Sharing the Seas: Safe Boating for Sailors
Collisions at sea can be just as dangerous for boaters as they are for whales. Sharing the Seas helps ensure safe passage for sailors and marine life by providing captains and crew with safe boating techniques around whales.
Whether you're a recreational or professional sailor, you can review the below SAIL tips before hitting the water and familiarize yourself with local whale species and habitat you may encounter.
This acronym SAIL empowers sailors to utilize safe boating techniques that reduce disturbances and injury to whales and their crews.
Learn more by downloading our field reference sheet.
In addition to the SAIL tips, it's great to know:
- the types and behaviors of marine mammals and sea turtles they may encounter
- best practices to apply when sailing through whale habitat, and
- who to contact to report sightings of entangled or injured marine life.
Download this field reference sheet for more information on-the-go.
Dive deeper
Sharing the Seas
The Sharing the Seas program was put together by the education committee of the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium which includes biologists from WDC, Audubon Society of Rhode Island, and the New Bedford Whaling Museum, with input from US Sailing and Sailors for the Sea. The goal is to ensure safe passage for sailors and marine life by providing captains and crew with necessary information important in protecting species in the area.
What Can You Do?
Knowing who to contact, and when, is a great first step in contributing to conservation efforts. Sailors can help to save protected species through safe boating and sightings reports. You're our stewards at sea, often traveling through areas that are not regularly surveyed by whale researchers.
If you are interested in hosting a workshop at your yacht club or local boating center, or if you would like to incorporate customized whale information for your sailing event, please contact us. For more information, visit the Sharing the Seas website.
Take our quiz to test your safe boating knowledge!
This program is sponsored and implemented by
Are you a recreational boater? Check out See A Spout.
Interested in our program focused on safe commercial whale watching? Check out Whale SENSE.
