustran prácticas peligrosas en actividades acuáticas. A través de ejemplos reales y recreaciones, el video destaca la importancia de seguir las normas de seguridad al navegar o practicar […]

Striper Hunt Nearly Turns Deadly For Kayak Angler

Ambrose Salmini was going through a rough patch in April 2022 and like many of us he took comfort in fishing. But that wasn’t going well either. “It was five days in a row and I did not even have a bite. I can’t really explain how strong that urge to catch a fish was,” […]

Boater’s High-Speed Ejection and Survival Swim

‘What are the odds?’ asks Jack Doty after miracle rescue from freezing lake After a close call in the frigid waters of Minnesota’s Lake Minnetonka, Jack Doty is urging fellow boaters to avoid the mistakes that nearly cost him his life. This month the lifelong boater shared his cautionary tale on The Qualified Captain podcast. […]

One-In-A-Million Ghost Boat Rescue

The quick thinking and extraordinary luck that brought a North Carolina fisherman back from the brink. Andrew Sherman and his son Jack were fishing 37 miles off the North Carolina coast when they spotted a boat coming straight at them. Andrew directed a few choice words toward the 23-foot Parker cuddy cabin rumbling along on […]

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.

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.

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.

Don’t Forget the Leash and Lifejacket

You can pick up a new SUP anywhere these days, but you can’t buy common sense. Always remember to wear your life jacket and leash when you paddle your standup paddleboard. And if your honey asked you to get TP at the Big Box, don’t forget that either.

The Pocket-Sized Beacon That Could Save Your Life

Aaron Carotta’s dramatic rescue from the mid-Pacific is the best argument to carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). By Jeff Moag In my years as an adventure journalist I’ve written about plenty of amazing journeys. There was Aleksandr “Olek” Doba, who paddled a kayak across the Atlantic three […]

Inside The Heroic Boating Rescue at Destin Pass

Sgt. Brian Parkton knew the situation could turn bad in a heartbeat. The veteran marine patrol officer was responding to reports of a boat in trouble with nine people, including three children, still on board. The 21-foot open motorboat had filled with water and lost power at the mouth of Destin Pass, a northwest Florida […]

Heroes Rescue Kids From Epic Boating Smackdown

By Jeff Moag Shane McDonald couldn’t look away. He and his son Jake were on stand-up jet skis, following a 30-foot center console out of Boynton Beach Inlet. Under certain conditions, the south Florida pass opens into a line of breaking surf, and on that particular day the waves just beyond the breakwater looked like […]

Incredible Boating Rescue Caught On Camera

‘This Could Have Killed Him!’ fishing guide says, and that’s no hype You never know when a slow day fishing will turn into a story you’ll be telling for years. Take Ty Southerland and his new neighbor Chris Pace. Ty is a well-known fishing guide out of Rockport Texas, and host of the “30 Miles […]