BE WEATHER-WISE
❐ Check local weather conditions before departure
• Play it safe and get off the water if you notice darkening clouds, rough, changing winds or sudden temperature drops
FOLLOW A PRE-DEPARTURE CHECKLIST
❐ Boating safety rules
❐ Proper equipment
• Ensure you'll be ready for any on-water emergency
USE COMMON SENSE
❐ Operate at a safe speed, especially on crowded waters
❐ Be alert
❐ Steer clear of large vessels
❐ Pay attention to buoys and other navigational aids
DESIGNATE AN ASSISTANT SKIPPER
❐ Ensure another person on board can take the helm and return to shore should you become incapacitated
DEVELOP A FLOAT PLAN
❐ Always let someone on shore know your boating plans.
Include:
• Name, address, and phone number of trip leader and passengers
• Boat type and registration
• Trip itinerary
• Type of communication and signal equipment on board
LEARN TO SWIM
❐ Check with local pools, or organizations such as the YMCA and American Red Cross for lessons
WEAR LIFEJACKETS
❐ Fit and assign a lifejacket to each passenger prior to launch
TAKE A BOATING COURSE
• Boating education requirements vary by state; regardless of your state's regulations, it's smart to be educated
SCHEDULE A FREE VESSEL SAFETY CHECK
• The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Power Squadrons offer free vessel safety checks to verify presence and condition of safety equipment, check out your boat and make safety recommendations. Find an examiner: http://www.safetyseal.net/GetVSC/
SAFETY RESOURCES
• Boat-ed.com: Official boating safety courses and online tests for your boat license
• US Power Squadrons (usps.org) and Coast Guard Auxiliaries (cgaux.org): Free vessel safety checks, boater education and safe boating tips
• Boater101.com: Water and boating safety instruction
Content courtesy of BoatSafe.com
Special Notice
The Coast Guard has recently released its first boating safety App. Features of the app include: state boating information; a safety equipment checklist; free boating safety check requests; navigation rules; float plans; and calling features to report pollution or suspicious activity. When location services are enabled, users can receive the latest weather reports from the closest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather buoys as well as report the location of a hazard on the water. The app also features an Emergency Assistance button which, with locations services enabled, will call the closest Coast Guard command center. http://www.uscg.mil/mobile/
Hi Chuck, hope and pray you are recovering well and soon will be on the water again.
ReplyDeleteA while back you shared on relocating your holding tank to the aft cabin. I am about to do the same and would like to know your comments on how it worked out for you. Also, how is the custom holding tank holding up? Rob
Thanks for your well wishes Rob. Recovery is coming along. The holding tank has worked out just fine. We haven't had any issues with the tank and overall are pleased with our decision. I was concerned about odors with it under the bunk, but using Odorloss in the tank and CP for cleaning of the head, there has been no odors. Good luck. Chuck
DeleteChuck, hope all is well. Are you still in Yankeetown? I have a friend, Tom Sheehey, headed over to Yankeetown onboard Grey Goose - a small sailboat - and he is worried about depth and a place to anchor. If you happen to see him encourage him a little. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWill, Yes we're still in Yankeetown. Unless your friend has a very deep draft, he will have no problems with depth. There are a couple of spots to anchor. We show them in our Gulf Coast book. We will keep an eye out.
DeleteHi Chuck and Susan, glad to hear guy are recovering and still posting. I think about you guys and what you went thru a lot. We hope to be cruising someday soon. I will be getting a book from you before we go!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Laura.
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