Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Monday, October 22, 2018
Updated: Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Fall Boating Safety Tips
the fall season is already upon us, but that doesn’t mean boating has to come to an end just yet. In fact, some of the best leaf peeping and duck hunting can only be done from the water. Here are a few safety tips for boating on these shorter, cooler autumn days.
Update your charts
Helpful landmarks you’ve relied on all summer to point out shallow sections may look different as the leaves change color and fall. You also may find yourself cruising home in the dark more often, when those landmarks will be harder to spot. Aids to navigation such as channel markers and buoys placed by local authorities may be pulled as early as October in some areas. Make sure that your charts – electronic and physical – are up to date and use them to navigate instead.
Check your lights and flares
Check to see that your boat’s navigation lights are in working order and your emergency flares are not past their expiration date. Carry a couple of waterproof flashlights to help you unload passengers and their gear at the dock or boat ramp after dark, and be sure to stock spare batteries. A flashlight also can be used in an emergency to signal for help.
Carry a VHF radio
During the fall boating months, the waterways are less crowded. While this can be peaceful, it also means that if you run into a problem, you might not see another boater for hours, if at all. A VHF radio can be used to call for help even in spots where your cell phone has no signal.
Dress in layers
As the days get shorter, there can be rapid changes in both air and water temperature from day to evening. Dress in layers that can be easily removed or added when the air warms up or grows chilly. And, make sure that your life jacket can fit over your layers.
Wear a life jacket
In the fall, water temperatures can grow much colder than the air. Boaters who accidentally fall overboard run an increased risk of hypothermia. While children under 13 must wear a life jacket when the boat is underway by law, it’s a good idea for adults to wear them, too and there are 6 states with cold water life jacket wear requirements now. Check with your state boating agency to see if you need to buckle up before boating. You may even want to purchase life jackets with lights attached so rescuers can find you in the water.
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Updated: Sunday, March 29, 2020
Tow Bee Boating Safety Tip: Wear Your Life Jacket!
Tow Bee wants all boaters to know that it is important to wear your life jacket. The Sea Tow Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that life jackets are available to boaters who need them. Since 2008, 75,000 life jackets have been provided to recreational boaters through the Foundation's Life Jacket Loaner Program. Life jackets save lives and, with comfortable options like inflatable belt packs and vests, are easy and comfortable to wear at all times.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Updated: Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Tow Bee Boating Safety Tips Dangers of Fire On A Boat!
One of the scariest things that can happen while you are on a boat is to see flames. A lot of people make the assumption that being surrounded by water will keep you safe because you can put out the fire using the water, but these people soon find out that they are wrong. Water should NEVER be used on a chemical or electrical fire and the majority of boat fires are caused by the burning of fuels or an electrical problem. This is when it is important to have a U.S. Coast Guard Approved Marine Type B fire extinguisher on board. In fact, any boat less than 26 feet in length is required to carry at least one Type B fire extinguisher and, as the size of the boat increases, the number and/or size of required fire extinguishers that are needed on board also increases.
It is also important to keep your fire extinguisher in a readily accessible area and to know how to use it before you have to use it. This is where the acronym P.A.S.S. can help you out: Pull pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle and Sweep from side to side. If a fire does erupt on your boat, stop the engine immediately and make sure that everyone on board is wearing a life jacket in case you have to abandon the boat. If possible, position the boat so that the fire is downwind and then use the fire extinguisher. If the fire continues to burn after using the extinguisher, place a MAYDAY call on your VHF radio and prepare to abandon ship.
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tow Bee Boating Safety Tip: Keep Life Jackets on Hand!
No matter what body of water you call home, it’s required by law to have enough life jackets on-board for each of your boat’s passengers. And, they need to be the correct size for each passenger. This means that if you have children on board, the orange horse-collar life jackets stored under your seats won’t work. First of all, you’ll need to make sure to have child-size life jackets in the correct size for each child. Secondly, you’ll also need to make sure any children under the age of 13 wear their life jackets at all times while underway as this is required by the U.S. Coast Guard. Lastly, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the adults to put on their life jackets, too. Comfortable options including inflatable life jackets are now available and will keep the day on the water safe. After all, 87% of people who drown every year were within reach of a life jacket, but they didn’t have time to put it on.
So, if you’re heading out with new guests, make sure you have properly-fitting life jackets for everyone. If you don’t have enough life jackets or need a specific size to fit a new guest, be sure to stop by one of our many Life Jacket Loaner Stations located at boat ramps, fuel docks and marinas all over the country and borrow one for the day at no charge!
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tow Bee Boating Safety Tip: File a Float Plan Before Each Outing!
Thousands of hours and dollars are spent searching for missing boaters each year. While many of these searches are for good reason, a number of them are due to the fact that no one knew when the boaters were supposed to be back or where they were going in the first place.
Taking five minutes to fill out a float plan would have prevented many of these needless searches or allowed rescuers to narrow down the area in which they are searching. The purpose of a float plan is to explain where you plan to boat, how long you will be gone and when you plan to return as well as provide a phone number to call if you fail to return by the appointed time. Then, you give your float plan to a trusted friend staying on the shore. And, at the end of your boating trip, don't forget to call your friend to cancel your float plan and let him/her know that you made it home safely.
