Coast Guard’s “Paddle Smart”

The U.S. Coast Guard’s “Paddle Smart” program offers free stickers for non-registered watercraft. Why is this important, and how can it help you? At a simple level it could help return lost property to you. At a more dramatic level, it can help lead to your rescue if you are in an emergency situation. Abandoned watercraft automatically initiate a search and rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard since they have to assume someone was on the vessel- and the search continues until proven otherwise. Having contact information on the boat can greatly reduce the complexity of the search. Get your sticker through the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, local harbormasters, and retailers such as L.L. Bean, EMS, and REI.