Posted By Gail Kulp,
Friday, November 18, 2022
Updated: Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Would you ever get into a car with a drunk driver? Definitely not. But what about a boat, where the operator has had a few drinks? That’s where the lines have often become blurred.
Boating Under the Influence is a widespread issue, and it is the leading cause of all fatal boating accidents. However, BUI is not only illegal in every state, but it’s 100% preventable. Drinking and driving is taken very seriously, with people assigning designated drivers or taking an Uber when alcohol has been involved. In fact, actions like this have become second-nature for cars, but the water is a different story, and we have to do something about it.
You can be a part of changing this narrative by taking the pledge to always have a Sober Skipper behind the helm. That means pledging to either be or designate the Sober Skipper before you leave the dock. The operator of the boat will remain 100% drug and alcohol free to ensure that the boat is operated safely and everyone on board stays safe as well. Take the pledge, and help keep the water a safe and fun place for everyone.
Since the start of the Sober Skipper Campaign, more than 131,000 boaters have taken the Sober Skipper pledgeand BUI accidents have fallen from 108 deaths and 248 injuries reported in 2014 to 86 and 186, respectively in 2021.
Join the Sea Tow Foundation as we work to achieve the goal of “Heading to Zero”– that's zero BUI accidents, zero alcohol related boating deaths and zero drunk skippers behind the wheel. BUI is 100% preventable and the Sea Tow Foundation believes that BUI should nevre be the reason someone doesn't come home from a day on the water.
Spread the word about the importance of Sober Skippers by sharing this PSA video.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Updated: Friday, November 11, 2022
Sunday, November 13th is World Kindness Day and we are celebrating by asking you to help us expand our Life Jacket Loaner Program with a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation. A brand-new life jacket costs $25 and, during the month of November, MarineMax is matching all donations to the Sea Tow Foundation. So, your $25 donation would actually be $50 and would provide 2 life jackets to add to a loaner station!
MarineMax is committed to ensuring everyone can enjoy their boat to the fullest with classes, events and more. As a demonstration of their commitment to boating safety, MarineMax is matching donations made to the Sea Tow Foundation up to $5,000 through the end of November.
If you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Sea Tow Foundation and have MarineMax match it during this time frame, please visit www.boatingsafety.com/MarineMaxDonationMatch.
Posted By Kim Perry,
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Updated: Tuesday, November 8, 2022
A flare gun is made out of plastic and is used to discharge aerial flare cartridges. To load, push the barrel away from the hammer, place a flare cartridge into the barrel, and close it. To fire the gun, push the button on the side, pull back the hammer, aim up to the sky, and pull the trigger. An aerial flare is able to be used as both a day and night visual distress signal. Be aware that the firing of an aerial flare is very loud and safety is critical. Always be cautious where you are pointing the flare gun and of any people around you. Once launched, the light from the flare is only visible for 5 seconds, usually on it's trajectory back down towards the water. As with all pyrotechnic flares, aerial flare cartridges expire 42 months from their manufacture date so be sure to check yours on a regular basis.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Updated: Friday, October 28, 2022
The Sea Tow Foundation's Life Jacket Loaner Program Grant Application is now open and receiving applications requesting life jackets and loaner stand building kits for the 2023 summer boating season.
The Life Jacket Loaner Program is funded through the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Sea Tow Foundation has provided over 90,000 life jackets that boaters can borrow and return at no charge since the program started in 2008. There are now life jacket loaner stations in all 50 states as well as in Washington, DC, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands.
Anyone who is passionate about boating safety and would like to host a life jacket loaner station in their local community is welcome to apply. We have a limited number of loaner stand building kits available, but life jackets are available to host a new life jacket loaner station or replenish an existing one.
If you filled out the online waiting list application, that does not replace the new application. The purpose of that was merely to be contacted if life jackets had become available during the off season. Please fill out the new application to be considered for new life jackets for next summer.
For more details or to apply, please visit the application page.
Posted By Kim Perry,
Monday, October 24, 2022
Updated: Monday, October 24, 2022
There are multiple Coast Guard certified E-Flare options that you can use to replace traditional flares.When an E-Flare flashes the S-O-S signal, it is at least 5 times brighter than a traditional flare and an E-Flare light lasts a lot longer.
A traditional flare lasts only 2 minutes while an E-Flare is required to continue flashing for at least 2 hours with many lasting up to 20 hours. For daytime use, all E-Flares come with a distress flag.From a cost perspective, traditional flares cost $30-50, but need to be replaced when they expire 42 months after manufacturing.A basic E-Flare costs $65 to $100 with only batteries needing to be replaced periodically.
