Did you know that your chances of dying from going overboard are five times greater in winter months than in the summer? If you were to become immersed in cold water for even a short period of time, manual dexterity will be lost within 10 minutes. This will impeded your ability to swim or put on a life jacket, which could lead to drowning long before hypothermia even begins to set in. For that reason, the Sea Tow Foundation wants to remind boaters to always wear their life jackets once the temperatures begin to drop.

A total of 7 northern states have laws requiring life jackets to be worn by boaters during typically cold weather months. Many of these requirements specifically mention that the life jackets must be USCG-approved and mention specfic types of Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) that must be worn. While each state's policy may differ, it is important to follow these laws. 

Connecticut: USCG-approved life jackets must be worn by anyone in a manually propelled vessel from October 1 through May 31 (must be a Type I, II, III, V or V-hybrid PFD).

Maine: All boaters canoeing or kayaking on the Saco River between Hiram Dam and the Atlantic Ocean between January 1 and June 1 must wear a life jacket (Type I, II or III PFD).

Maryland: A person aboard a boat, raft or tube shall wear a USCG-approved life jacket (Type I, II, III or V PFD) at all times while underways on the Upper Potomac River and its tributaries, during the period beginning each November 15 and ending each May 15. 

Massachusetts: All boaters canoeing or kayaking from September 15 - May 15 are requied to wear a USCG-approved life jacket (Type I, II or III PFD).

New York: The mandatory life jacket requirement applies to everyone aboard boats less than 21 feet in length, including rowboats, canoes and kayaks, between November 1 and May 1.

Pennsylvania: Boaters are required to wear USCG-approved life jackets on boats less than 16 feet in length or any cane or kayak during the cold weather months from November 1 through April 30.

West Virginia: A person aboard a boat, raft or tube must wear a USCG-approved life jacket (Type I, II, III or V PFD) at all times while underway on the Shenandoah River within the boundaries of West Virginia during the period beginning each November 15 and ending each May 15.

Even if your state doesn’t have a cold weather life jacket wear requirement, it is a smart and safe idea to wear a life jacket any time the water temperature drops below 60 degrees. It is also important to ensure that the life jacket you are wearing is appropriate for the type of activity that you will be participating in. Life jackets save lives, but only if they are worn.

Five 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 in October and November. Here are a few safety tips for boating on these shorter, cooler autumn days.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Dress in layers - As the days get shorter, there can be rapid changes in both air and water temperature from day to evening making this perfect sweater weather. 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.
5. 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.

The Most Important Reason to Take an Emergency Beacon When You Boat, Hike, or Paddle

Please note that the Sea Tow Foundation's beacon rental program ended as of January 1, 2020

A big part of outdoor recreational safety, whether in the air, on land or water is being prepared for the “unexpected.”  In particular, it is important that you have the means to request help should an emergency arise.  That’s because, despite what many tend to believe, it is often difficult for rescuers to find someone who is lost and in need of rescue.  An essential element of being able to return home to your loved ones, or receiving prompt medical attention, is to have the right signaling equipment.

One piece of equipment to definitely consider adding to your gear list is an emergency satellite beacon.  This article will offer basic information about it with a focus on land and water use.  Plus, it will underscore the importance that you remember, on your next hiking or water adventure, to take a beacon with you.

What is a Beacon

A beacon is an electronic signaling device that alerts search-and-rescue services in the event of an emergency by transmitting a coded message on the 406 MHz distress frequency via satellite and earth stations to the nearest rescue coordination center.

Types of Beacons

Common emergency rescue beacons transmit at 406 MHz, can be detected by satellite, and are referred to in conversation by their abbreviations: EPIRBs and PLBs.

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)

EPIRBs are for use in maritime applications and divided into two categories. Category I EPIRBs are activated either manually or automatically. The automatic activation is triggered when the EPIRB is released from its bracket. Category I EPIRBs are housed in a special bracket equipped with a hydrostatic release. This mechanism releases the EPIRB at a water depth of 3-10 feet. The buoyant EPIRB then floats to the surface and begins transmitting. If you own a Category I EPIRB, it's very important that you mount it outside your vessel's cabin where it will be able to "float free" of the sinking vessel.

Category II EPIRBs are manual activation only units. If you own one of these, it should be stored in the most accessible location on board where it can be quickly accessed in an emergency.

406 MHz beacons are digitally coded and transmit distress signals without delay. This means that even a brief inadvertent signal can generate a false alert. To avoid getting a call from the Coast Guard make sure that when you test your EPIRB you follow the manufacturer's recommendations carefully. Initiating a false request for assistance resulting in the launch of Search and Rescue efforts can result in fines of $1,000 or more for each instance.

Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs)

PLBs are portable units that operate much the same way as EPIRBs. These beacons are designed to be carried by an individual person instead of on a boat or aircraft. Unlike some EPIRBs, they can only be activated manually and operate exclusively on 406 MHz. Like EPIRBs, all PLBs also have a built-in, low-power homing beacon that transmits on 121.5 MHz. This allows rescue units to hone in on the distress beacon once the 406 MHz satellite system has provided the necessary position information. Some PLBs also allow GPS units to be integrated into the distress signal. This GPS-encoded position dramatically improves the location accuracy down to the 100-meter level…that’s roughly the size of a football field!

Another benefit of PLBs is that they are very easy to pack and add very little additional weight.  Many hikers even attach them to the shoulder harness on their backpack where they can quickly access them if needed. And boaters attach them to the shoulder of their life jackets for easy and quick access.

In turn, PLBs are not only extremely effective, but they are also very cost efficient. Unlike other types of electronic signaling devices, there are no monthly service fees in addition to the original cost of purchase. Instead, PLBs offer a simple, reliable, and no-nonsense way to request help when you most need it.

All Beacons Need to Be Registered

You must register your beacon after purchase. It is the law and, without registration, Rescue Coordination Centers (RCC) won’t be able to react as quickly … and ultimately this may delay a Search and Rescue (SAR) response should you be in an emergency.

The process is quick, easy, and you can do register online.  If you have a 406 MHz beacon and have not registered it, please do so by contacting the National 406 MHz Registration Database at this link https://beaconregistration.noaa.gov/RGDB/index.

When to Use a Beacon

When you need it most, search-and-rescue organizations instruct that beacons are satellite signaling devices of last resort, for use when all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted, where the situation is grave with imminent danger and bodily harm or valuable property will occur without assistance. In simpler terms, use the beacon only when absolutely necessary and after trying other communication devices.

Survival Stories

You can find beacon survival stories from air, land, and water on the 406 Survival Club page at https://www.acrartex.com/survivor-stories/

Please note that the Sea Tow Foundation's beacon rental program ended as of January 1, 2020

Life Jacket Loaner Stands Save Lives and Days On The Water

Nothing can be more frustrating than getting to the boat launch/ramp and realizing that you left the life jackets at home.

Forgetting your Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) means a morning can be ruined, the bite could be missed, or if you take a chance and go out without them, a life could be lost.

Boaters along Florida’s Gulf Coast who forget their life jackets can now rest assured. A valuable service that provides life jackets free of charge is still available and getting better.

Sea Tow Charlotte Harbor and the Peace River Sail & Power Squadron have partnered to manage 11 life jacket loaner stands located in Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda, and Placida, ensuring that the PFDs are maintained, clean and ready to use when needed.

“The partnership will not only increase maintenance of these life jacket loaner stands, but help to promote this valuable service to the public so more people can stay safe on the water,” said District 22's District Lieutenant Commander Harold Anderson, AP of the Peace River Sail & Power Squadron.

According to Captain Mike DeGenaro, owner of Sea Tow Charlotte Harbor, which provides on-the-water services to boaters in need, the life jacket loaner stands are located in the following areas:

Port Charlotte:

• El Jobean Ramp
• Port Charlotte Beach
• Spring Lake Boat Ramp

Punta Gorda:

• Burnt Store Boat Ramp
• Burnt Store Cradle Launch
• Laishley Marina
• Fisherman’s Village
• Harbor Heights Boat Ramp
• Ponce Park

Placida:

• Gasparilla Marina
• Placida Boat Ramp

“We can’t be everywhere, but we are doing our best to provide these stands in busy boating areas where we know that people could have a need and benefit from them,” DeGenaro said.

Management of the life jacket stands includes: counting use, monitoring for loss, repairs, promoting the service, and taking regular inventory.

Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program

The Sea Tow Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created to promote safe boating practices, has distributed more than 35,000 life jackets to boaters across the country since 2008 with the help of volunteers including: Sea Tow Captains, US Power Squadrons, various organizations, and boating agencies throughout the United States and territories. These stands are placed in locations where boaters will have easy access to the life jackets, such as boat ramps, marinas, and parks.
Boaters may borrow the life jackets at no cost and are asked to return them when they are done so that they are available for others to use. These life jackets are purchased through a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, as administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. They are distributed to volunteer hosts who make them available to boaters free of charge.

The Life Jacket Loaner program has three components:
1) Life Jacket Drive, which hosts ask their community to donate new and gently used jackets.
2) Life Jacket Grant, which offers boating agencies and nonprofit organization the opportunity to receive life jackets and stands at no charge.
3) Life Jacket Partnership, which offers life jackets and stand for a fee along with a manual and technical support.

