Are You a Safe Boater?

I have taught a lot of subjects over the years. One thing I have found in the “hands-on” type of classes - SCUBA diving, firearms training, and boating come to mind - the male ego seems to come into play. What do I mean by that? Guys, let’s be honest, when it comes to a “manly subject,” we all want to seem like we have some innate basic “guy” knowledge built in. Discussing safe boating, I have been boating down here for over 30 years. I have seen some pretty good boaters; I have seen some amazing boaters and well, let just say I have seen some boaters who could use a little work. So, how can we honestly know just what kind of boater we really are? The answer comes in the form of questions, a quiz of sorts. I thought I’d reach out to two very good boaters, Ted Reiss, the past commander of the Marco Island Sail and Power Squadron, and Mike Massy USCG Auxiliary Flotilla 95 Marco Island Flotilla Commander. I asked Ted and Mike what they would ask to determine just what level of trained boater they might be dealing with. And would they please give me some questions that we all could use to see just how trained up and knowledgeable we really are.

So, my boating buddies, here are 13 questions, along with two bonus ones. Take a minute and give them a go. Can you answer all 13 correctly and the bonus ones, or are you somewhere in the middle?

1. Boat coming toward me head-on…what do I do?
2. Boat crossing in front of me from starboard to port (right to left). Am I the “stand on” or “give way” vessel?
3. What is the difference between “idle speed” and “slow speed - minimum wake”?
4. Do I need a proper lookout at all times?
5. Do my navigation lights need to work both day and night?
6. Do I always need to have enough life jackets on board for all my passengers?
7. At what age are children required to wear life jackets in Florida?
8. Is it important to check tides and weather before departing from the dock?
9. Why do I need a Float Plan?
10. Do I know the boat's limits? (Maximum passenger count, draft depth, fuel consumption, handling characteristics).
11. How do I handle big waves or large wakes?
12. Do I have emergency signaling gear on board and how to use it?
13. Do I understand what basic maintenance includes? (Flushing the engine, check bilge pumps, batteries and wiring, fuel leaks).

BONUS POINTS: Channel markers are RED and GREEN. What side do you stay on coming back in the Marco River from the Gulf?

What do the numbers and shapes of markers tell you?

So, how did you do? I’ll give you the answers in a bit but first, let’s say hopefully every one of you got all 13 AND the bonus questions right. Because honestly, these are basic boating questions. Let’s take this conversation just a bit farther down the road, or maybe the river. Knowing the basics is a good start on being a safe boater, but it is just a start. Take question number nine. You need a float plan just in case something goes wrong when you’re out there. Telling someone your plans every time you go out should be as ingrained as bringing along the boat keys. In case of a simple breakdown, that alone might shorten your wait for help. Number eight is another one that should be a normal part of your boating day planner. I have years of memories of calls for service when I was with the Sheriff’s Office, of missing or stuck boaters who headed into the backwater areas, ran out of water, and were stuck waiting for the tide to come back in. And of course, this time of year, when afternoon thunderstorms come up, it’s not a great time to be stuck on a mud flat. And the question about the channel markers and what side to stay on, coming and going on our intracoastal waterways. Getting that question wrong can not only be embarrassing if you get into “skinny” water, but potentially dangerous. Anyone who has driven the intercoastal run between Isles of Capri to Naples Bay knows there are a couple of narrow spots. I recall a couple of bad accidents when boaters running on plane ran onto the wrong side of the markers and slammed into the shallow water outside the channel.

