PHONES DOWN EYES UP

Phones Down Eyes Up™: What Marinas and Boaters Need to Know About a Life-Saving Message

The most dangerous moment on or near the water isn’t always during a storm or a mechanical failure—it’s the quiet moment when someone stops paying attention. Drowning is often silent, fast, and preventable, especially when children are involved. That’s why the YMCA of the USA launched the Phones Down Eyes Up™ campaign in 2025: to combat distraction and promote active supervision around pools, docks, and open water.

Though developed with pools and waterparks in mind, the campaign’s core message applies equally—and urgently—to marinas and recreational boaters. With summer in full swing and more families heading to the water, marina operators are in a key position to amplify this safety message, protect visitors, and prevent tragedies.

Where the Message Began

The YMCA introduced Phones Down Eyes Up™ ahead of National Water Safety Month 2025, citing alarming statistics: 88% of child drownings occur with at least one adult present, often distracted by phones or other devices. The campaign challenges adults to put their phones away and maintain active visual contact when supervising children near water.

The official launch in April 2025 encouraged families nationwide to take a pledge to stay alert near water and promote safer swimming environments. Support materials included downloadable signs, digital reminders, and guidance for creating “Water Watcher” plans—designating an adult to be fully responsible for watching swimmers without distraction.

Coverage from Parents Magazine and other family-focused outlets helped spread the message across social media, generating thousands of shares under #PhonesDownEyesUp. By Memorial Day weekend, pools, camps, and waterfronts across the country had begun posting the slogan in highly visible areas.

How the Campaign Connects to Boaters and Marinas

While the campaign is rooted in pool safety, its message is especially relevant in boating and marina environments—where distractions, moving vessels, and unpredictable water conditions can amplify the consequences of inattention.

Children playing on docks, sitting near fuel stations, or riding aboard vessels deserve active supervision—yet phones, tablets, and onboard screens often compete for adult attention. Even quick text messages or scrolls through social media can create just enough delay to miss the signs of a fall, slip, or distress in the water.

The U.S. Coast Guard consistently ranks drowning as the leading cause of death in recreational boating accidents, with nearly 75% of fatalities in 2022 attributed to drowning—often without life jacket use and with no one noticing until it was too late (USCG Boating Statistics 2022). Understanding the impact of distraction on water safety starts with knowing the numbers. The r.eport counted 4,040 accidents, including 636 fatalities and 2,222 injuries, resulting in approximately $63 million in damages. Most notably, 75% of boating deaths involved drowning, and of those, an alarming 85% were not wearing life jackets. These figures underscore the critical importance of maintaining active vigilance around the water—because even a momentary distraction like checking a phone can mean missing a person in distress.

By integrating the Phones Down Eyes Up™ message into daily operations and customer communications, marinas can play a frontline role in reducing these risks and aligning with national safety efforts.

Implementing the Message at the Marina

There are several low-effort, high-impact ways to bring the campaign into your facility, especially during peak summer traffic.

Display Visible Signage

Print or create waterproof signage that uses the Phones Down Eyes Up™ slogan. Place it at:

Fuel docks
Swimming access areas
Boat rental stations
Marina entrances
Near picnic or lounge areas

The YMCA’s downloadable posters and graphics can be adapted for marina settings. Branded signs are more likely to catch the attention of boaters unfamiliar with pool-based safety campaigns.

Designate “Water Watchers” at Events

If your marina hosts summer events—like docktail hours, fishing derbies, or kids’ days—consider assigning a rotating “Water Watcher” among staff or volunteers. Give them a clearly marked badge or lanyard and define their role: to watch children near water without distraction.

You can also distribute Water Watcher cards to boating families, encouraging them to rotate responsibility in their group when supervising young swimmers or dockside play.

Incorporate the Message Into Boater Orientation

Transient boaters, renters, and first-time visitors may not be familiar with your safety protocols. Include a line in your check-in materials or slipholder communications reminding guests:

“For everyone’s safety, we support the YMCA’s ‘Phones Down Eyes Up™’ campaign—please stay alert around children and pets near the water.”

Add this reminder to waiver forms, digital welcome packets, or boat rental briefings.

Promoting the Message on Social Media

The phrase “Phones Down, Eyes Up™” is tailor-made for digital content. Marinas can share quick, eye-catching reminders across Instagram, Facebook, or email newsletters, especially heading into weekends and holidays.

Educating Boaters About Situational Awareness

“Phones Down Eyes Up” applies to more than just supervising children. The idea of undistracted vigilance has wide applications in boating:

Watching for oncoming traffic at fuel docks
Spotting paddlecraft or swimmers near slips
Handling lines during docking and departure
Monitoring guests who may not be familiar with boating etiquette

Encouraging all boaters—not just parents—to be alert on the water helps foster a culture of shared responsibility and safety. Consider offering a mini safety refresher or sharing stories about near-misses (anonymized) that reinforce the consequences of being distracted.

Supporting National Safety Efforts

The YMCA of the USA isn’t alone in promoting this message. The campaign has received support from:

The American Red Cross
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance
The Safe Boating Campaign, which includes carbon monoxide awareness and life jacket education
Regional water-safety coalitions and state swim programs, such as those supported by the ZAC Foundation’s statewide coalitions, which work within every U.S. region to advance local water-safety initiatives

By aligning with a nationally recognized campaign, marinas show their commitment to modern safety practices—something that increasingly matters to younger and family-focused boating customers.

For added impact, consider making a donation to your local YMCA’s water safety programming or partnering with them for a co-branded dockside safety event.

More Than a Slogan

The Phones Down Eyes Up™ campaign is a simple reminder with far-reaching impact. It challenges habits that have become normalized—especially around smartphones—and replaces them with a clear, proactive expectation: watch the water, not the screen.

For marina operators, promoting this mindset is a natural extension of existing safety practices. For boaters, it’s a life-saving adjustment that can protect the people they care most about.

With summer underway and foot traffic increasing on docks, ramps, and swim platforms, the message is perfectly timed—and entirely worth repeating.

Additional resources and downloadable materials can be found here:

About MariCorp

Maricorp is one of the largest floating boat dock manufacturing and construction companies in the United States, specializing in galvanized steel floating docks and boat lift systems. With projects spanning coast-to-coast, Maricorp provides marina consultation and design, marine construction, marina repair and renovation, and boat dock disaster response and demolition.