Beacon Watch

boats, safety, sports

Winter Boating

It’s no fun thinking about boating accidents (and, fortunately, your odds of experiencing one are fairly low.) That being said, a bit of forethought can go a long way towards ensuring your safety—even if accidents are the last thing you want to be thinking about before hitting the lake! Here is an interesting breakdown of boating accidents by type provided by the California Department of Boating and Waterways that give you an idea of what to watch out for on the open water.

  • 32% of reported boating accidents in 2013 were collisions between two or more boating vehicles.
  • 22% involved flooding and/or swamping.
  • 13% involved grounding.
  • 12% involved sinking.
  • 11% of accidents were, in fact, skiing accidents.
  • 10% were related to capsizing.
  • 8% were man-overboard situations due to a fall.
  • 6% were boater-ejections.
  • 5% were caused by collision with a fixed object.
  • 3% were cause by fire and/or explosion.
  • *Note that some accidents involved more than one of the above criteria, which is why the percentages add up to be above 100.

So what can we learn from all of this? First of all, collisions are more common than the average boater assumes! Just because water doesn’t involve “traffic” the same way your morning commute does, doesn’t mean you should take your fellow boaters for granted! Boating collisions can be catastrophic, which is why it is highly important to always be aware and considerate when on the water.

Secondly, we can see that man-overboard situations add up to 14% of all accidents when falls and ejections are added together. This emphasizes the importance of wearing your lifejacket—after all, your life vest won’t do you any good if it is resting in the boat when you end up in the water! Moreover, you may wish to consider investing in an emergency locator beacon in order to assist should such a situation arise.

Finally, it is important to note that water-skiing, while exhilarating, does come with a bit of risk. To minimize the risks, skiers should always be alert, wear life jackets, and avoid skiing while under the influence.

For more boating safety advice, visit Beacon-Watch online today.

Think Ahead This Winter for Stress-Free Boating

When all the summer and autumn fun is over, more than just a few owners really slack off when it comes to winterizing their boat or getting prepared for the next boating season. This article is a friendly little reminder, after all the time, money, and energy that you have put into your boat, that it is not wise to get lazy when it comes to putting your boat in storage. In fact, the late fall and winter seasons usually offer the greatest opportunity to do some constructive and necessary tinkering with your craft, as well as the financial opportunity to make some well-advised purchases for the next year.

Winterizing your boat means more than just draining the engine, adding antifreeze, and putting in some fuel additives.  It’s an opportune time to inspect your vessel from stem to stern to make sure that the cold weather does not cause new or further damage. Not only can you do some intensive cleaning, but you also can repair all those minor problems before they get any worse.  Ice, dirt, and debris can cause splits in hatches and window tracks, or can make tiny cracks in the hull worse – it pays to keep your boat clean and covered with a reliable tarp. Excessive humidity or dryness can cause electronic components to corrode and malfunction, so all of these parts should be removed and brought inside if possible. You don’t want to deal with these problems in the spring or summer when your ready to go on an outing.

Winter is also a great time too to make all those purchases that can make your boating safer and more enjoyable. The SeaMe Monitor from BeaconWatch for instance is a great addition to your boating repertoire. The monitor is a small GPS device with an intense LED strobe light that attaches to a person and lets you locate them quickly in case they accidentally fall overboard.

Instead of feeling “stir crazy” this winter from being stuck in the house, use your free time to make those little adjustments to your boat that will make the next season a lot more hassle free.  Also, when it comes time to make your Christmas list, or spend a little bit of your tax return money, consider upgrading your safety program with a SeaMe Monitor. Thinking ahead can really pay off when you pull the tarp off your boat next spring.

Cold Weather Boating

No doubt there are advantages to boating in seasons other than summer: the autumn leaves can be a spectacular flash of color, fishing is usually outrageous in the spring, and after a freshly fallen snow winter has a pristine beauty all its own. An off-season excursion however has the unique dangers of cold weather boating. Here is a simple checklist for any boat captain to examine to be sure everyone is safe on all of his off-season adventures.

  • Be sure to check the weather beforehand.  Don’t wait until your ready to leave the dock before you decide to see what those dark clouds are!
  • Leave a detailed float plan for someone you trust. In cold weather, it is especially critical for someone to know where you are in the event of an emergency.
  • Avoid wearing cotton clothing. Cotton stays damp and wet from either water or perspiration and so is not the fabric of choice when you are out in cold weather. Try to wear water-resistant material that wicks moisture away from the body when it gets wet.
  • Do all the proper maintenance on your boat before every excursion.  Don’t get stranded out of negligence.
  • Have a life jacket for everyone and a SeaMe monitor from BeaconWatch.  If someone falls in the water the SeaMe monitor let’s you locate them quickly and pull them out before they drown or get hypothermia.  
  • Have your cell phone charged and in a plastic baggie.
  • Avoid alcohol. Alcohol not only is one of the leading factors in boating accidents, but it also can bring on hypothermia a lot quicker.

If a captain takes a few extra cold weather precautions, boating in the off-seasons can a enjoyable and peaceful experience. With these steps, your boat doesn’t have to sit in storage for half of the time, but can be a part of your life all year long.