As summer begins to wind down and schools reopen, the weather remains conducive to outdoor activities and last-minute short vacations. Many outdoor activities involve boating, and now many vacations involve excursions centered around partying on different types of yachts. It continues to puzzle me how many individuals get caught up in the idea of water excursions without investigating the safety measures which should be practiced.
Last week’s safety article reviewed some boating safety practices. This week’s article will highlight additional ones that are equally important to practice.
First, make sure your communications devices are charged. Charging communication devices onboard can make an enormous difference when unforeseen situations occur. The ability to contact the coast guard when in distress is crucial. The coast guard monitors very high-frequency radios 24 hours a day to handle emergency situations. So, before embarking on a boating excursion, make sure you have a quality communication device with a high-frequency range.
Secondly, avoid risky behavior while boating. Just as risky locations for swimming should be avoided, the same is true while boating. In many situations, visible sign boards indicate the level of danger in certain areas to prevent boaters that are new to the area from venturing into such spots. A careful boater should be able to decipher the meaning of these sign boards and steer away from these areas.
Next, when children are onboard it’s crucial to take extra safety precautions when embarking on boating trips due to their curious and adventurous nature. Parents and guardians should communicate certain vital information to prevent accidents and drowning. An example of this is explaining the importance of a life jacket/vest and how to use it. Also talking about the importance of staying in the safest part of the boat, away from the edge, to prevent falling and other dangerous scenarios such as drowning.
Lastly, not being a distracted driver while on the road also applies while boating. It takes a moment’s distraction for a boat to smash into a rock and capsize or a few seconds for children to disappear from view. More than one adult must be on a boating expedition when children are onboard.
Boating is a great way to have fun and bond with family and friends, but it can also be very dangerous if safety is not taken seriously. Safety measures cannot be overemphasized because they are necessary to prevent drowning and other unfortunate circumstances. Therefore, always Keep an Eye on Safety.
