Getaway Guide To Safe Summer Boating
What could be more American than spending all or part of the 4th of July weekend on the water. There's sailing, power boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and jet skiing. The waterways will be crowded with skippers, boat guests, charter sailors and people who are just having fun. Us. It's also one of the busiest weekends for America's "Guardians of the Sea" - the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary and Marine Police who have to maintain some order and rescue those, who through accident or neglect, find themselves in distress. -- Jay Lloyd
WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
Well, let's start with collisions. Then there are sudden storms, overloaded boats, overloaded boaters, exploding engine compartments, hitting partially submerged objects like cargo containers, pilings, wrecks, rocks, flotsam and jetsam. All of these and more are frequent topics during luncheons with my Coast Guard veterans ROMEO group. You know - Retired Old Men Eating Out". Between us, we've seen and responded to all of it. So how do you enjoy the water and minimize the chance of becoming a victim?
MAYDAY
If worst fears are realized, it's essential to immediately contact help. In this age of cell phones, many new and inexperienced boaters have relied solely on the phone to call the Coast Guard, police or marina. But the call reaches only one source of help which may be miles away and tied up with another distress, A VHF radio on channel 16 is essential. Your distress call not only reaches lifesaving units, but also many boats in your immediate area which could get to you in flash. In addition to having a console radio on the boat, back it up with a hand-held. Make sure everyone on board knows how to use the units.
PREVENTION
When bad stuff happens, it happens really fast. Follow these simple rules to avoid or survive the bad stuff.
Pay attention to the marine weather forecasts.
Go through a "Man Overboard" drill.
Skippers should check out all guests in emergency procedures.
Life jackets should be worn or kept very close.
On the open sea, life jackets should be equipped with strobe lights.
Offshore crew members "on watch" should be tethered with harnesses.
Run the engine compartment fan for at least 5 minutes before hitting the start button.
Always check the bilge for an unusual accumulation of water.
Know the nautical rules of the road and pay attention to navigation aids.
Keep your charts (paper or electronic) up to date
Stow the beer and booze until the boat is snugged up for the night.
On canoes and kayaks, life jackets must be worn. Be familiar with waterway currents, eddies, obstructions, falls and dams.
On commercial tour boats, ferries and water taxis, know where the life jackets are stowed.
For emergencies that do not threaten lives or property, buy towing insurance.
A WORD ABOUT LIFE JACKETS
Most states have life jacket laws for children. Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware require them to be worn by kids 12 and under, Maryland 13 and under. Check requirements and exceptions for any state at boatus.org.
Many adults consider life jackets either cumbersome or uncool. I wear one whenever underway. In summer, on bays and rivers I use a manually inflated suspender unit. It's lightweight, comfortable and beats drowning. They cost about $100. Offshore suspender units that inflate automatically when they hit the water average $175 to $200 and up. A personal strobe light is about $25. If your family is renting or chartering a boat or guesting on a private boat, make sure children's life jackets are available. If not, buy one that fits your child. A good one costs about $50 to $60.
I don't mean to be an alarmist when all we want to do is have fun. But you've heard the stories of distress at sea on KYW-Newsradio and seen them on CBS3. Accidents don't just happen to other people.
Play it safe, and summer on the water will be a joy.
