New York
72.74
The overall leader, helped by low fatality and accident rates, strong boating education rules, and above-average FEMA resilience.
Storm Challenge
How well would your boat survive here?
A storm is approaching. Pick a state to see the weather shift from calm water to full storm based on its readiness score.
High-scoring states get calm water. Mid-tier states get wind and rain. Lower-scoring states face the full storm.
Key findings
The top five storm-prepared boating states.
These states rise to the top because they combine safer boating outcomes with stronger rules, response coverage, and resilience.
New Jersey
63.64
A top regulation score helps New Jersey rank second overall.
Massachusetts
62.72
The strongest Coast Guard station density and FEMA resilience score in the study.
Mississippi
60.92
Very strong safety outcomes push Mississippi into the top five.
Maine
60.00
Low incident rates and strong resilience keep Maine near the top.
“Storm preparedness is not only about whether a state faces severe weather. It is about how well boaters are protected when conditions change. By looking at safety outcomes, boating rules, response coverage, and community resilience together, this ranking gives boaters a clearer picture of where the support system around them is strongest.”
Vukan Simic, founder and CEO of BoatBooker
Full ranking
Full state ranking
| Rank | State | Score | Fatality rate | Accident rate | Regulation | Stations | Resilience |
|---|
Methodology
How the storm-prepared score was built.
The ranking compares states fairly by turning each input into a like-for-like score, then combining the signals that matter most for storm-season boating.
Start with boating safety
USCG fatality and accident counts were divided by registered recreational vessels, so larger and smaller boating states could be compared on the same basis.
Score protective rules
Each state was checked against 12 boating-law signals, including education, licensing, life jacket, and personal watercraft requirements.
Add response and resilience
Coast Guard station coverage was measured against shoreline miles, while FEMA's resilience score captured how well communities can absorb disruption.
Convert to a 100-point score
Lower incident rates, stronger rules, higher station density, and stronger resilience all lifted the final storm-prepared boating score.
Ready for a better day on the water?
BoatBooker helps travelers discover boating trips, compare destinations, and book experiences with confidence.