Re: Hmmm, no life jacket and 8 mi offshore in 16 ft boat . ..
It can happen fast. In an incident there is never "time to grab a life vest." much less flares, cell phone already in a watertight holder, etc.
The kill switch has to be hooked up to you.
If you can't climb into the boat by yourself you need a swim step or ladder you can grab. A step was the first thing I installed, for that reason.
In really bad stuff you can trail a line, too. In mere seconds a boat can be blown out of reach if in neutral; if in gear, you're screwed.
It's a false security be able to see land and think you are OK if something happens. Land can't see you. And if you are over 8 feet deep you may as well be 80.
Around here people think they are OK in the Chesapeake Bay near the bridge tunnel, because it's not the ocean,. Something happens and it may as well be.
