|
Accident Prevention & Emergency Response
ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE
Nearly all boating accidents and casualties are preventable. Minimize the risk of accidents by being smart on the water and don’t take unnecessary risks that are beyond your abilities.
According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics (2009), here are the top-10 reasons a boater gets into trouble on the water.
TOP-10 REASONS BOATING ACCIDENTS HAPPEN
- Operator Inattention
- Operator Inexperience
- Excessive Speed
- Improper Lookout
- Alcohol
- Machinery Failure
- Weather
- Hazardous Waters
- Force of Wave/wake
- Rules of the Road
CAPSIZING AND FALLS OVERBOARD
 According to US Coast Guard statistics, capsizing and falls overboard are the most common cause of boating fatalities. Every year, hundreds of boaters unexpectantly fall out of their boat, either because of capsizing, improperly loading the boat, loss of balance or swamping. It is not the act of falling out of a boat that kills a boater, it’s the fact that they do not have on a life jacket to keep them afloat while they attempt to get out of the water. For this reason, boaters should always wear a life jacket.
Taking on water, swamping and capsizing are usually separate events, but can occur methodically together in one event. Let’s say the water intake hose burst in the engine compartment – at this stage the boat is taking on water. If the water flow cannot be contained, and the water rises to a point that either the stability or the buoyancy of the boat are compromised, the boat becomes swamped. If the load (people/gear) in a swamped boat becomes unstable, there is a good chance that the boat will then capsize and one or both gunnels will sink below the surface of the water. A capsized boat can also flip upside down.
Falls overboard are exactly what it says – a person falls out of the boat, either because of a loss of balance or they are thrown overboard due to a sudden change of direction (sharp turns, sudden acceleration or deceleration).
Capsizing
To minimize capsizing, follow safe boating practices:
- Do not overload the boat. Follow the capacity plate rating for weight and maximum number of persons and maintain proper distribution of the passengers and gear.
- Never anchor from the stern.
- Avoid boating in rough water or bad weather. Avoid high-speed turns, especially in rough water.
- Do not lean over the side of the boat.
- Do not make sudden sharp turns, starts or stops.
Do not release the tiller of an outboard motor, or steering wheel of other boats, while traveling at high speeds.
|
