Though here in Seattle it seems the spring rains will never end it's May and that means that the 2008 boating season has, as of tomorrow, officially started. As boaters rush to get their vessels ready for hours of fun in the rain (Seattle sunshine) we want to take a moment to offer some tips.
I was able to get underway briefly with Coast Guard Station Seattle to talk about boating safety.
Though boaters may think we sound like a broken record with our safety messages we keep seeing the same issues crop up each year. The number one reason a person drowns after falling into the water is because they were not wearing a lifejacket. Newer lifejackets can be worn like suspenders and will automatically inflate if a person enters the water. 90% of all drowning fatalities were not wearing a lifejacket.
Did you know there is a free service you can use to make sure your boat is ready for the boating season? The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free vessel safety checks to all boaters. The service looks at all of the items a Coast Guard boarding team will look at if they board your vessel and will let you know what you need to have to be good to go for a boarding.
What do you plan to do if you need help? Most of us never plan to get into trouble but are you ready in case trouble comes around while you're boating? Are you wearing a lifejacket? How about flares? And your VHF radio? AHH, you don't have a VHF marine radio? You were planning on using a cell phone to call for help weren't you? It's ok to admit it. Cell phones aren't designed to call for help on the water, VHF radios are. New technology allows the Coast Guard to track your radio signal and give us a good location.
Speaking of where you're at, did you remember to file a float plan? What's a float plan? A float plan tells your family and friends where you're going and when you plan on coming back. It should also contain plans in case you have an emergency .
For more information check out these links:
uscgboating.org/command/initiative.htm
uscgboating.org/safety/vsc.htm
http://nws.cgaux.org/index.html
Posted by Chief Paul Roszkowski, Assistant Public Affairs Officer, Thirteenth Coast Guard District
| [Editor's Note: The Thirteenth District Blog is produced for the members of the Coast Guard and its extended family. Editorial Content is unofficial and not authority for action. Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Homeland Security or the Coast Guard. All posts are reviewed for spelling, grammar, operational security and public affairs release. All posts are the original work of their respective author and have not been changed without the author's consent. Additionally, all post comments are similarly reviewed prior to posting. For questions or comments please visit here.] |
Comments:
can I subscribe to this blog? - Sailor617
-----------------------------
Yes, anyone can subscribe to this blog with an RSS reader. There are several free readers out there. Here is the link for our feed. - PAC Roszkowski
-----------------------------
Nice article Chief... the local newspaper here in Portland for boaters (Freshwater News) had many similar articles. - Andy Rusten 1228147
-----------------------------
Thanks Andy, I hope the article was helpful to people. Keep any eye out for more here as we continue to expand. - PAC Roszkowski
printer friendly