Slight decrease in fatalities compared to 2021; 74% on vessels operated by skipper lacking safety instruction The U.S. Coast Guard reported that there were 636 boating fatalities nationwide in 2022, a 3.3 percent decrease from the 658 deaths in 2021. From 2021 to 2022, the total number of accidents decreased 9 percent (4,439 to 4,040),…
NTSB Faults Both USCG Cutter And Private Center Console Fishing Skippers A fatal collision last August off Puerto Rico serves as a reminder to all skippers that maintaining a proper lookout at all times is a critical responsibility of the captain of the vessel. On Aug. 8, 2022, the USCGC Winslow Griesser, a 154-foot fast…
Headquarters Outfitters from the US 64 bridge over the French Broad. On July 22, a group from Lake Hartwell Boating Club took a kayak adventure down the French Broad River. This was a revisit of a delightful springtime journey we took in 2019, except it was a little shorter in distance. We had a larger…
Visit any boat dealer, and you are apt to see a minimal inventory. The current scene is that demand coming out of COVID is high, and yet manufacturer and dealer inventories are low. So what does this have to do with safety? As inventories begin to recover, we should see a lot more boats on…
We all need to review time-honored recommendations for handling emergencies on the water. This first in a series of posts covers vessel-related emergencies. Later posts will cover medical emergencies, and emergency communications. Most boating accidents are caused by human error and are preventable (63% human error). Filing a Float Plan before leaving the dock is…
With our on-the-water events having arrived for the year, it is time to review some of the essentials of safe and damage-free rafting-up. Rafting has other applications in addition to social events. One is tying up to a willing boat at crowded anchorages or marinas. Raft-Up Techniques The centrally anchored boat should be the largest…
Also, wake surfing restricted within 200 feet of dock, person or anchored vessel. South Carolina House Bill H3308 was signed into effect March 14 by Gov. McMaster, establishing a new 100-foot idle speed distance limit that boats underway must observe when approaching a dock, a person in the water or an anchored vessel on most…
If we are honest with ourselves, we all have gaps in our knowledge and execution of time-honored safe boating practices. If you have taken America’s Boating Course, why not fill those gaps by taking the Boat Handling course? A knowledge of Rules of the Road is critical for safe boating. Boat Handling is an Advanced…
Aids to Navigation (ATONS) are an important part of safe boating. They help prevent grounding, collisions, dangerous speed, risk to swimmers and many other situations. They are invaluable for navigation in reduced visibility conditions, particularly at night and in fog. Important junction buoy found to be in poor condition. ATONS are positioned purposefully and…
It will be boating season once again soon, and it’s never too early to prepare for unexpected dangers. If you go boating much, you will eventually have to cope with a thunderstorm on the water. Even if you have checked the weather reports, conditions can change rapidly and surprise you with a fast-moving boomer. Or,…