Is your boat ‘river ready’? Sacramento hosts safety check ahead of Memorial Day

Sacramento boaters can get their vessels checked for free this weekend to ensure they are ready to hit the water this summer.

The Sacramento Marina is hosting a “River Ready” boating safety event this Saturday, the first day of National Safe Boating Week. At the 2710 Ramp Way marina in Upper Land Park, local and state groups will offer a variety of waterway safety education and resources, according to a news release from the City of Sacramento.

“Sacramento’s waterways are one of the city’s greatest recreational assets, and River Ready is about helping everyone enjoy them safely and responsibly,” said Sacramento Marina manager Kendra Gray in the news release.

From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, city and state marine authorities will provide vessel safety checks on land or in the water, verifying compliance with laws regarding registration, equipment such as life jackets and fire extinguishers, proper ventilation and more.

Additionally, attendees have the chance to win free life jackets in a giveaway, peruse a swap meet with nautical goods, take a demonstration boat ride and check out fire boat demonstrations.

Educational booths will provide resources on preventing the spread of invasive species, curbing pollution and more.

National Safe Boating Week is an annual marine safety awareness campaign supported by the National Safe Boating Council and the U.S. Coast Guard. This year, it runs from May 16-22, marking the week leading up to Memorial Day.

The program primarily encourages life jacket usage, but also urges general responsible boating practices like not consuming alcohol before operating a vessel.

“By bringing together boating experts, emergency responders and environmental partners, we’re giving residents hands-on access to the tools and information they need before heading out on the water this summer,” Gray said in the release.

Camila Pedrosa

The Sacramento Bee

Camila Pedrosa is the California Diversions Reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked on The Bee’s service journalism team and was a summer reporting intern for The Bee in 2024. She graduated from Arizona State University with a master’s degree in mass communication.