Spring Boating Safety Tips

Spring is here which means it is time for warmer weather, sunny skies, and fun with friends or family members on the boat! Before you pack those bags and head out on your spring boating trip, the Sea Tow Foundation has 6 tips to help you have a safe AND fun time on the water.

1.    Take a Boating Safety Class Now. Many states require taking a passing a boating safety course and getting a boating license or boating certificate. Whether you’re renting a boat, recently bought a boat, or have years of boating experience, you’ll pick up some pointers and boost your marine confidence as well as satisfy requirements for boaters in Florida. And you could be eligible for a discount on your boat-owners insurance for passing a course, too. Boating safety courses are offered both online and in person through our friends with the America’s Boating Club (formerly known as the U.S. Power Squadrons) or take an interactive, online course through our friends at iLearntoBoat. You can also find other courses available through your state boating agency. 

2.    Ask for Advice. Spring boating trips may involve traveling to new and exciting destinations. If you are unfamiliar with the bay, lake, river or ocean you’re headed to, it’s smart to talk to the local Sea Tow captains in the area who will happily share water conditions, current patterns, routes and (bonus!) wildlife watching tips.  

3.    Pack the sunscreen. If you’re not used to the sun and warmer temperatures or with being outdoors for a good portion of the day, you will soon by surprised by a nasty sunburn. Put on some sunscreen and don’t forget a hat and polarized sunglasses, too.

4.    Reserve now. If you are planning to rent a boat during the spring season, make sure you’ve got the rental confirmed well in advance of your trip and reach out to the company ahead of time to see if you need to bring anything for the boat with you. They should provide you with an orientation to your rental boat as well as all of the safety equipment required. If you are taking your own boat out, make sure your boat trailer is ready for the road with good tires, straps and chains. Plus, check that the boat ramp is still open and that you find out where you can park your vehicle and trailer while you’re out on the water. 

5.    Once you get to your trip, follow the ABCD rule.

a.    Always Wear Life Jackets. Every passenger should wear a properly fitted U.S Coast Guard (USCG)-approved life jacket. And remember that adult-size life jackets aren’t meant for children. If you’ve forgotten to pack your own or need extras, you can always stop by a Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Station to borrow them for the day.

b.    Bring along safety gear. Emergency preparation = peace of mind. No matter the size of your boat, these are the absolute essentials to keep on board:

•                         Marine VHF radio
•                         First aid kit
•                         Fire extinguisher
•                         Tool kit
•                         Flashlight and extra batteries
•                         Duct tape
•                         Bucket
•                         Waterproof whistle or horn
•                         Lines
•                        Emergency signaling equipment

c.     Check—and Recheck—the Weather. Choppy waters can’t always be predicted. If conditions aren’t favorable, don’t chance it. There are many apps and websites that help you know the conditions before you go and to continue to check on the weather while you are out on the water.

d.    Designate a Sober Skipper. Never, ever operate a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The wind, sun and boat vibration all contribute to increased impairment, even after a single beer. Responsible boaters carry plenty of water, non-alcoholic drinks and food on board. To learn more and Take the Pledge,  check out our Sober Skipper Campaign.

6.    Share Your Trip to Social. Did your spring boating trip really happen if you didn’t document it? Be sure to tag us in all your photos and adventures on all of our social media platforms: Instagram (@seatowfoundation),  Facebook (@SeaTowFoundation), Twitter (@SeaTowFdn) and LinkedIn (@seatowfoundation).
 

Have a fantastically fun and super safe spring break!

by Erin Hollinshead, Executive Director, Safe Electricity

Safe Electricity and the Sea Tow Foundation have overarching missions: to save lives and reduce accidents.

Much like Sea Tow  Foundation’s job is to increase awareness about safe boating practices, our job at Safe Electricity is to educate about dangers associated with electricity, including electrical sources near water.

Most electrical dangers cannot be seen or heard, and Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) is no exception.  ESD happens when electrical current leaks into water from a nearby electrical source, such as a yacht, boat or marina dock.

Just as you wouldn't use a blow dryer with one hand submerged in a sink full of water, you would not knowingly jump into a body of water that has electricity running through it. Once someone jumps into the tainted water, an unsuspecting person can become paralyzed and drown due to the electrical current invading his or her body.

Boating enthusiasts and marina employees can play a huge part in preventing ESD, since outdated wiring and a lack of proper safety equipment on boats and docks can cause electricity to leak or spread into the water.

Safe Electricity offers these ESD safety tips:

While Swimming or Boating

·         Do not swim within 100 yards of any freshwater marina or boatyard or around private or public docks with electrical service.

·         If you are swimming and feel tingling or shock, swim away from the dock or any other electrical source. “If you feel a shock, swim away from the dock”  is a good way to remember this. Yell to someone on shore to cut the power source.

·         If you think you are swimming in water that could be electrified, try to stay upright, tuck your legs up so that you are more compact, and swim away from anything you think could be energizing the water.

·         Do not jump in to help if you suspect someone is in electrified water; instead, cut the power, throw a float, and call 9-1-1.

·         Never dive into water or work on underwater components when your boat is plugged into shore power.

Prevention and Maintenance

·         Make sure your boat’s electrical system is always in good working order and have it inspected annually by a qualified electrician who is trained to American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) specifications. Consider purchasing your own clamp meter to test for stray electricity.

·         Have your qualified electrician install an ELCI (equipment leakage circuit interrupter) on your boat or use a power cord that has an ELCI.

·         Do not use a common household extension cord to provide shore power to your boat. Use, and encourage others, to use shore power cords that meet UL standards.

