Sources
These are the sources our guides and checklists cite. Each guide lists its own sources at the bottom of the page. Links were opened and read on 2026-10-08. Where your manufacturer's instructions differ, follow the manufacturer.
- A Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats (revised November 2023), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Boater's Guide: Fueling Precautions (PDF page 43), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Boater's Guide: Ventilation, including the blower warning label (PDF pages 22-24), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Boater's Guide: Fire Extinguisher Maintenance (PDF page 21), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Boater's Guide: Carbon Monoxide Hazards (PDF page 38), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Boater's Guide: Engine Cut-Off Switches (PDF page 12), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Boater's Guide: Pollution Regulations, oil discharge (PDF page 26), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Boater's Guide: Severe weather, float plan and pre-departure checklist (PDF page 44), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Boater's Guide: VHF MAYDAY procedure (PDF page 47), U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Carbon Monoxide, U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Engine Cut-Off Devices, U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- Fire Extinguisher FAQ, U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
- 33 CFR 183.610, Powered ventilation system, Code of Federal Regulations (via Cornell LII)
- Float Plan Central, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
- Electric Shock Drowning informational card (PDF), Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Your boat's, engine's and appliance makers' owner's manuals, The manufacturer
Guides with no public source
These guides cite only your manufacturers' manuals. Their steps are general precautions (for example: shut a gas supply off at the source if you safely can, do not use a hot or swollen battery), not statements taken from a public safety body. Your manuals come first, and anything beyond the listed checks is for a certified marine technician.
We do not reproduce paid industry standards.