A Guide to Power Boat Safety

“How’s the Boat?”

That might be a question you hear from friends from time to time if you are a boat owner, but it is also a question you should ask of yourself. To ensure safety, each time you step foot onto your boat, whether it be a small, outboard driven fishing boat or a 27 foot cabin cruiser with all the comforts of home, the first thing you need to make sure of is that your boat is in good condition. Sometimes a problem will announce itself to you very prominently, such as if your boat has water in the bottom. If, after a heavy rain, a boat that stays in the water has some water in the bottom, that is to be expected. But any inordinate amount of water in your open boat should alert you to a possible leak. In an enclosed boat, watch for any listing (leaning more to one side than the other), any smells of fumes, any dents or gouges that you did not have before. (Remember, things go bump in the night in the water as well as on land-check to see if any boat or debris hit your boat when you were not on board.) Check the bilge and make sure there is no gasoline in it. If there is, do not operate anything electrical and don’t disconnect your battery. Make sure your radio works, make sure life jackets are on board and available, and that you have enough gas to make it to your destination and back, with some fuel to spare. The surest way to make sure you have no problems with the boat itself it to develop a checklist on all of the items you want to make sure are safe and in good operating condition.

Weather Watch

Get an up to date marine weather forecast before you decide to go boating. The NOAA marine weather forecast is available on your VHF radio, which is recommended if you plan on traveling offshore or in large bodies of water. If stormy weather or high seas are predicted, cancel your trip. The pleasure cruise you envision will be anything but a pleasure if you and your guests are caught in heavy wind and high seas. Even if the day starts out calm and sunny, sudden changes can occur, so if bad weather is forecast, save your boating for another day. Even when you do expect good weather, be prepared for any adverse changes by having rain gear on board, extra clothes, blankets and plenty of water. Small open boats usually do not have a VHF radio, but boaters should be alert to commercial weather forecasts of squalls or afternoon thunderstorms. Most small boats stay in small, protected waters and should be able to seek shelter if the weather turns quickly.

When Three is a Crowd

Everyone who owns a boat should know the boat’s capacity-how much weight the boat can handle-and make sure it is not exceeded. Most power boats over 20 feet in length must have a capacity plate which will tell you the maximum load the boat can safely carry. Even when you stay within the capacity load, you must make sure the weight on your boat is evenly distributed. If you have too much weight on one side, or in the front or back of the boat, you will reduce the “free board”, that is the amount of the boat that is above the water. The greater you reduce the free board, the greater the tendency of the boat to swamp or capsize. Know how much passenger and cargo weight you boat can carry, and make sure you balance this weight. Too many passengers seat themselves forward in a boat, causing the nose to plow into the water; many sit on the gunwale (side) of the boat, causing it to list to that side. In unbalanced situations such as this, any wave or wake or other turbulence in the water may cause it to capsize.

Fire Prevention

A safe boater will make sure he has adequate fire extinguishers on board and that they are in good condition, charged and have a recent inspection date. The exact number will depend on the size of the boat. But it is better yet to make sure you never have to use your fire extinguishers. Always check enclosed spaces for fumes before starting your engines. After filling up, run your blower for four to five minutes before starting the engine. Gasoline fumes are highly explosive and, since they are heavier than air, will stay in the bilge if they are not vented out properly. Avoid idling too much, since the engine’s lubrication is poorest while idling, causing heat and friction that can contribute to fire. Make sure your cooling water is flowing freely and keep a close eye on the engine thermometer to make sure that it is not overheating.

PFDs-They’re Not Mae Wests Anymore

Officially called “Personal Flotation Devices” by the Coast Guard, the common life jacket is the most important safety feature on any boat. The U.S. Coast Guard has estimated, from the boating accident statistics they annually compile, that 80 percent of the people who have drowned in a boating or water accident would have lived if they had been wearing a PFD, or life jacket, at the time of the accident. You are required to carry at least one wearable PFD of suitable size for each person on board your boat. If your boat is 16 feet or longer, but not a canoe or kayak, you must also carry one throw able flotation device. Just as with any other equipment on your boat, make sure all of your PFDs are in good condition, and easily accessible in case of need.

Follow the Rules

There are two sets of rules that apply to all vessels that are on the navigable waters of the United States. They are the Inland Rules and the International Rules. Together, they are commonly known as “the Nav Rules”. The International Rules are also known as the COLREGS, since they were originally “regulations” formulated to prevent “collisions” at sea. Boats over 12 meters long (about 39.4 feet) must carry a copy of the Nav Rules. Anyone else should certainly familiarize themselves with them. In general, these rules describe the ways in which vessels must act in relation to each other in order to maintain safety on the waters. Certain types of vessels have to “give way” to other types of vessels, and the procedures about how to give way are spelled out. Regulations regarding maintaining a safe lookout, maintaining a safe speed, how to manage in narrow channels, what kind of sound signals should be used, what kinds of lights must be on a boat, and how they should be shown in various situations, all endeavor to keep all members of the boating public safe while they are on the water.

Hope you enjoyed this article i wrote

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Signed
David O`Connor