Step1
In order to keep yourself and your passengers safe when boating, make sure and know what you're doing. If you are new to boating, take a water and boat safety course/class or read a boating book. This will teach you the general guides that boaters use.
Step2
Make sure and have safety equipment on board as appropriate, such as life jackets, flares, ladders, a radio, a first aid kit, etc.
Step3
NEVER overload your boat with too many passengers (every boat has a maximum capacity), and keep passengers out of the way of the person driving.
Step4
When you get your boat, take the boat out and get some practice with it before loading passengers. Make sure and follow general boating rules and inform your passengers of the rules and where the safety equipment is in case they need it.
Step5
Make sure all children, dogs and people who cannot swim have a life jacket on at all times.
Step6
Keep your distance from other boaters. There could be swimmers around other boats, people fishing out of the boats, or the current could move you closer to the other boats than you expect. Also, when anchoring, keep a nice distance from all boats around you.
Step7
Make sure you have boat insurance! If there is a fire or an accident, you would be "up a creek" without insurance.
Step8
Never drink alcohol if you are driving the boat. Many accidents occur on recreation boats because of drinking. Also, if you are in an accident or caught drunk, you will get fined (just like in a car), and your insurance rates will go up.
Step9
Keep your boat up to date and working properly. Letting the boat age and not check operational parts can cause accidents or might get you stuck in the middle of a lake without power. Many people rush into boating and don't realize the "ins" and "outs" and have huge financial bills because of ignorance. For example, you forget to put the plug in the boat at the beginning of the year and the boat sinks. OUCH.
Step10
Do not let anyone drive your boat without you who does not have a boating permit or has no experience boating. There is a law about kids under 16 taking out boats, there are safety classes for kids to take to get a permit. Go out with your 16-year-old a few times and help them get used to driving before allowing them to go solo.
Step11
Make sure you have an anchor, and before throwing it into the water, make sure the anchor is tied to a rope. That sounds silly, but I've seen many people throw anchor and watch it sink to the bottom of the lake because they forgot to tie the rope to the boat before throwing.
Step12
If you are fishing, make sure all tackle is kept in the tackle box, and when you cast, make sure you look behind you and don't "hook" your passenger instead of a fish. Make sure you have gas in your motor, and make sure you have life jackets in the boat. A first aid kit would be handy as well.
Step13
If someone falls overboard, stop the engines immediately so the propeller doesn't hurt the person in the water. Make sure the person is away from the propellers and engine, and slowly go forward, turn the boat around, and make sure you keep the person in view so you don't hit them with the boat when approaching. Turn OFF the motor and help the person in.
Step14
If water skiing or water boarding, make sure the skiier knows the signals to give the people on board information. Such as, thumb down means go slower, thumb up means go faster, etc., and if they fall, the skiier should signal with the arm to make sure that the people in the boat know that they are ok. Also, someone should be watching the skiier at all times (besides the driver), to make sure that the skiier is ok and that will let the driver focus on driving and not watching behind him.
Step15
The driver / captain of the boat is responsible for all matters relating to boating. It is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly. Follow boating etiquette and rules, and your boating experiences should be great.
How to be Safe When Boating
Authority 
