Boating Information

Boater Safety Tips

· Always have a Personal Flotation Device on board for each passenger. Make sure devices are size-appropriate.

· Always have a throw able life ring or buoy on your vessel.

· Always have a fire extinguisher on board. Make sure all passengers know where it is located and how to use it.

· Always have a horn, bell or whistle on your vessel. Conduct regular checks to ensure the noise device is working appropriately.

· Never take a vessel out into the water while you are under the influence of alcohol or other substances.

· Always have a communication device on board that does not depend on cell towers. Two-way radios are the most popular.

For the past year the television broadcasters have blanketed the airwaves advising the public that starting in February 2009 over-the-air television broadcasts will be going digital in the United States. This means that if you want to continue to receive free television reception, you must have a newer TV that has a digital tuner or you need to get a digital-to-analog converter box.

Not as well known but of substantial importance is that a critical piece of life-saving equipment will also be affected with a change from analog to digital transmissions - an Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon or EPIRB.

Starting in February 2009 the older beacons that transmit only an analog signal (121.5 or 243 MHz) will no longer be heard by search and rescue satellites. Just like checking a TV, boaters need to ensure that their distress beacon is capable of transmitting a digital signal (406 MHz) in order for it to be recognized.

Although recreational boaters are not required to carry an EPIRB, they are strongly recommended for all boaters, including kayaks and other paddle craft, along with a VHF‐FM marine band radio. The 406 MHz signal sent by the newer EPIRBs when a mariner encounters distress are picked up by the COSPAS/SARSAT satellite constellation, which determines the EPIRBs position through triangulation. EPIRBs with embedded GPS are even more helpful in quickly finding a distressed boater. With GPS coordinates, the position of distress is pinpointed almost immediately. Without GPS, it may take two or three satellite passes to come up with a good, triangulated position.

As long as the new 406 MHz beacon has been registered (which is required by law), search and rescue authorities can quickly confirm that the distress is real, who they are looking for, and a description of the vessel or aircraft. This means an effective search can be initiated even before a final distress location has been determined for non‐GPS EPIRBs. It also means that a false activation may be resolved with a phone call to the beacon owner, saving resources for actual distresses.

Registration is free and can be done on the internet at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov or it can be mailed/faxed to NOAA by calling 1‐888‐212‐SAVE. Beacon registrations must be updated at least every two years or when information such as emergency contact phone numbers and other vital information changes. This registration information is only available to authorized search and rescue personnel.

The following is for all boaters (and our families) who have chosen the water as a place for fun and adventure.

1. Life Jackets. You are required to have a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket for everyone onboard. Federal Law states that children under the age of 13 are required to have a PFD on whenever the boat leaves the dock (some exceptions). 750 people died in boating accidents in the United States last year, according to the USCG. 85% of those who drowned were NOT wearing a life jacket, even though, in most cases, PFDs were aboard at the time of the accident. It's not good enough to stow a PFD or just sit on it, you've got to wear it! There is rarely enough time to grab a life jacket, much less get it on before you are in the water. Accidents happen unexpectedly and quickly. With today's new, lightweight inflatable and other comfortable designer PFDs, there is no longer ANY excuse for not wearing a life jacket. Life jackets float, you don't! Wear them!

2. Take a boating safety course. They're educational, fun and available at little or no cost. I know for a fact that the United States Power Squadrons teach everything from basic boating to costal piloting to celestial navigation.

3. Follow the Navigation Rules. You need to know all about beacons and buoys, "Red Right Returning", which boat is the "Stand-on vessel", which boat is the "Give-way vessel" and so on. It wouldn't be a good idea to drive a car and not know what any of the road signs mean. Likewise, it's not a good idea to drive a boat and not have a clue as to what the "signs" mean.

4. Get a Vessel Safety Check. A Vessel Safety Check is a non-enforcement, courtesy examination of your vessel to verify the presence and condition of certain safety equipment required by state and/or federal regulations. The examiners are specially trained members of the United States Power Squadrons or the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. In addition to the Vessel Safety Exam itself, the VSC examiner will also discuss other safety issues that will help make you a safer boater. Vessels that pass the VSC exam can display the distinctive VSC Decal on the port side of the windshield. (See Vessel Safety Check.)

5. DON'T BOAT UNDER the INFLUENCE! Boating Under the Influence (BUI) or Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) are both just as dangerous and deadly as drinking and driving a car. It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs everywhere on the North American continent and in most of the rest of the world. There are stringent penalties involved with BUI / BWI Laws, which can include large fines, suspension or revocation of boat operator privileges and/or jail terms. Authorities are not kidding about enforcing this!

6. NEVER leave a small child unattended on a boat or on the docks of a marina. A life jacket on a child is a must, BUT IT IS NOT a babysitter! None of us would ever consider letting one of our children participate in any sport without the proper, protective, safety equipment. Nor would we intentionally let them go into harm's way. Thus, we need to take that same attitude about boating safety for our children and grandchildren.

7. Always leave a float plan. Let someone know where you are going and when you plan on returning. The best plan is to allow someone who will miss you FIRST to know your boating plan and timetable. If you have no person to leave a plan with leave a written plan on your vehicle at the marina or boat ramp.

Remember, Captain, you're in command. Make sure that you and your crew return to your dock every time you leave it!

12/29/08