Coast Guard Launches 2026 National Boating Safety Survey in Montgomery County

The U.S. Coast Guard is asking Montgomery County boaters to participate in the 2026 National Recreational Boating Safety Survey, which collects data on who goes boating, what boats they use, and how often.

The survey covers all types of boating, including kayaking on Lake Needwood or Little Seneca Lake, boating on the Potomac River, and sailing the Chesapeake Bay. The Coast Guard will use the results to improve boating safety programs at the national, state, and local level.

Who Can Participate

Selected households will receive invitations by mail, email, or text throughout 2026. Montgomery County residents who do not receive an invitation can sign up to be randomly selected at the registration link below.

The survey is conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, a nonpartisan research organization. More than 50,000 households nationwide will be interviewed over the next year. All responses are confidential.

Where to Sign Up

Montgomery County Public Library branches have flyers with a QR code linking to the registration form. The form is also available online at the registration link.

The Coast Guard says the survey has been conducted regularly since 1973 and is funded by the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.

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The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is launching the 2026 National Recreational Boating Safety Survey (NRBSS), which will provide detailed estimates in every state of how many people go boating, what types of boats they use, and how often they hit the water. Whether residents are kayaking on Lake Needwood or Little Seneca Lake, boating on the Potomac River, or sailing the Chesapeake Bay, the USCG wants to hear from Montgomery County, Maryland’s and the nation’s robust boating community.

This survey is funded under a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund administered by the USCG. It supports national and local safety and law enforcement programs by improving boating safety. The 2026 NRBSS is particularly important as it captures data reflecting the significant rise in boating as an outdoor activity across the state and the country in recent years. The Coast Guard has regularly conducted the survey since 1973.

“The NRBSS has an extensive history of giving important insight into how people are boating in waterways across the country, including heavily navigated areas in the Mid-Atlantic,” said Jonathan Hsieh, Manager of the National Recreational Boating Safety Survey and North Potomac resident. “The findings are critical in guiding the Coast Guard’s security efforts to keep boating safe and enjoyable for everyone.”

The survey is being conducted via a cooperative agreement by NORC at the University of Chicago, a nonpartisan research organization. Over the next year, NORC will interview more than 50,000 households across the nation to gather information from individuals who own or rent boats. The results will provide valuable information to national, state, and local Maryland agencies through detailed estimates.

Selected households in Montgomery County and throughout Maryland will be invited throughout the year to participate in the study via invitation letters, postcards, emails, and text messages. Those who receive an invitation are highly encouraged to participate to ensure local waterways are accurately represented.

Boaters also have a chance to sign up and be randomly selected to receive a survey throughout the year. To sign up, please visit this Registration Link and fill out the short form. A flyer with a QR code is available at every Montgomery County Public Library as well which directs a user to this same link.

Participating will help the United States Coast Guard keep our local rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways safe. Respondent information will be held in the strictest confidence and will be grouped to produce statistical summaries.

The U.S. Coast Guard is the national coordinator for the National Recreational Boating Safety Program, established by the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971. This foundational act empowers the Coast Guard to enhance safety on our nation’s waterways by setting standards for boat construction, improving accident investigations and reporting, and providing crucial financial assistance to programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and six U.S. territories. Through the Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, the Recreational Boating Safety Program remains a cornerstone of our commitment to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all recreational boaters. The National Recreational Boating Safety Program estimates 95,000 lives have been saved since the Program’s inception, with recent years recording the fewest deaths in the program’s history.

For more information about the NRBSS, visit the USCG Boating Survey Page.

For further assistance or questions, contact onthewater@norc.org or jonathan.c.hsieh2@uscg.mil.

To request promotional material and help the Coast Guard spread awareness, please visit our request form.

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