Beginning Boater

It’s a beautiful day out and you decide to invite a bunch of friends to go out on your boat (size doesn’t matter). After cruising around, you decide to head to a popular restaurant. As you pull up, you start to get nervous. There is one space open between other boats with about 4 feet extra at each end. Your guests are having fun, the music is playing and there are about 75 people on the dock watching very closely to see how you do, secretly hoping that something goes wrong to satisfy their oh-oh moment need.

My first real challenging docking experience happened when I was asked to move a yacht to the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. If you’ve ever walked the docks at one of these shows, you know how tightly packed in all the boats are. I enter the exhibit area. I have to maneuver around a very large, very rusty steel “I” beam, make a sharp left and put my bow between two other million dollar yacht bows and swing my stern so I’m lying up against the yacht next to me while keeping my Stern within 6 inches of the floating dock. I have no ability to stop and I have about fifty owners, captains and dockhands watching me closely hoping nothing goes wrong. After getting into position, ten people jump on board and finish attaching me to the dock and other yachts. My pulse was racing, my palms sweaty, my nerves on edge, but my knowledge of what to do got me through it.

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The water is sparkling across the expanse, and every direction you glance is endless horizon. For centuries, humans have been obsessed with the many unknowns that open water has to offer. Beginning with the invention of boats, we have sought to cross water and discover something new in the horizon. As long as we could swim we have searched the depths of lakes, rivers, and oceans seeking treasures and knowledge.

Some would argue that it is in our very nature to be drawn to the water. It is the sustainer of all life on this planet, so the attachment is as natural and expected as the need for air. As the weather begins to warm and the chill of the air bouncing off the ocean relaxes, the number of boats leaving the harbor drastically increase. The sheer entertainment of aquatic bliss is a highly preferable way to spend a spring or summer afternoon, but also one that requires some preparation.

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No one ever expects an accident to happen to him or her, but they do unfortunately occur. That is why every boater should have boat safety equipment in case of an emergency. Just like the Boy Scout’s motto, it’s best to “always be prepared.”

The most obvious, and most important, boat safety equipment are personal flotation devices, or PFDs. This is actually a requirement and not an option. All recreational boaters need to have approved PFDs that are Coast Guard approved, in working condition, and the appropriate size for the user. It’s not required that you wear one at all times, but it’s a very good idea for children. Always have your PFDs readily available. You should be able to locate them and put them on within a short amount of time if there is an emergency.

Just like in your home, you should have fire extinguishers on your boat. Certain boats are required to have one, but it’s best if every boat contains at least one. Visual distress signals are another piece of boat safety gear that should be on board. There are specific rules about who needs certain types of distress signals. Vessels used on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, territorial seas, and those directly connected to them must be equipped with a U.S.C.G. approved visual distress signal. There are also rules for day and night signals, so be aware of both types. There are pyrotechnic devices, such as red flares, and non-pyrotechnic devices, such as orange distress flags, which can only be used during the day. Red flares are visible during the day and night, but they can be dangerous if not used correctly.

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