What would happen if you were speeding down a canal in your bass boat or heading offshore in your center-console and you suddenly keeled over?

Would your passengers know how to stop the boat? Would they know how to start it? Drive it? Get on the VHF radio and call for help?

Information might be the most important safety item you give your companions when boating. Without it, you could all be in for a long, dangerous day.

National Safe Boating Week started Saturday, and boating safety advocates are emphasizing the importance of wearing life jackets and of not drinking alcohol while on the water.

If you fall overboard, a life jacket can save you. But if you’re sober, you can avoid falling overboard.

According to Coast Guard statistics, drowning is the No. 1 cause of boating-related deaths and nearly 86 percent of those who drowned in 2003 were not wearing life jackets.

But even if you get people on your boat to wear life jackets and not drink, you still need to tell them what they must do in case there’s a problem.

Say you’re offshore and for some reason – heatstroke, bad fall, bite from a barracuda – you can’t run your boat.

Your passengers should be able to administer aid and bring you back to port.

They also should be able to report the boat’s position to the authorities in case emergency action is needed.

Having your passengers know where you are also helps if your boat has an accident or starts to sink.

You should also tell someone on land your plans for the day – where you’re going and how long you plan to be out – in case you encounter trouble and don’t have an opportunity to make a mayday call.

If you’re taking novice boaters out for the day, show them how to read the GPS numbers off your chart plotter so they can call in your location if necessary.

You might also provide commentary as you’re running around, telling them where you are and where you’re headed to next, in case the GPS is disabled or inaccessible after a mishap.

Even when you know exactly where you are, it could take a long time for help to arrive.

That’s why it’s a good idea to carry sun screen, bug spray, a hat and a flashlight plus plenty of food and water in case you have to spend the whole day and part of the night in your boat.