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10 Tips for Boaters Watching Fireworks Displays

Posted By Gail Kulp, Thursday, June 15, 2023
Updated: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Many towns and cities around the country will be firing off spectacular community fireworks displays over the water on holidays like July 4th and New Year's Eve. One of the best places to watch these spectacular shows is from a boat. But these festive holiday evening displays can cause crowded, disorienting and smoky conditions on the water. If you are thinking of taking your boat out to watch the fireworks, follow these 10 tips from the Sea Tow Foundation to make sure the holiday celebration is safe for everyone.

1. Don’t Drink and Boat. Boating Under the Influence is the leading cause of all boating accidents, incidents and deaths. Always be or designate a Sober Skipper before leaving the dock. This individual will be responsible for returning the boat and its passengers safely to shore after the fireworks are over. Take the Sober Skipper Pledge.

2. Wear Your Life Jacket. Make sure everyone on board the boat is wearing a life jacket that fits them properly. Navigating at night in a crowd of other boats amid smoke from a fireworks display can be just as dangerous as boating in inclement weather or fog. Ensure the life jacket is worn over the top of any sweatshirts or jackets. If you need to borrow a life jacket, find one of our nationwide life jacket loaner stations.

3. Watch Your Weight. Don’t overload the boat with passengers. The number of seats available on board is not always the best indicator of capacity. Look for the weight capacity plate on the transom or by the helm; you can also look up the passenger capacity in the builder’s manual.

4. Navigate With Caution. Remember that visual navigation marks that you rely on during the day may be invisible at night. Chart your route to the on-water fireworks viewing zone in advance and use GPS-enabled electronics to help you find it Also, ensure your running and anchor lights are working properly.

5. Rules For Rafting-Up. If you are rafting up to other vessels to watch the fireworks, have fenders and lines ready as you approach the raft-up, and tell your passengers to keep their entire body inside the boat at all times.

6. Leave It To The Experts. Keep all store-bought fireworks at home and off the boat. Fireworks should only be lit on a flat and level surface; a boat is not stable enough because it will rock and move in the water. In addition, fiberglass is flammable, and the boat’s engine and fuel can pose a serious fire risk when sparks and open flames are present.

7. Flares Are For Emergencies Only. Never fire emergency flares in place of fireworks. They are not intended for this use and often burn hotter and faster than fireworks. It is also unlawful to make a false call for help; you could face severe fines and/or jail time.

8. Stifle The Sparks. Keep a fire extinguisher or a bucket of water handy to put out any sparks that might drift over to your boat from the fireworks display.

9. Sit Back and Relax. Don’t rush to get home; let some of the boat traffic clear out before you raise anchor.

10. Listen Up! Obey U.S. Coast Guard-designated fireworks safety zones and follow their orders or the orders of other local marine authorities – they are only out there to protect you! Details concerning the nature of the fireworks event will be published in Local Notices to Mariners and via Broadcast Notice to Mariners over VHF-FM band radio.

 

Do you have any other tips to add? Let us know in the comments.

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.

Tags:  boating safety  fireworks  fireworks by boat  fireworks viewing from a boat  flares  holiday  july 4th  july 4th fireworks  Life Jacket  Life Jacket Loaner locations  lifejacket  lifejackets  New Year  night boating  Sober Skipper 

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6 Tips for Boaters Watching Holiday Boat Parades from the Water

Posted By Gail Kulp, Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Updated: Monday, December 7, 2020

6 Tips for Boaters Watching Holiday Boat Parades from the Water

It is that time of year to start thinking about decorating your boat for a holiday boat parade or taking your boat out to watch a parade of other boats. As we celebrate these seasonal events, it is important to keep boating safety in the forefront of your mind. Sea Tow and the Sea Tow Foundation offers the following 6 tips for boaters heading out to for a holiday boat parade, to ensure everyone on board will have a safe and enjoyable time.  
  1. Designate a Sober Skipper to stay at the helm all evening and be responsible for returning the boat and its passengers to shore after the parade is over. The skipper will stay sober all evening to keep everyone safe on the water. To take the pledge to be the Sober Skipper visit www.soberskipper.com.
  2. Watch your Weight. Don’t overload the boat with passengers. The number of seats available on board is not always the best indicator of capacity. Look for the boat’s capacity plate on the transom or by the helm or look up the passenger capacity in the boat’s manual. It is also important that decorations do not obstruct the skipper’s blind spots and that any decorations used don’t add additional weight to the boat that would require a person or two to disembark.
  3. Don’t forget your life jackets! Make sure everyone onboard the boat is wearing warm clothes topped by either a traditional or an inflatable life jacket that fits. Navigating at night in a crowd of other vessels can be just as dangerous as boating in stormy weather or in fog.
  4. Things look different at night. Remember that in the dark, visual navigation markers you rely on during the day may be invisible. Chart your route to the on-water parade-viewing zone in advance and use GPS-enabled electronics to help you find your way, if necessary.
  5. Relax and Enjoy the Show. Don't be in a rush to get home; let some of the boat traffic clear out before you raise anchor after the parade is over.
  6. Listen Up! Obey U.S. Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary designated zones and follow their orders – they are only out on the water to protect you. In case of a non-emergency, hail “Sea Tow, Sea Tow, Sea Tow” on VHF channel 16; call 800-4-SEATOW; or use the Sea Tow mobile app.

*Bonus tip: If you are decorating your boat, ensure that power cords are safe to be around water to reduce the risk of fire and electrical shock. Make sure connections are wrapped with electrical tape and that there are no frayed ends or loose bulbs.

 

Tell us in the comments where you are attending boat parades and feel free to share photos on our Facebook page @SeaTowFoundation.

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.

Tags:  boat lights  boat parade  christmas lights  christmas parade  holiday  holiday parade 

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