Summer Boating Safety Guide
When you take off for a summer getaway that involves boats and the water, the last thing on anyone's mind is a tragedy. It's all about fun and sun. But there is one group of men and women known as the "Guardians of the Sea" who have played vital rescue roles when lakes, rivers, bays and oceans turned nasty. Accidents DO happen, and when my group of Coast Guard veterans gathered recently at the Cape May base, the conversation turned to those that could have been avoided. For a safe summer on the water, take heed. – Jay Lloyd
IGNORING COAST GUARD RECOMMENDATIONS
Captain Jim Khight recalls the swimmers and their kayak escorts rounding Cape May Point during a competitive event. The weather forecast hadn't been good, and the Coast Guard had recommended canceling the event. Still, it went off as planned. On a good day, the water at a point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Delaware Bay can be tricky. On this day, "The Rips" became hazardous. As Jim recalls, "Swimmers were going down. Kayaks were flipping up."
Fortunately, the Coast Guard Auxiliary was on hand and everyone was saved.
The Lesson: Always check marine forecasts before casting off and don't shrug off a Coast Guard or Marine Police warning.
STAY WITH THE BOAT
Petty Officer Steve Smith was patrolling San Francisco Bay when the wind accelerated and the waves kicked up. His boat crew received a call. Small sailboats taking part in a race had capsized. Some of the crews were inexperienced and unable to right their boats. The sails had become weighted with water. Some of the sailors decided to swim for shore. A couple never made it; more were rescued before going under.
The Lesson: If the boat is afloat, stay with it. The shore may be farther than you think. It's easier for a rescuer to find a capsized, floating boat than a lone swimmer.
BEWARE OF ROPE AND LINES
Captain Bob Dell was a young Coast Guardsman at the Indian River Station in Delaware. A boater had fallen overboard just offshore and hadn't resurfaced. A search began. It turned out the lost boater had wanted to get a bucket of seawater. He tied a line to the bucket and wrapped the other end around his wrist. The force of the moving boat and the weight of the water dragged him overboard. Coast Guard units searched, but he was never found.
The Lesson: Never wrap a line around any body part and always be aware of lines that can snap with great force or snag a boater.
LIFE JACKETS
The boater that Bob Dell had searched for might be alive today if he had worn a life jacket. I always do. Those who don't often argue discomfort and an ability to swim if they go over the side, but going for a swim and falling off a boat are not the same thing. A fall is often accompanied by a collision between head and hull. You can't swim very well when unconscious. Many boating states mandate life jackets for children, although age requirements vary. But there are no regulations for adults, only that life jackets must be aboard.
The Lesson: Just wear it. Save your family some grief and the Coast Guard a search.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE TANK
A number of my Coast Guard veteran shipmates tell similar stories of private fishing boats staying out longer and farther than their fuel capacity, especially when the fish are biting and no one wants to go home. At one time, the Coast Guard would give out-of-gas boaters a tow. The only charge was a lecture. Now, they send a commercial service with luxury price tags, but the real danger lies in being disabled and finding the boat in the middle of an unexpected storm or squall.
The Lesson: Keep an eye on the tank.
CHECKLIST FROM PREVIOUS KYW SAFETY GUIDES
Leave a float plan, detailing your itinerary and return date, for loved ones.
Carry a VHF radio. Don't depend on cell phones to call help.
Use your "blow out" fan to clear gas fumes before starting the engine.
Brief all guests on the "do's" and "don'ts."
Stow the alcohol until you're snug to a dock.
Above all, don't become a story for future Coast Guardsman to tell.
Now, go out there and have fun!
