19
Safety On Board
e following is a list of common
causes of boating accidents. Be aware
of them and take the necessary steps
to ensure that yourself and crew are
educated and prepared to act in an
emergency.
BOATING ACCIDENTS
1. Mixing boating and alcohol. Remember, the skipper is
responsible for his crew, passengers and vessel.
2. Trying to reach the bow by the deck walk-around at
unsafe speeds. Use the center walk-through.
3. Someone sitting on the bow, deck, or swim platform
while underway.
4. Choosing a boating outing day with inclement weather,
especially in high winds and thunderstorms in the
forecast or staying out when bad weather is approaching.
5. Disembarking without checking all the fluids or
systems, and especially fuel system components.
6. Not monitoring the boating traffic or possible
obstructions around you.
7. Emergency communications equipment, signaling
devices, and navigation lights not working.
8. Improper boat handling especially high speed turns
in rough water. Using trim improperly.
9. Being too far from shore with inadequate fuel supply
or navigational aids.
10. Passengers, especially children that are not wearing
the proper life saving devices.
11. Skipper or passengers not seated in the boat.
REPORTING BOATING ACCIDENTS
According to the Federal Boat
Sa
f
ety Act of 1971 involving
collision, accident or other
casualty, the operator must
make a formal report within
48 hours to the nearest state
boating authority when the incident involves:
1. Death
2. Injury requiring treatment other than rst aid
3. e disappearance of someone from a boat under death
or injury circumstances.
A formal report must be made within 10 days for
accidents involving more than $2000 damage or complete
loss of vessel.
For information regarding accident reporting, plaease
call the Boating
Safety Hotline at 800-368-5647.
If there is no state provision for reporting boating acci-
dents a report must be made to the Coast Guard o cier
in charge, Marine Inspection Unit nearest to the accident
site or USCG station.
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