The National Recreational Boating Safety Survey
Problem
Understanding boating across the United States is crucial for safety, security, and law enforcement.
The National Recreational Boating Safety Survey (NRBSS) is the only method of measuring nationwide recreational boating in the United States. It is estimated that there are more than 80 million recreational boaters in the United States operating more than 25 million boats on over 25,000 miles of navigable waterways.
The NRBSS provides valuable estimates of boating by census region and state. Data from the NRBSS supports the federal-state partnership in boating safety by providing the necessary information to optimize safety and security programs. To increase the precision of the findings, the U.S. Coast Guard sought a research partner with the capacity to increase data collection and target hard-to-reach populations.
Solution
NORC is leading the design and data collection for the 2026 NRBSS, including an expanded sample to improve the quality and detail of the data.
The NRBSS consists of two components:
The participation survey will measure the number and demographics of people in the United States who went recreational boating. Using our AmeriSpeak® panel, NORC will conduct approximately four times as many interviews as were collected in 2018, improving the precision and accuracy of the estimates both nationally and for key demographic subgroups and gaining more detailed and reliable data on the segments of the recreational boating community that are more resistant to instituting safer boating practices.
The exposure survey will analyze usage patterns across different boat types, quantify the number of paddlecraft, and generate state-specific exposure estimates. For the exposure survey, NORC will conduct 50 percent more interviews than the 2018 survey and use an addressed-based probability sample, data of registered boat owners, and nonprobability samples. The additional sample size will improve the precision of state-level estimates for both registered and unregistered boats, including total exposure hours and details on the types of safety equipment on board.
Result
The new survey design will increase the number of completed NRBSS interviews and improve the precision of the estimates.
The results will help the Coast Guard, state agencies, and law enforcement design and implement programs to improve water safety for the American public.
Learn More About NRBSS
Get more information about the National Recreational Boating Safety Survey, including findings from past waves, on the U.S. Coast Guard website.
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Project Leads
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David Sterrett
Principal Research Scientist -
Emily Alvarez
Senior Research Scientist -
Lindsey Witt-Swanson
Senior Research Director
“The data collection for the NRBSS is crucial in providing a comprehensive understanding of recreational boating activities across the nation. By significantly increasing the number of interviews, we are able to enhance the precision and accuracy of our estimates. Ultimately, this data is essential for improving boating safety and ensuring that our waterways remain safe and enjoyable for everyone.”
