Boating Safety Should Not Be Taken Lightly
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TAMPA - With Tampa Bay, Hillsborough Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and local rivers, our area is a boater's paradise.
Unfortunately, Coast Guard marine investigator Mike Shea said, too many people operate boats without knowing or practicing basic safety tips. Many have a carefree attitude about their vessels, instead of realizing that ``running a boat is about is about as complicated and dangerous as running a small airplane,'' said Shea, who also commands Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 79 in Tampa.
Saturday starts National Safe Boating Week. The Coast Guard group in St. Petersburg, at 600 Eighth Ave. S.E., will hold a safety fair on boating from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., complete with interactive demonstrations on fighting fires aboard boats, displays of safety equipment and boating tips.
The fair is particularly relevant for the Bay area. Statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show that 68 people died in the state last year in boating crashes, with the highest single-county toll - seven - in Pinellas.
Some victims fell prey to a false sense of security, the state agency notes. In a study of last year's boating crashes, the agency found the typical boating crash victim is a 22- to 50-year-old man. More than half of last year's boat operators involved in crashes had more than 100 hours of experience operating a vessel, the agency says.
Life Jackets Are Crucial
Excessive alcohol use was the leading cause of Florida's boating crashes last year, the study showed. Drowning was the leading cause of death in those crashes.
Even a good swimmer can drown after being in water for hours, Shea said, so wearing a life jacket is crucial. Some of the newer designs are lightweight and compact when dry.
``We've picked up people 15, 16, 24 hours later, and they're OK because they were wearing a life jacket,'' Shea said. ``There's no real reason not to wear one.''
Proper fit is important. Once zippered or buckled, the jacket should keep your head and shoulders above water. Try this test: Hold your arms straight up alongside your head. If someone standing behind you can pull the jacket over your head, the jacket is too big, the Coast Guard says.
When the boat is not in use, store the jackets away from sunlight and chemicals, which can weaken the device's materials over time, the Coast Guard says.
In addition to life jackets for everyone aboard, each boat should have a marine radio, in case a boater runs into trouble out of cell phone range, Shea said.
If your boat is motorized, keep a paddle or two stowed away in case of engine trouble. Also, pack a hand-operated bilge pump or a bucket to bail out water if the bilge pump goes bad, he said.
Shea also recommends filing what he calls a ``float plan,'' similar to a flight plan, with a friend or relative. Include where you're leaving from, where you're going, how many people are on board and when you expect to return, so authorities can pinpoint a search area if you're overdue.
A Recipe For Disaster
Shea recalled a 2002 case where four Tampa men died after violating those tips. He had to tell their families of their deaths.
The boaters had left Dec. 28, 2002, for a fishing trip in a 20-foot vessel and never returned; rescuers found three of their bodies a day later near Egmont Key. They died of hypothermia, Shea said.
The boat's owner had disconnected the malfunctioning bilge pump before taking his friends on the water, an inquiry concluded. None of the men wore a life jacket, Shea said, and relatives weren't sure where they were headed.
The owner had a marine radio, but ``it was at home, in the garage on the floor,'' Shea said.
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TAMPA - With Tampa Bay, Hillsborough Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and local rivers, our area is a boater's paradise.
Unfortunately, Coast Guard marine investigator Mike Shea said, too many people operate boats without knowing or practicing basic safety tips. Many have a carefree attitude about their vessels, instead of realizing that ``running a boat is about is about as complicated and dangerous as running a small airplane,'' said Shea, who also commands Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 79 in Tampa.
Saturday starts National Safe Boating Week. The Coast Guard group in St. Petersburg, at 600 Eighth Ave. S.E., will hold a safety fair on boating from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., complete with interactive demonstrations on fighting fires aboard boats, displays of safety equipment and boating tips.
The fair is particularly relevant for the Bay area. Statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show that 68 people died in the state last year in boating crashes, with the highest single-county toll - seven - in Pinellas.
Some victims fell prey to a false sense of security, the state agency notes. In a study of last year's boating crashes, the agency found the typical boating crash victim is a 22- to 50-year-old man. More than half of last year's boat operators involved in crashes had more than 100 hours of experience operating a vessel, the agency says.
Life Jackets Are Crucial
Excessive alcohol use was the leading cause of Florida's boating crashes last year, the study showed. Drowning was the leading cause of death in those crashes.
Even a good swimmer can drown after being in water for hours, Shea said, so wearing a life jacket is crucial. Some of the newer designs are lightweight and compact when dry.
``We've picked up people 15, 16, 24 hours later, and they're OK because they were wearing a life jacket,'' Shea said. ``There's no real reason not to wear one.''
Proper fit is important. Once zippered or buckled, the jacket should keep your head and shoulders above water. Try this test: Hold your arms straight up alongside your head. If someone standing behind you can pull the jacket over your head, the jacket is too big, the Coast Guard says.
When the boat is not in use, store the jackets away from sunlight and chemicals, which can weaken the device's materials over time, the Coast Guard says.
In addition to life jackets for everyone aboard, each boat should have a marine radio, in case a boater runs into trouble out of cell phone range, Shea said.
If your boat is motorized, keep a paddle or two stowed away in case of engine trouble. Also, pack a hand-operated bilge pump or a bucket to bail out water if the bilge pump goes bad, he said.
Shea also recommends filing what he calls a ``float plan,'' similar to a flight plan, with a friend or relative. Include where you're leaving from, where you're going, how many people are on board and when you expect to return, so authorities can pinpoint a search area if you're overdue.
A Recipe For Disaster
Shea recalled a 2002 case where four Tampa men died after violating those tips. He had to tell their families of their deaths.
The boaters had left Dec. 28, 2002, for a fishing trip in a 20-foot vessel and never returned; rescuers found three of their bodies a day later near Egmont Key. They died of hypothermia, Shea said.
The boat's owner had disconnected the malfunctioning bilge pump before taking his friends on the water, an inquiry concluded. None of the men wore a life jacket, Shea said, and relatives weren't sure where they were headed.
The owner had a marine radio, but ``it was at home, in the garage on the floor,'' Shea said.
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posted by SellABoat.Com @ 8:59 AM
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