Safety & Seamanship
When a vessel becomes disabled, a prudent skipper’s thoughts will turn
to getting the vessel anchored quickly. Getting the anchor down and set
is the first step towards stabilizing the situation and is your first
line of defense from ending up on a lee shore. Anchoring provides a stable vessel and a fixed position, both of which
are a tremendous asset when trouble hits while underway.
After last season, our busiest ever at Safe/Sea, with just under 1,100 calls for assistance, I thought that our caseload was about as high as it could get. But with over 4,300 members this year, and the forecast of a very warm summer, we may well top that. As calls for assistance increase, so do the use of cellular telephones but you still need a working VHF radio on board.
A disturbing trend observed frequently by Safe/Sea Captains over the
past several boating seasons is the failure of many boaters to
recognize the dangers of lee shores and their lack of ability to
quickly anchor their vessel when something goes wrong.
Night navigation requires skill and concentration and should not be taken lightly. Many things change on the water after daylight. While on your boat at night, your depth perception decreases and distances and sizes of shores and navigational aids can look different. Waves become harder to see and judge, and reflections in your boat's windshield can be confusing.
Planning for a hurricane may be one of the most stressful tasks a boater can face. We here at Safe/Sea thought it would be helpful if we came up with a hurricane
preparation checklist to help equip boaters. As hurricanes are extremely unprediactable, there is not really a perfect plan, but taking some simple steps give you and your vessel better chances in overcoming the storm.
The development of the suspender style inflatable PFD is responsiblefor an increase in boater safety. As a Safe/Sea captain, I wasdelighted to see so many sailors arriving at the Great Salt Pond lastseason wearing these life saving devices. Statistics show that, whenworn, a life jacket is responsible for saving more lives than any otherCoast Guard required equipment.
When docking and maneuvering powerboats,
momentum is often times your worst enemy.
Always Anchor First
How to Call Safe/Sea for Assistance
Lee Shores Present a Danger to Boaters
Navigating at Night Presents Unique Challenges
Preparing Your Vessel for an Approaching Hurricane
New Speed is Good Speed