·         Talk to marina owners and operators about the dangers of ESD.

·         All docks should have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on the circuits that feed electricity to the docks. GFCIs should be checked often to make sure they are in working order.

 For more information about safety around electricity, visit SafeElectricity.org.

Safe Electricity is the award-winning, public awareness program of the Energy Education Council, a 501(c) 3 (not-for-profit organization) established in 1952 on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With offices located in Springfield, Ill., Safe Electricity operates under the University of Illinois Extension and is led by the EEC Board of Directors. Since the Safe Electricity program was created in 2001, it has provided thousands safety-minded resources to its more than 500 utility members from across the country to help save lives and reduce injuries.

If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.

PRESS RELEASE

Sea Tow Foundation’s Summer of Boating Safely Contest

The Sea Tow Foundation’s mission is to promote safe boating practices that directly reduce accidents, deaths, and property damage related to recreational boating. The Summer of Boating Safely contest will encourage boaters to raise awareness of their safe boating habits and share their selfie video entries via social media. The contest provides a unique opportunity to win prizes by letting boaters show off their own boating safety habits. Some of the prizes include: inflatable life jackets from Onyx outdoor, a Cobra floating VHF radio, a WASP Action Sports Camera and more!

“We know that boating can be a wonderful way to relax and take advantage of the beautiful weather around you, but we want everyone to experience it safely,” said Gail Kulp, executive director of the Sea Tow Foundation. “This contest was put in place to educate boaters everywhere. The best part is that everyone can help us in our mission with just a simple post on their social media account and they may even win a prize.”

Participants can enter by taking a selfie video answering the question of the month and posting it to Facebook or Instagram with a tag to @SeaTowFoundation and the hashtag #summerofboatingsafely. And because this summer is different from all previous summers, entries can be recorded on a boat or in a backyard. On the 15^th of each month, one random winner will be chosen from the entries received during the previous month. For a full list of rules, click here.

·         Memorial Day: Contest runs from May 25-June 30, winner chosen on July 15

o   Question to answer: What is something you do to boat safely that you wish everyone would do on the water?

·         Independence Day: Contest runs from July 1-31, winner chosen on August 15

o   Question to answer: What do you tell guests on your boat so that everyone on board is boating safely?

·         Labor Day: Contest runs from August 1-September 7, winner chosen on September 15

o   Question to answer: What three items are on your checklist for boating safely?

Now that boating season is officially here, take a moment to showcase your own boating safely skills to the world and try to win some cool prizes at the same time!

Press Release

Sea Tow Foundation Appoints Seven New Members to North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council   

The Sea Tow Foundation has appointed seven new marine industry stakeholders to serve on its North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council which was established in 2019. This new slate joins a dozen inaugural council members and will collaborate on a variety of strategies and tactics to promote greater awareness and adoption of boating safety initiatives and messages both within the recreational marine industry and the boating consumer space.

“We couldn’t be more pleased about the overall composition and the depth of experience in our newly appointed council members,” said Sea Tow Foundation Executive Director Gail R. Kulp  “We were very impressed by the quality of the nominations and the resulting expanded representation that embraces new segments of the marine industry including insurance, podcasting, personal watercraft and sailing.”

New inductees were voted in by the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council and will serve a two-year term beginning June 1, 2020. Appointees are listed below in alphabetical order:

·         Adam Fortier-Brown, Government Relations Manager, MRAA

·         TK Krumenacker, CEO, Admirals Insurance Corp

·         Tyler Mehrl, Category Manager/Steering and Controls, Mercury Marine

·         Mark Pillsbury, Editor, Cruising World Magazine 

·         Angie Scott, Podcast Host, The Woman Angler & Adventurer

·         Eric Shepard, Retired (30 years in the marine and aviation safety industries)

·         Leslie Zlotnick, Advertising Manager, Yamaha Watercraft Group

About the Sea Tow Foundation North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council

Launched in 2019, the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council now includes 19 members representing multiple sectors of the recreational boating industry along with an executive task force. In its first year, the council organized and debuted its first National Boating Industry Safety Awards to recognize the outstanding work of recreational boating organizations in promoting boating safety. The council is actively engaged in supporting a variety of safe boating initiatives including the Sober Skipper Program which encourages boaters to be or to designate a Sober Skipper before leaving the dock. The ultimate goal of the Sober Skipper Program is to eliminate the number of boating accidents and deaths related to Boating Under the Influence on North American waterways.

For more information about the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council, please visit: www.boatingsafety.com/nassac

May 21 - Wearing Life Jackets is Important

Life jackets save lives, but only if they are worn. The U.S. Coast Guard requires children under age 13 to wear them, but anyone older is just required to carry life jackets on board, although a few activities like water skiing require that they be worn. It is best to always wear a life jacket, regardless of this requirement, because you never know when you’ll need one and finding one and putting it on takes too long in an emergency.

It’s also just as important that your life jacket fits properly. Having the wrong size life jacket can prove fatal if you needed it because the life jackets are sized for a certain amount of foam to float a person based on their weight. And, the life jacket fits based on the chest size measurement of the person as well. Click here to learn more about how to properly fit a life jacket on yourself and your children.

If you don’t have enough life jackets for everyone on board or they aren’t the correct sizes for everyone on board, you can stop by a Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Station and borrow one for free! Our life jacket loaner stations are stocked with Onyx brand life jackets in sizes to fit every member of your family from babies to adults. Simply return the borrowed life jacket at the end of your boating trip so that the next person can use it.

The letter for today is W.