I just got home from what I would call “A Boater’s World,” in Southport, N.C. Yesterday morning, I watched about 100 boats of every size headed to the ocean. A bit later, about a dozen kayakers launched into the Cape Fear River from a beach in Southport. I then saw multiple yachts, sailboats, and the occasional pilot boat, going out to meet a ship. All of this reminds me that boats are a huge part of many people’s lives. Boats are great sources of recreation, while some live on their boats. Whatever your boating world looks like, it is important that you practice wise boating. There is no way that I could touch on in this article every safety consideration that a boater must be aware of, but hopefully, this will help to get you thinking.
The first thing that we will look at is the readiness of your boat to be on the water. What is the condition of the hull of your boat? Whether your boat is aluminum or fiberglass, you must check the hull regularly for areas of weakness. If your boat has bilge pumps, are they working properly? If your boat requires a plug, then you must ensure that the plug is securely installed. Though this has nothing to do with being on the water. If you haul your boat on a trailer, you will want to maintain all parts of that trailer. The side of an interstate or a parking lot is the last place that you want to have to work on your trailer. The following is a required/recommended list of safety equipment:
- A properly sized life vest for each person on board
- A throwable flotation device
- Properly operating lights, running and anchor
- A horn, whistle, or something else to make noise with
- A marine radio
- A flare gun with flares
- A properly operating blower fan
- Proper boat registration numbers
- An anchor with plenty of rope or chain
- Fuel tank with no leaks in fuel lines
- Also make sure that your weep hole is putting out water, insuring that your water pump is working properly
Once you know that your boat, trailer and equipment are in good, operating condition, now we must talk about you, the operator. While we were in Southport, a boating accident occurred with one person being seriously injured. The accident occurred because the boat operator was distracted. I believe the distraction in this accident was a cell phone. As a boat operator, do you know the Rules of the Road? Rules of the road are what you need to know while on the water, when operating a boat. What do you know about the body of water on which you are operating your boat? What about at night? Do you know how to read a chart, if one exists for the body of water that you are on? Not a popular subject, but alcohol and operating boats do not mix. In fact, you can be charged with driving a boat while under the influence of alcohol. Even before that, you should care about the well-being of every person aboard your boat.
What is your plan, and who knows it? Someone needs to know where you are launching from, generally where you are headed, and when you should be back. I floated the Nottoway River a number of years ago, and we were two or more hours late getting to our takeout because we just did not know the river. During my Coast Guard days, I went to many overdue boat calls. One of the unfortunate cases involved two men who had gone out on the Pamlico Sound in a johnboat. They got caught in a terrible storm. We found these two men, after three days of an air and water search. Both men were wearing their life jackets, but drowned in the 15-foot seas that the winds had generated. The more someone onshore knows about your trip, the better the chance of an earlier call being made in the event that you have problems.
If you get in trouble on the water, what will you do? How will you handle a person overboard? What will you do if your boat is taking on water? What will you do if your boat catches on fire? How will you handle a mechanical breakdown? These are all things that you must consider as a boat owner-operator. Do you have a contract with SEATOW or another boat towing company? Channel 16 is the emergency hailing channel, on a marine radio. The Coast Guard monitors channel 16, but the Coast Guard may not be close to your location. Locally, 9-1-1 is the number to call, if you have cell service. Bottom line, you need a plan for whatever may occur. Enjoy your boat and be safe!
Have a safe and happy July Fourth and remember; fireworks are prohibited in Chesterfield County without a proper license to own, possess, store or discharge.
