Boat Inspections

NASHPORT, Ohio – Memorial Day Weekend is considered by many to be the unofficial start of summer and the perfect time to prepare their watercraft for another season of boating. 

Ohio Division of Parks and Watercraft Natural Resource Officer John Deblo announced an opportunity for area boat owners to have their vessels checked free of charge.

“I’ll personally be out here, 10 a.m. ‘til noon, Saturday the 23rd, at the Dillon Marina offering vessel safety checks. However we offer those at any point. You can certainly flag down an officer if you see us, call in to the office, call into our call center and we’ll get those set up,” Deblo said.

The inspections primarily serve boat owners as a reminder of all the safety equipment that is required by law to be onboard. Although some boats have a maximum weight capacity, each required safety item has an intended purpose.     

“So it’s going to be dependent on the propulsion and size of the vessel,” Deblo said. “But generally what you’re going to see across the board is a life jacket for everybody, depending on the size you might be required to have a throwable lifejacket. Anchor and line, a visual distress signal, a sound signaling device, and a few other items.”

Mishaps can happen at any given moment, which makes proper safety equipment and a little common sense, great ways to ensure a full day of enjoyable boating. 

For more information about Ohio’s boating safety requirements, you can visit the Ohio Division of Parks and Watercraft online.