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tow Bee Boating Safety Tips: Designate a Sober Skipper!
Tow Bee wants all boaters to know that a fun day on the water shouldn’t have to end in tragedy. Did you know that alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents? Even just one drink can impair boaters, especially considering the effects from the sun, wind and movement of the boat.
Boat operators must be clear-headed and able to make quick decisions to avoid collisions while on the water. Consuming alcohol or taking drugs, even some over-the-counter or prescription medicines can decrease reaction time and the ability to think clearly.
That’s why it’s vital that every time you head out on the water, you designate a Sober Skipper to take the helm. You wouldn’t head out for a night on the town without a designated driver, so don’t leave the dock without a Sober Skipper!
Click here to learn more about becoming a Designated Skipper
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tow Bee Boating Safety Tips: Dangers of Fire On A Boat!
One of the scariest things that can happen while you are on a boat is to see flames. A lot of people make the assumption that being surrounded by water will keep you safe because you can put out the fire using the water, but these people soon find out that they are wrong. Water should NEVER be used on a chemical or electrical fire and the majority of boat fires are caused by the burning of fuels or an electrical problem. This is when it is important to have a U.S. Coast Guard Approved Marine Type B fire extinguisher onboard. In fact, any boat less than 26 feet in length is required to carry at least one Type B fire extinguisher and, as the size of the boat increases, the number and/or size of required fire extinguishers that are needed on board also increases.
It is also important to keep your fire extinguisher in a readily accessible area and to know how to use it before you have to use it. This is where the acronym P.A.S.S. can help you out: Pull pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle and Sweep from side to side. If a fire does erupt on your boat, stop the engine immediately and make sure that everyone on board is wearing a life jacket in case you have to abandon the boat. If possible, position the boat so that the fire is downwind and then use the fire extinguisher. If the fire continues to burn after using the extinguisher, place a MAYDAY call on your VHF radio and prepare to abandon ship.
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tow Bee Boating Safety Tips: Choose the Right Fuel for Your Boat!
Do you ever pull up to the fuel dock and wonder to yourself what all those numbers mean? Much like your car or truck, your boat has specific needs when it comes to fuel. While your typical fuel pump at the gas station down the street has options for Regular, Mid-Grade and Premium gasoline for your car, the pump down at the local marina is a bit different.
These days, nearly all gas, whether it’s for your car, truck or boat, contains a chemical called ethanol. When mixed with gasoline, these ethanol blends help to reduce carbon emissions and limit environmental impact caused by traditional fuel. In fact, they are often sold for Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV).
The problem comes when introducing ethanol into marine engines in boats. When ethanol comes into contact with water, it will create a corrosive mix that can harm the boat’s engine, which could leave you stranded in the middle of your favorite waterway.
While some areas around the country may still have access to the ethanol-free gasoline that was the norm decades ago, most will have some sort of blend. Keeping the ethanol content at or below 10% is critical when purchasing fuel for your boat.
For example, gas sold as E15 has 15% ethanol whereas E85 is 85% ethanol, so both of these options would provide too much ethanol for your boat’s engine. E10 fuel is right at the 10% mark and would work on most gasoline boat engines, but it is important to check with your boat and engine manufacturer to be sure.
The next time you pull up to the fuel dock, remember to use either an ethanol-free gasoline or an E10 blend in your boat. Making sure you use the correct fuel will save you the headache of having to call your local Sea Tow captain for a tow when your boat’s engine stops working and it will also save you thousands of dollars to repair or replace a damaged motor.
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tow Bee Safety Tip: Check Weather Forecast Before Each Outing!
A beautiful morning on the water can quickly turn into a windy, stormy afternoon. This is why it is important to check the weather forecast before you head out on the water. You can check the marine forecast for your area as well as access the Weather Channel on theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Marine Forecastspage.
It is also important to continue checking the weather while you are out on the water. You should keep an eye out for changes in wind direction and/or wind speed. And you can also watch for the buildup of dark clouds, especially in the western sky..
If you have a VHF radio, you can tune to the weather channel frequency. Broadcasts of local and coastal marine forecasts run on a continuous cycle from the National Weather Service. Tidal information and real time observations from buoys are also included.
.
For additional boating safety tips throughout the various seasons, check out our blog posts linked below:
Posted By Michael Wesolowski,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tow Bee Safety Tip: Carbon Monoxide Can Be Deadly!
Carbon monoxide (also known as CO) is a tasteless, colorless, odorless gas that is emitted by engines. In open areas, CO is usually dispersed into the air and there are no problems. However, a situation known as the station wagon effect, which involves the wind carrying the exhaust back into the boat, could mean that the boat’s passengers are being affected by the CO. Another way to become overexposed to CO is by playing in the water near the back of the boat while the engine is idling.
When a person is suffering from CO exposure, the person will likely feel light headed, nauseous, weak and complain of a headache. All of these are also symptoms of someone suffering from the flu, food poisoning or sea sickness however the symptoms should be taken seriously. Over exposure to CO can lead to unconsciousness, death or brain damage. To treat the person, move her to an open area with fresh air and turn off the boat’s engine while you assess her condition. If she doesn’t improve or other people begin to feel ill, call for help on your VHF radio or cell phone and get them to a medical facility as soon as possible.
Blog Home
All Blogs
