This article is one in a series offering tips on boating skills and seamanship prepared for The Citizen by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
A recent conversation with some skippers and would-be skippers indicates that some misconceptions exist in the minds of boaters concerning personal flotation devices (PFDs) such as buoyant cushions, preservers, vests, jackets, and the latest addition, the inflatables.
The Coast Guard points out that almost half of boating fatalities involving recreational boats are unexpected, they occur close to shore, in calm waters and they are caused by drowning.
Most all of these drownings could have been prevented, if the person drowned was wearing a PFD.
Regulations now require that on boats less than 16 feet in length Coast Guard approved PFDs must be available for each person on board. Boats 16 feet or longer must have a wearable PFD for each person on board, and in addition, and extra type IV, throwable buoyant cushion or ring buoy, which must be immediately available for possible man overboard situations.
Immediately available is interpreted to mean the device should be able to be grasped and thrown to a person in those first few critical seconds after a person enters the water.
The newer PFDs can be kept on all the time. They are not bulky and thus they are comfortable to wear.
They are designed to turn an unconscious person face up. The auto inflatable inflates automatically upon entering the water, although it can also be inflated manually. Its companion is the manual inflatable. As the term implies, it only inflates manually.
Other types of wearable devices are not required to be worn all the time, but must be “readily accessible.”
Readily accessible means capable of being reached quickly for effective use under all conditions.
To satisfy this definition, a PFD must be quickly within reach whenever a boat is in use. It should be worn or in hand whenever an emergency situation appears to be developing, is highly probable, or has occurred. This means that PFDs cannot be stored in locked containers or one that cannot be opened quickly and should not be stored in the plastic protective bag that it came in from the factory.
Obviously, a PFD stowed in an out-of-the-way place, where it cannot be reached quickly, is not readily accessible. If you keep your safety equipment (PFDs, fire extinguishers) readily accessible you will have it available when an emergency situation ever arises.
To help boaters comply with these and other regulations, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free vessel safety checks (VSC).
These are conducted by qualified Coast Guard Auxiliarists, who are familiar with boating regulations and can check to see that you have everything required.
It is a free check of your boat's equipment covering all Federal requirements plus additional standards recommended by the Auxiliary. The examination is conducted only with your consent by a qualified member of the Auxiliary.
If your boat passes the examination, the award of a safety decal is your assurance that your boat is properly equipped for fun and safety on the water.
The vessel safety check decal is respected by experienced boaters everywhere. Coast Guard boarding officers will normally consider a boat which displays the decal to be in compliance with the law and will not board it unless they observe an obvious violation.
The vessel safety check program is not a law enforcement program.
At the conclusion of the examination, the check-off list is given to you. If your boat does not pass, no report of deficiencies will be made to any law enforcement agency.
In a future column, I will discuss in detail every aspect of the courtesy marine examination procedure.
For a free VSC, contact the local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla at 508 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca; call (607) 273-7175.
John E. Keshishoglou is the
commander of the Ithaca Flotilla 22
Green tips
Want to enjoy the water
without polluting it?
The Environmental
Protection Agency
suggests the following tips for reducing pollution from a motorboat:
€ Limit engine operation at full throttle.
€ Eliminate unnecessary idling.
€ Avoid spilling gasoline.
€ Use a gasoline container you can handle easily and hold securely.
€ Pour slowly and smoothly.
€ Use a funnel or a spout with an automatic stop device to prevent overfilling the gas tank.
€ Close the vent on portable gas tanks when the engine is not in use or when the tank is stored.
€ Transport and store gasoline out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry place.
€ Use caution when pumping gasoline into
a container at the gas
station.
€ Carefully measure the proper amounts of
gasoline and oil when refueling.
€ Follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule.
€ Prepare engines properly for winter storage.
€ Buy new, cleaner marine engines.
- The Associated Press
The Coast Guard points out that almost half of boating fatalities involving recreational boats are unexpected, they occur close to shore, in calm waters and they are caused by drowning.
Most all of these drownings could have been prevented, if the person drowned was wearing a PFD.
Regulations now require that on boats less than 16 feet in length Coast Guard approved PFDs must be available for each person on board. Boats 16 feet or longer must have a wearable PFD for each person on board, and in addition, and extra type IV, throwable buoyant cushion or ring buoy, which must be immediately available for possible man overboard situations.
Immediately available is interpreted to mean the device should be able to be grasped and thrown to a person in those first few critical seconds after a person enters the water.
The newer PFDs can be kept on all the time. They are not bulky and thus they are comfortable to wear.
They are designed to turn an unconscious person face up. The auto inflatable inflates automatically upon entering the water, although it can also be inflated manually. Its companion is the manual inflatable. As the term implies, it only inflates manually.
Other types of wearable devices are not required to be worn all the time, but must be “readily accessible.”
Readily accessible means capable of being reached quickly for effective use under all conditions.
To satisfy this definition, a PFD must be quickly within reach whenever a boat is in use. It should be worn or in hand whenever an emergency situation appears to be developing, is highly probable, or has occurred. This means that PFDs cannot be stored in locked containers or one that cannot be opened quickly and should not be stored in the plastic protective bag that it came in from the factory.
Obviously, a PFD stowed in an out-of-the-way place, where it cannot be reached quickly, is not readily accessible. If you keep your safety equipment (PFDs, fire extinguishers) readily accessible you will have it available when an emergency situation ever arises.
To help boaters comply with these and other regulations, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free vessel safety checks (VSC).
These are conducted by qualified Coast Guard Auxiliarists, who are familiar with boating regulations and can check to see that you have everything required.
It is a free check of your boat's equipment covering all Federal requirements plus additional standards recommended by the Auxiliary. The examination is conducted only with your consent by a qualified member of the Auxiliary.
If your boat passes the examination, the award of a safety decal is your assurance that your boat is properly equipped for fun and safety on the water.
The vessel safety check decal is respected by experienced boaters everywhere. Coast Guard boarding officers will normally consider a boat which displays the decal to be in compliance with the law and will not board it unless they observe an obvious violation.
The vessel safety check program is not a law enforcement program.
At the conclusion of the examination, the check-off list is given to you. If your boat does not pass, no report of deficiencies will be made to any law enforcement agency.
In a future column, I will discuss in detail every aspect of the courtesy marine examination procedure.
For a free VSC, contact the local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla at 508 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca; call (607) 273-7175.
John E. Keshishoglou is the
commander of the Ithaca Flotilla 22
Green tips
Want to enjoy the water
without polluting it?
The Environmental
Protection Agency
suggests the following tips for reducing pollution from a motorboat:
€ Limit engine operation at full throttle.
€ Eliminate unnecessary idling.
€ Avoid spilling gasoline.
€ Use a gasoline container you can handle easily and hold securely.
€ Pour slowly and smoothly.
€ Use a funnel or a spout with an automatic stop device to prevent overfilling the gas tank.
€ Close the vent on portable gas tanks when the engine is not in use or when the tank is stored.
€ Transport and store gasoline out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry place.
€ Use caution when pumping gasoline into
a container at the gas
station.
€ Carefully measure the proper amounts of
gasoline and oil when refueling.
€ Follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule.
€ Prepare engines properly for winter storage.
€ Buy new, cleaner marine engines.
- The Associated Press
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