U.S. Coast Guard photo illustration by Chief Petty Officer Sara Mooers.
HONOLULU — The Coast Guard reminds waterway users of the availability of our first-ever boating safety application for mobile devices initially released in May.
The free app is available on Apple app store and Google Play online store and is designed to provide boating safety resources to mariners and watersports enthusiasts using a mobile device.
As summer continues and people take to the water we advocate they be prepared. The mobile app is one more resource available to make those excursions safe and enjoyable.
Features of the app include: state boating information; a safety equipment checklist; free boating safety check requests; navigation rules; float plans; and calling features to report pollution or suspicious activity. When location services are enabled, users can receive the latest weather reports from the closest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather buoys as well as report the location of a hazard on the water.
The app also features an Emergency Assistance button which, with locations services enabled, will call the closest rescue coordination center or Coast Guard command center. The app is not a replacement for a VHF-FM radio or other safety gear that should be with you, but it is another resource for waterway users.
"The release of this mobile application is a step forward for the Coast Guard as we embrace new technologies," said Ivan Richards, Coast Guard 14th District recreational boating safety coordinator. "The intention is to make the information and resources more accessible to the boating public, thus improving their preparedness."
The app is self-contained, so personal information is stored on the phone and is not sent to the Coast Guard unless the user chooses to send it. The Coast Guard does not track a user's location, and the app does not track a user's location unless the app is being used.
The app was developed over a two-year period with BastayaPR, a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico.
For more information on general boating safety, please visit www.uscgboatingsafety.org or call Ivan Richards at 808-535-3424.
For more information on the app, please visit http://www.uscg.mil/mobile or contact or contact Lt. Anastacia Visneski at 202-372-4648.
Honolulu-based media interested in interview about boating safety of demonstrations of the app please call the Coast Guard 14th District Public Affairs staff at 808-535-3230.