Recreational Boating Safety Visitor Program

Purpose - The purpose of the Recreational Boating Safety Visitation Program (RBSVP) is to promote safe boating for the recreational boating public through the aid of local businesses, offices and marine dealerships. This will include the continuing education of the general public and office, business and dealership managers and distribution of
safety/boating-related literature. These locations are known as Program Partners. Great strides toward an ultimate goal of safe and enjoyable recreational boating can be made by making safety and related boating information available wherever the general public shops, passes by or waits. The Coast Guard Auxiliary members participating in this program are known as Program Visitors.

Program Partner - Any community business or facility where the general public visits or waits that will allow the Program Visitor to place a literature display rack. Examples could include: marine dealers, plumbing shops, hardware stores, vessel rental agencies, vessel repair agencies, marinas, canvas or sail makers, hospital emergency or other waiting rooms, doctor's offices, insurance agency lobbies, libraries, county boat/car license agencies, dentist's offices, bait and tackle vendors, dive and/or snorkel shops. Any chain store with sport/boat equipment departments should be included. Click Here to become a Program Partner.

Program Partner Benefits

There are significant benefits for the participating Partners. These benefits can be both tangible and intangible. A very powerful selling point for Partners in the commercial industry is that knowledge and the right equipment lead to safer boating. If these Partners can impress upon boaters and potential boaters that safety equipment and knowledge of how to use it is available, it could produce a significant economic advantage for them. The ability to advertise educational opportunities and information is also a major public relations advantage for those community Partners not in the marine industry. Some of the benefits to the Partner are that this program can:- Establish a "public/boating safety center" image with the general public. The safety information that the Partner receives as well as their cooperation with the Coast Guard, Auxiliary and other programs, can impress the general public by indicating that this is a community minded Partner interested in providing the public with the best boating safety information.

- Keep the Partners up-to-date on the latest information and programs of interest. Each facility will be visited 
regularly so there can be follow-up action with the Program Visitors.

- Provide a point of contact with the Coast Guard through which the facility can obtain answers to technical 
questions or other issues such as: documentation, recall status, reference sources, etc. The Program Visitor 
should be ready with referral information, including the name and phone numbers of contact persons.

- Conduct Partner employee training such as: showing the Partner's service department staff how to correctly 
apply registration numbers; providing sales staff with training on safety equipment; or advising rental vendors on 
required safety equipment.

- Provide updated material to NOAA, for Small Craft Marina Facility Charts.

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Last modified: 13 March 2009
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