The United States Coast Guard Launches the 2026 National Recreational Boating Safety Survey

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is launching the 2026 National Recreational Boating Safety Survey (NRBSS), which will provide detailed estimates in every state of how many people go boating, what types of boats they use, and how often they go boating. This survey is funded under a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund administered by the USCG.

The survey supports national safety and law enforcement programs by improving boating safety. The 2026 NRBSS is particularly important as it is the first time the survey has been conducted since 2020 when the industry saw a rise in boating as an outdoor activity across the country. The Coast Guard has regularly conducted the survey since 1973, and it was last conducted in 2018.

“The NRBSS has an extensive history of giving important insight into how people are boating in waterways across the country,” said Captain Brent Schmadeke, Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary & Boating Safety, United States Coast Guard. “The findings are critical in guiding the Coast Guard’s security efforts to keep boating safe and enjoyable for everyone.”

The survey is being conducted via cooperative agreement by NORC at the University of Chicago, a nonpartisan research organization that has been conducting impactful research and analysis for more than 80 years. Over the next year, NORC will interview more than 50,000 households across all 50 states and the District of Columbia to gather information from individuals who own or rent boats. The results will provide valuable information to national, state, and local agencies through both national and state-level estimates.

Selected households will be invited to participate in the study via invitation letters, postcards, emails, and text messages. Those who receive an invitation are encouraged to participate to have their voice heard. Participating will help the United States Coast Guard keep our rivers, oceans, and other waterways safe. 

Respondent information will be held in the strictest confidence and will be grouped to produce statistical summaries. 

The U.S. Coast Guard is the national coordinator for the National Recreational Boating Safety Program, established by the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971. This foundational act empowers the Coast Guard to enhance safety on our nation's waterways by setting standards for boat construction, improving accident investigations and reporting, and providing crucial financial assistance to programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and six U.S. territories. Through the Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, the Recreational Boating Safety Program remains a cornerstone of our commitment to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all recreational boaters.  The National Recreational Boating Safety Program estimates 95,000 lives have been saved since the Program’s inception.  The most recent year of information recorded the fewest deaths in the Program’s history.

For more information about the NRBSS, visit https://uscgboating.org/statistics/national-recreational-boating-safety-survey.php. 

For further assistance or questions, contact onthewater@norc.org or SMB-COMDT-CG-BSX-Data@uscg.mil. 

Websites and Resources

• National Recreational Boating Safety Survey: https://uscgboating.org/statistics/national-recreational-boating-safety-survey.php
• USCG StoryMap Overview: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/88843802027049299d25ae755b724ccd
• NORC Project Page: https://www.norc.org/research/projects/the-national-recreational-boating-safety-survey.html
   

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