Even if you still choose to carry traditional flares, adding an E-Flare to your boat's safety kit is a smart idea.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Updated: Tuesday, October 18, 2022
The Sea Tow Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting boating safety, along with the Sea Tow Foundation’s Boating Safety Advisory Councilhave announced the winners of their fourth annual National Boating Industry Safety Awards. The awards recognize efforts to promote safety on the water within the for-profit sector of the boating industry.
The awards were presented online to each of the winners on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 following the cancellation of IBEX due to Hurricane Ian.
THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 NATIONAL BOATING INDUSTRY SAFETY AWARDS:
Posted By Kim Perry,
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Updated: Wednesday, October 5, 2022
WHAT IS AN E-FLARE AND SHOULD I GET ONE?
An E-Flare is a non-pyrotechnic electronic visual distress signal with a very bright light that operates off of batteries. Multiple manufacturers produce Coast Guard certified E-Flares including ACR and Sirius Signal. An E-Flare serves as your nighttime distress signal. Each E-Flare will come with an orange distress flag that will be used as your day signal. E-Flares are easy to operate and only require that you check the batteries on a regular basis. When used, the E-Flare will flash the S-O-S signal for at least 2 hours, much longer than a traditional flare. Even if you still choose to carry traditional flares, adding an E-Flare to your boat's safety kit is a smart idea.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Friday, September 23, 2022
Updated: Friday, September 16, 2022
The Sea Tow Foundation, with support from MarineMax
and Sea Tow International, held a ribbon cutting
ceremony for the opening of its 1,000th Life Jacket Loaner
Stand at the Seminole Street Boat Ramp in Clearwater, FL.
The Sea Tow
Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner
Program started
in 2008 with a single location where boaters could borrow and return life
jackets for a safe day on the water. Thanks to grant funding from the Sport
Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund as administered by the U.S. Coast
Guard as well as corporate sponsors and individual donors, the program has
since grown to be the largest life jacket loaner program in the world, with
loaner stations in all 50 states,
plus Washington, D.C., American Samoa and the Virgin Islands.
To celebrate this milestone and demonstrate their ongoing commitment to boating safety, MarineMax is matching donations made to the Sea Tow Foundation up to $5,000 from September 23-30. If you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Sea Tow Foundation and have MarineMax match it during this time frame, please visit www.boatingsafety.com/MarineMaxDonationMatch
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Friday, September 9, 2022
Updated: Wednesday, September 7, 2022
VIDEO BLOG
MarineMax won the 2021 National Boating Industry Safety Awards in the Large Marine Retailer Category.
The presentation of the awards took place at MRAA’s Dealer Week in December 2021, but Gail Kulp, Sea Tow Foundation Executive Director, recently sat down with Capt. Keith Lake to find out a little more about their award-winning entry as well as their secret to success since MarineMax had won the award for a 3rd year in a row.
MarineMax is the world's largest recreational boat and yacht retail company and they have been a proven champion of boating safety offering classes, educational tips, a video series on boating safety tips, and much more.
Learn more about MarineMax and what other plans they have for new boating safety initiatives at the video linked below.
The US Coast Guard requires that children under the age of 13 wear a life jacket whenever they are on an underway boat. Yet there are as many types of life jackets as there are types of boats. This can make finding the right life jacket for your child seem overwhelming. The Sea Tow Foundation has simplified the procedure to just 4 steps to make sure you choose the life jacket that is right for your child.
Watch the video here.
STEP 1: CHECK THE LABEL FOR APPROVAL Check the label inside the life jacket to make sure it is US Coast Guard approved. Also, ensure that the life jacket is rated for the type of boating activity that your child will be participating in such as calm water canoeing or fishing from a pontoon boat vs. rougher water activities such as riding a PWC or waterskiing.
STEP 2: CHECK THE SIZE ON THE LABEL Life jackets are sized by weight and chest size, so make sure that the child’s size fits into the restrictions of the life jacket.
STEP 3: TRY IT ON Buckle and/or zip up the life jacket and make sure the straps are snug. Then, pull up on the shoulders of the life jacket from behind the child to make sure the life jacket doesn’t go above the child’s chin or ears. If it does, it’s too big and the straps should be made tighter, or the child should move to the next size down.
STEP 4: TEST THE LIFE JACKET IN THE WATER When you are near calm water, the child should try on the life jacket to see how well it floats. This will also help prevent the child from being scared if she ends up in the water unexpectedly.
REMEMBER: Life jackets aren’t like winter coats. You can’t buy a larger size and let your child eventually grow into it. If you put them in a life jacket that is too big, the child will slip out of the life jacket. Getting a life jacket that properly fits your child is critical for safety. Once your child outgrows his life jacket, you can donate it to the Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Drive so that another family can borrow it for their child to use.
To learn more about the Sea Tow Foundation visit boatingsafety.com
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