Peace River Sail & Power Squadron

The Peace River Sail & Power Squadron is dedicated to teaching the proper and safe way to operate a sail or power boat. Located in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte area of Florida, the unit is a division of The United States Power Squadrons®, the world’s largest recreational boating organization with more than 35,000 members.
For more than 100 years, the Power Squadron has worked to make the water a safer place through boating education, civic service and fellowship. It also offers ways to improve your boating skills and knowledge online, in the classroom with certified instructors, or outdoors with hands-on training.

10 Tips for Paddleboard, SUP, Canoe, and Kayak Fun!

Paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks are vessels that offer people a range of calm to exhilarating fun on the water; are relatively easy to use; easy to move around; and you can launch them from shore.

Join in on the fun! Whether you paddle fast or paddle slow, paddle sports are growing.  Nearly half of all Americans - 48.4% - participated in at least one outdoor activity in 2015. That equates to 142.4 million participants, who went on a collective 11.7 billion outdoor outings. While the actual number of outdoor participants increased by one million over the one-year period, the overall participation rate remained the same due to population increase.

With all that fun on the water comes a bit of safety to consider. Top causes of fatalities for paddle sports are falling overboard, capsizing, and drowning.

Help keep paddling both fun + safe and refer to these to these safety tips when planning your next paddling adventure:

1. Wear A Life Jacket

Be ready to capsize and swim sometimes when paddling; and for cold water immersion as cold water can lower core body temperature leading to inability to move, hypothermia, and even drowning. Wearing a life jacket can prevent drowning. According to 2015 US Coast Guard Statistics on recreational boating, “Where cause of death was known, 76% of fatal boating accidents victims drowned. Of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 85% were not wearing a life jacket.” In 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard determined that paddle boards are considered to be a vessel when used outside of a swimming, surfing, or a bathing area. Federal law requires children under 12 to wear a life Jacket aboard a vessel.

2. Carry A Sound Producing Device

If in trouble, you can blow a US Coast Guard approved whistle longer than you can yell for help. Plus, the sound will carry much farther.

3. File A Float Plan

If you are going paddling for just a few hours, let someone know where you expect to be and when you expect to return. If you plan a longer adventure, leave a copy of a written float plan with your marina, yacht club, or friend. A float plan includes a description of your vessel, who is on board, a description of the safety equipment you are carrying, where you expect to be, and when you expect to be there. Instruct the person holding the float plan to notify the Coast Guard or other appropriate agency if you do not return within a reasonable time after your scheduled arrival (taking into account weather, etc.). When you arrive at your destination, or if your plans change, notify the person holding your float plan to avoid unnecessary worry and possible waste of search and rescue resources. 

4. Know Your Limits

Can you recognize water, wind, weather conditions, or when you are tired? Are you dressed correctly for your paddle adventure? Make good choices before venturing out and paddle according to your own limits.

5. Get Education

Boating education benefits paddlers and passengers alike, whatever your age. Knowledge about boating and paddle safety can reduce accidents, fatalities, and property damage.  

6. Assess Conditions Continuously

Vessel traffic, operator skill, sun, tides, waves, wind, and temperatures can be more of a factor than one might think. Operate your vessel in a safe and responsible manner. Keep out of the way of motorboats; group paddlers best travel behind one another rather than abreast and possibly blocking the waterway. 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. 

7. Vessel Safety Check

A vessel safety check includes the deck, hull, oar, paddle condition, and many of the items on this safety tips list. In addition, information about the owner or operator is included as well as mandatory requirements for boating safety equipment. You can contact your local USCG Auxiliary to schedule a Vessel Safety Check.

8. Leash for Paddleboard

For paddleboards (also known as Stand Up Paddleboards - SUPs), a leash can keep your paddleboard tethered to you and prevent it from blowing away in the wind. There are different types of leashes for different types of water (moving vs. flat), so make sure to decide the best option for you and the situation.

9. Avoid Dehydration

By the time you feel thirsty, the dehydration process is already underway. Bring water and snacks. A person sitting still needs about 6 cups of water daily while that same person can lose up to 16 cups (a gallon) in just one hour of heavy paddling that works up a sweat! Stay hydrated with water or sports drink and don't bring any alcohol since all paddlers are considered the operators and Sober Skippers always avoid alcohol.

10. Use Your Water Voice

Sound carries across the water easily. When talking with other members of your group, be mindful of the volume of your voice so that others can enjoy the water, too.