Pete Imirie, a boating-safety instructor who lives on the eastern shore of Maryland, offers these basic boating safety tips for the summer recreation season. Although the rules apply to Maryland, the advice is valuable for boaters everywhere.

¢ Always wear a life vest. These should be Coast Guard-approved. There must be a jacket or other flotation device for every person on board.

¢ Anyone younger than 8 must wear a life jacket when the boat is moving. Imirie recommends that all boaters wear them.

¢ An infant’s life jacket must have a flotation collar and a strap that goes between the child’s legs. This helps keep the jacket on and the infant’s head above water.

¢ Learn to put on the jacket properly, make sure it fits, and try it in the water so you know how it feels to swim with it on. Practice taking it off and putting it back on in the water.

The majority of boating accidents involve someone falling overboard. Here’s what to do if that happens:

¢ Holler “man overboard!” and point to where the person is in the water. Keep pointing until the skipper tells you to stop.

¢ Steer the boat toward the person. (If the boat has an engine, this will keep the propeller away from him.)

¢ Toss the person a lifesaving cushion or ring to keep him afloat.

¢ Once you’re near the person, turn off the engine (if you’re in a motorboat) so the propeller can’t hurt him.

¢ For boats with engines, pull the person in at the back (stern), which sits lower in the water.

¢ Before you might need to do any of this for real, practice these steps, including the ring (or cushion) toss. “If the professionals practice,” says Imirie, “why wouldn’t you?”