Another safe boater conversation is “What is the condition of your boat?” I am suggesting that just like we make a date to change out a smoke detector battery or change our clocks from standard to daylight savings time, we proactively schedule a complete check of our boats. This is not the same as a USCG Vessel Safety Check, something we also need to do every year. Consider checking every six months all your thru-hull fittings and seacocks; your hoses should be flexible, not stiff. Look for cracks or chafing and connect with TWO, not one stainless steel clamps. Check all your battery and electrical connections for corrosion and dried-out and splitting insulation. I was on a sailboat years ago, sailing south for the Keys, just at dusk, when the cabin filled with smoke. An insulated wire had shorted out when the dried-out insulation cracked and exposed the wire, which grounded out. THAT was an exciting few minutes! All your power cords, shoreline cords, and connections should be checked. Check your bilge pump and float switch. This would be a good time to clean out the bilge and see if the pump is working. Check your anchor rode and the connection from chain to rope. Is it corroded? Is the line rotted in that always wet, sandy, and salty environment we call an anchor locker? The list can be quite long: lifelines, running lights, frozen zipper on the life jacket bag, freshwater pump, Bimini connections. And as I write this, we are in “hurricane season.” Do you have a plan in place for your boat if a hurricane passes through our area? How are your dock lines? If they are worn, you need to replace them. What’s the plan for a storm surge? Do you have a way to attach spring lines so the boat can rise and fall but still be attached to your dock? If it won’t impede navigation in your canal, consider dropping an anchor on the other side of your canal and attaching the rode to the outside of your boat to keep your boat off your dock or seawall. If your boat is on a lift, I am sure you have raised it high enough. But consider tying the boat to your lift and tying off the lift to your pilings so the wind can’t cause the lift to swing about, damaging the cables and pulleys. At the end of the day or cruise, safe boating means a safe boat AND a safe Captain!

SO, some answers:

1. Turn to starboard (right). Do an exaggerated turn if necessary. Vessels should pass port to port.
2. Boat to the right crossing over in front is “stand on” and boat to left is “give way” and gives way to the other boat. In all cases, both vessels do everything they can to avoid a collision.
3. Idle speed is at idle; you can adjust to maintain headway or steerage depending on conditions, but otherwise “at idle speed”. Slow speed minimum wake allows for a small wake but minimum wake, slow speed, is when the boat is fully settled in the water, thus there is no water coming up the bow.
4. Yes - Good to have someone assigned as a lookout (forward and stern) to assist the person at the helm.
5. Yes - Even though you may not operate at night, you may need lights on for fog or poor visibility.
6. Must have USCG-approved life jackets for every passenger. Inflatable jackets are counted only if a person is wearing them, and life jackets must be readily available.
7. In Florida, “Children under the age of six must wear a USCG approved life jacket on a boat less than 26 ft long when underway.”
8. Tides and weather can impact safe operation and should be checked before hitting the water.
9. A float plan can assist authorities in terms of description and area of travel if a boat does not return. 10 Knowing capacity in terms of passenger count and hp or RPM limit, along with draft and fuel consumption, is all-important to understand in terms of the possibility of running aground. Too many people aboard affects the vessel's stability and running out of fuel and needing assistance, and basic boat handling, whether docking or underway in rough conditions.
10. Handle large waves at a 45-degree angle and reduce speed when necessary.
11. Do you have flares that are unexpired? Do you know how to use them? Do you know what works as a day signal vs. a night signal? Do you have a horn that works? Is it located easily to reach at the helm or tucked away in a compartment?
12. Do you know why it is important to flush the engine with fresh water after use? Why do you need to make sure bilge pumps are working and how to test them? Are positive terminals protected with a cap on your batteries, fuel lines, and fittings in good condition? Is wiring in good condition so that you don’t have to fight an electrical fire?

BONUS POINTS: Green are square and red are triangles so you can tell where you are just by the shape if you can’t see the color. Numbers are like a road map; they tell you your location on a chart. Red Right Return means keep the red marker on the right side of the channel while proceeding from a larger body of water. Going from the Gulf to the Jolley Bridge is returning from a larger body of water and thus, you keep the red markers on the right side. Once you go under the Jolley Bridge, you are going out to the Gulf, even though you are heading to Goodland and thus you keep the red marker on your left. The red right returning concept, by the way, changes four times if you go completely around Marco Island.

So that’s it. Honestly, owning and running a boat is NOT like running a car, from not being able to just pull over when the weather gets bad or an emergency is occurring, to being able to get assistance if something does occur. Take some classes, watch some videos and join a group of boaters who will keep you company out on the water if you want, or at least be a source of information and guidance, including buying that new boat!

And consider that the Marco Island Sail and Power Squadron and the Coast Guard Auxiliary offer classes in our area almost every month. Contact Marco Island Coast Guard Auxiliary or go to the Marco Island Sail and Power Squadrons website, www.marcoboatingclub.org, call 239-393-0150, or stop by the training center at 1114 North Collier Boulevard.