Boat Safety Tips

Your boat trailer is an important part of your boating equipment. After selecting the appropriate trailer for your boat and towing vehicle, proper maintenance and continual care when hitching and towing are necessary. If care and maintenance are neglected, you may be endangering the safety of your boat, your car, your family, yourself and others.

More damage can be done to a boat by the stresses of road travel than by normal water operation, so make sure you choose the right trailer. The trailer should be designed to carry the total weight of the hull, engine, equipment and any extra gear.

The coupling hitch on the trailer should have a lock or similar device to prevent it from vibrating loose. Periodically lubricate the hitch for longer wear and quieter turns.

The trailer should have two safety chains strong enough to control it if the hitch should come loose or break. The chains should be securely attached to the towing vehicle at a place separate from the ball and bracket. They should be long enough to allow turning, but not long enough to drag on the ground.

Extra caution is necessary when towing any trailer. The heavier the rig, the more time it takes to accelerate, pass and stop. Most boats on trailers obstruct the rear view of the driver. When this happens, a rearview mirror on each side of the towing vehicle is required by law.

Make sure your vehicle is capable of towing the trailer. Be sure the engine, transmission, cooling system and brakes can withstand the strain that towing will put on them.

Out of courtesy to others and to prevent rushing, prepare your boat for launching away from the ramp. If you must leave your vehicle on the ramp, set the parking brake, block the wheels and put the transmission in ''park."

Never allow anyone to stand in line with the winch cable when it is in operation or has a strain on it.

Boating Yachting, and Personal Watercraft (PWC) Safety 

Contrary to popular thinking, the most important equipment aboard your boat is not that expensive rod and reel or the new water skis; it is the safety equipment. For your own safety and that of your passengers, consult our checklist and tips before leaving the dock.

____ Radio

____ Fire extinguishers

____ Flares

____ Compass and chart

____ Lights

____ First aid kit

____ Spare batteries

____ Personal Flotation Devices

____ "Skier down" signal flag

____ Anchor and line

____ Sound signaling device

____ Paddle and bailer/bucket

____ Emergency drinking water

____ Extra fuel

____ Spare parts

1. Be Properly Equipped. Before you get underway, be sure you have all necessary safety equipment. Make sure fire extinguishers aboard are in working order and that gauges register and nozzles are clear. Make sure that all passengers know where safety equipment is and how to operate it.

2. Be Especially Careful With Flammables. When refueling, close all hatches, ports and other openings; shut off all engines and motors; and refrain from smoking. Fill all portable tanks on the dock.

Operate the bilge blower for at least FOUR MINUTES before starting an inboard engine. If you smell fumes, find out what is causing them and make repairs before starting the engine.

Make sure that flammable items are stowed safely and cannot come into contact with cooking or heating appliances or hot engine parts. Be sure heating and cooking appliances on board are secured and operate properly.

3. Plan Ahead For Safety. Don't go out if weather conditions are bad or storms threaten. In most areas you can call Directory Assistance and ask for the marine weather broadcast telephone number to get a complete weather forecast before you set out.

Leave a float plan with someone. A float plan is an easy way to avoid unnecessary search and rescue missions and may save your life. Fill out your float plan and leave it with a responsible person who can notify local authorities if you are long overdue. Cancel the float plan when you return ashore.

Distribute weight properly, especially if you have a small boat. Do not overload. Load low and spread the load around.

4. While You Are Boating: Be especially careful if you have a small boat, 20 ft. or under. The overwhelming majority of small boat capsizings occur because of sudden weight shifts.

Keep a good lookout. Failure to do so causes most collisions. You need a second person to act as lookout if you're towing a skier. The lookout should indicate a fallen skier by raising a brightly colored flag.

Don't ride on the bow or gunwales. Also, never ride on seat backs or in other unsteady positions.

Travel at safe speeds. Give swimmers, skiers and divers a wide berth.

Choose a safe spot to anchor -- one that's well protected, has water of a suitable depth and also has a flat bottom. Never anchor from the stern.

Don't pollute the water with leaky oil or fuel, litter or toilet discharge. It's illegal to pollute.

5. Obey Navigation Rules. Always use lights in fog, bad weather and at night. In fog or areas of reduced visibility, you must give a prolonged blast (4-6 seconds) at least once every two minutes.

Know who has the right of way. In general, large boats, yachts, tugs, barges and fishing vessels have the right of way over other boats. Sailboats, rowboats and canoes have the right of way over motorboats or personal watercraft like Jet Ski's. Any boat being overtaken (passed) has the right of way.

Pay attention to markers. The expression "red right returning" has long been used as a reminder that the red buoys are passed on the starboard side when proceeding from the open sea into the dock (upstream). Likewise, green buoys are left, to the port side, when going upstream. For more information on nautical traffic signs in your area, contact local boating officials.

6. What To Do In Emergencies. If you are in distress, or observe another vessel in distress, transmit the international Distress Call on VHF channel 16. This call is, "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY." State your vessel's name, location, what is wrong, the kind of assistance you need and your listening frequency and schedule. VHF channel 16 is constantly monitored. The Coast Guard also monitors CB channel 9, whenever resources permit.

If you are involved in an accident, you must provide your name, address and vessel registration number to other involved parties, provide assistance to any injured persons and, in case of death or disappearance, report the accident without delay to law enforcement officials. If the accident is a serious one, you may need to make a written report to the Department of Boating and Waterways.