{"id":17886,"date":"2025-03-27T15:56:26","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T22:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/?p=17886"},"modified":"2025-03-27T15:57:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T22:57:10","slug":"looking-for-a-family-friendly-hobby-give-boating-a-try","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2025\/03\/27\/looking-for-a-family-friendly-hobby-give-boating-a-try\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking for a new hobby? Give boating a try"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>March 27, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>NEWS RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PHOENIX \u2014 What\u2019s better than a day out on the water? Whether you\u2019re interested in taking up watersports, fishing or leisurely cruises around Arizona\u2019s lakes, boating is a great family friendly activity. While it may sound like an intimidating hobby to start, there are many resources to welcome beginners in a safe, responsible way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) offers free monthly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/education\/boating-education\/\">boating safety education courses<\/a> in Phoenix and Lake Havasu City that cover instruction on the basic skills required to safely operate a boat or personal watercraft like a Jet Ski or Sea-Doo. They also cover topics like legal requirements and what to do during a boating emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur courses are a great way to learn the basic knowledge involved with boating so that you and your family have a good primer before exploring Arizona\u2019s lakes and rivers,\u201d said Josh Hoffman, boating safety education coordinator for AZGFD. \u201cAnd because safety is the No. 1 priority when boating, we can answer your questions and help to ensure that you\u2019re prepared with the necessary equipment and gear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Life jackets must be worn by all passengers 12 years old and younger, but they are strongly recommended for everyone. A majority of the boating fatalities in 2023 in Arizona were drownings, and in those cases a life jacket may have prevented a tragedy. Those numbers are mirrored nationally: 87 percent of recreational boaters who drowned in 2023 were not wearing a life jacket, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make sure a life jacket is worn properly, keep in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A life jacket should fit snug.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a child lift his or her arms overhead while you lift up on the life jacket by the shoulder straps; if the jacket rides up above the ear lobes, it is too big.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adults can self-check by hooking their thumbs under the shoulder straps and pulling up; if the jacket rides up over their ear lobes, it is too big.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You should be able to fit your fingers in the back of the life jacket on a child. If you can\u2019t, then it\u2019s likely too tight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Another key aspect of safety on the water is boating sober. Although the legal limit for operating a boat in Arizona is .08 blood-alcohol content, an operator is in violation of the law and may be prosecuted for operating a watercraft while impaired to the slightest degree by alcohol and\/or drugs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBoating sober will help ensure operators stay alert, while also shifting the paradigm that alcohol and recreation are mutually exclusive,\u201d said Danny Rodriguez, boating law administrator for AZGFD. \u201cJust as you would with a vehicle, designate a sober driver. It\u2019s an action that can help prevent a tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Local groups are another great resource for both those new to boating and veterans of the waterways. From general boating to fishing to paddlesports, there are many local clubs throughout Arizona that provide an outlet for people to discuss questions and make connections.&nbsp;<br>In addition, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/Boating\/\">AZGFD\u2019s website<\/a> provides information about myriad topics from boat registration and watercraft rules to aquatic invasive species and law enforcement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A safe and fun day on the water starts with life jackets and sober boating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":7139,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17886","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-main-site"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Looking for a new hobby? 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