From NBOA | Keep Your Cool – Summer Boating Safety Tips

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[h=4][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Each summer, millions of Americans head out on the water. Whether you are fishing or just cruising around, accidents do happen. Learn how to prevent them and stay safe.[/FONT][/h] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Nothing evokes the carefree, easy-going lifestyle of summertime quite like spending a day on the boat. Whether you're chugging along the coastline with the family, raking in baitfish at the crack of dawn, or speeding along in a motorboat, the wind in your hair and the cool spray of water on your face, boating is best enjoyed hot![/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Millions of Americans enjoy boating each year. Although we all want to stay safe, accidents do happen. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, over 5,000 motorboat accidents occurred in the U.S. in 2008 - 685 of them were fatal. Sadly, most of those accidents could have been prevented.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Consider these statistics:[/FONT]

• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Last year, 86 percent of motorboat deaths happened in boats whose operators had not taken boating safety courses.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Most drowning deaths took place when boats capsized or passengers fell overboard.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Most accidents were caused by speeding, reckless or careless operation and irresponsible actions by passengers.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]More than a third of boating accidents and related deaths happened on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]About one in five boating deaths was due to alcohol use.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]To ensure your next trip is exciting and safe try following these basic rules:[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]1. Always wear a life jacket. Four out of five people who drown in boating accidents were not wearing life jackets. Have each passenger wear a properly fitting Coast Guard-approved life vest. Children are required by law to wear life jackets so there should be no exceptions in their case.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]2. Don't mix alcohol and boating. Drinking is the number one factor in fatal boating accidents.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Alcohol quickly affects a driver on the water just like on the road. Water motion, engine noises, sun and wind all contribute to impairment. These factors, plus alcohol, can cause fatigue and affect reaction time, coordination, balance, vision and judgment.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Capsizing and/or falling overboard are the main causes of death in more than half of all alcohol-related boating accidents.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Alcohol can affect balance. This makes it easier to fall and harder to know up from down when in the water.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]3. Keep an eye on the sky.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Listen to weather reports before you leave home. Don't let yourself be caught in gale winds, thick fog or a thunderstorm.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Have a VHF radio on board to forewarn you of wind conditions and approaching storms.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]If you see the formation of thick dark clouds, head for shore. This indicates that a storm is approaching. Turn off any electronic devices.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Determine the distance of a storm by counting the seconds between a flash of lightning and the clap of thunder. Every five seconds equals about one mile. If it takes 10 seconds to hear thunder, the storm is two miles away.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]4. Avoid hypothermia. A fall overboard in cold weather quickly disables the use of your arms and legs and your ability to think. Most victims die from the frigid water before ever breathing any into their lungs. Some things to remember:[/FONT]

• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Wear a hat. Over half of your body heat is lost through the head.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Dress in layers. Your body heat will warm the water within the layers.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Stay still to retain body heat. Don't swim; it will make you colder by releasing the warmer water within your clothing and replacing it with cold. Experts recommend floating, curled in a ball and breathing by turning your head to the side when bobbing to the surface.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]5. Take a boating safety course. On average, about 70 percent of boating deaths involve operators who had not taken a course.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]6. Have an annual Vessel Safety Check. The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Power Squadron offer these inspections for free.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]7. Follow the Rules of the Road. Prevent motorboat accidents by following the rules of the waterways. You would be surprised at how many accidents could have been avoided if simple rules like "right of way" were followed correctly.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Whether you're fishing, waterskiing or just cooling off with a refreshing speedboat ride, enjoy your voyage and make it safely back to shore this summer.[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]This article is courtesy of the National Boat Owners Association (NBOA). For more helpful tips on boating and safety on the water, visit www.nboat.com. NBOA is also a leading provider of marine insurance, saving boat owners an average of $535 annually. Contact NBOA today for a free rate quote! 1-800-248-3512[/FONT]