Handling & Trailering
What is the safest engine practice when people are boarding from the water or swimming right next to the boat?
Answer
Turn the engine completely off
Shut the engine off completely — not just neutral — when people are in the water near the boat or climbing in. This removes any chance the propeller could injure them, which is a leading cause of serious boating injuries.
Source: U.S. Coast Guard, Boating Safety Division — "A Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats" (rev. Nov. 8, 2023), “Engine Cut-Off Switches,” p. 12 (propeller-injury warning) — https://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/AssetManager/Boaters-Guide-to-Federal-Requirements-for-Receational-Boats-20231108.pdf
Not the answer
- Keep it in forward idle
- Leave it in neutral with the key on
- Rev it to keep the battery charged
Practice this
The boater safety certification exam is 50 questions and takes 40 correct — 80% — to pass. The app’s page carries a free ten-question test drawn from the same bank, marked as you go.
Take the free practice test