what do you do to make your boat more safe?

[JB]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

Used Boston Whalers and banned alcohol. . .in addition to most of the great ideas above.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

i like to keep a couple 5 gallon buckets on board for bailing and trash and pooin they also work as fire extingishers lots of extra rope a tarp and a knife first aid kit and a firearm oh and matches/lighters, flashlight, some drinking water

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

something to bail with is important for any boat, and most people ignore that. I also keep a hand pump on each boat that has a bilge, since you can't get to it to bail.

 

[JoLin]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

I don't make everyone wear their PFDs unless the weather is against us, but, every trip, I make everyone, take out a PFD put it on, and adjust it to fit them, each of my PFDs on my boat has a different color tag on it, so everyone knows which one they fitted.

I do the same (everybody gears up and adjusts their PFD before we leave), but the colored tags never occurred to me. Great idea!

I also have every PFD fitted with a whistle and I've been adding strobe lights as I go. Four of them are done, and I'll buy a few more this season. I use these..

Revere See Me LED Light Auto 85-4071A - iboats

They don't naturally float, but they will if you slide a couple inches of pool noodle over the shaft. The shaft fits inside the pool noodle center hole, and the little side handles hold it in place against the light base.

My .02

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

I guess boat safety can be divided into two different sets of protocals. They apply to every vessel, from canoe to cruiser.

The first is staying afloat and in control. That is your system and hull maintenance, bilge pumps and other fixes, spare motor/paddle/anchor, ability to make repairs at sea.

The second is being found alive if #1 fails. PFD, lights, visible colors and sound devices. then communications. Then means to stay put and stay together. In cold or swift water you have that to deal with, too.

Safe operations is a different discussion. First aid, while very important, is not boat-specific.

 

[dwco5051]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

Even though the risk of collision with another boat is always on every boater’s mind in my 34 years working in boating law enforcement we have never had a fatality in the district I work and only one that I can remember in the division that consists of 7 counties.

Most fatalities are caused by capsizing or falls overboard and involve a combination of all or some of three items. No PFD being worn, cold water, or alcohol.

Train yourself and your family about proper wearing of PFD’s both out and in the water. Could you climb back in the boat unassisted if you would end up in the water? Could you help an unconscious person back into your boat by your self?
Do you use your kill switch? A boat going in circles trying to run over you is not a pleasant thing. The wind can often take a boat away from a person faster than they can swim. Do all your boating passengers know the basics of operating your boat in case of a medical emergency?

Training and preparing for such situations could be the difference between life and death. Military and law enforcement constantly train for situations which may never need to be used in their whole careers but when you lose the bubble you have to act almost by instinct.

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

Keep a bail out bag ready.

 

[jdlough]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

I have all the usual safety gear. Cell phone, radio, extra foul weather clothes, redundant bilge pumps, lights, horns, etc.

My next big thing will be a kicker/trolling motor. A back up motor is kinda like a spare tire for a car. Someday, it can REALLY come in handy.

 

[krakatoa]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

Leave it on the trailer..... :lol:

 

[coolbri70]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

+1 on the kicker just watching for the right deal, have to find one with a jon boat attached :joyous: so i can tell the missus " but honey it came with the motor" as i only have permission for the motor:facepalm:

 

[acarter92]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

I do the same (everybody gears up and adjusts their PFD before we leave), but the colored tags never occurred to me. Great idea!

I also have every PFD fitted with a whistle and I've been adding strobe lights as I go. Four of them are done, and I'll buy a few more this season. I use these..

Revere See Me LED Light Auto 85-4071A - iboats

They don't naturally float, but they will if you slide a couple inches of pool noodle over the shaft. The shaft fits inside the pool noodle center hole, and the little side handles hold it in place against the light base.

My .02

Another good idea... I have one on my inflatable PFD that automatically activates when it inflates.... one thing I don't have (which I should) is one in my ditch bag if I'm not wearing the inflatable...

It's amazing how hard it is to see a head sticking out of the water with even the slightest amount of chop, add in the "night time" factor and it becomes close to impossible.

Austin

 

[NYBo]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

All you safety-minded guys are warming the cockles of my heart with all your great suggestions!:rockon:

 

[babyfat]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

All you guys have so many great idea, I appreciated for all your suggestions and I learned so much from you. Is there so many things I need to do and I will also arm my boat like you guys do, my boat will be my castle!

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

As stated before ( and a couple on new ones), a second bilge pump with it's own discharge plumbed thru hull and fused power feed, a second bilge blower on it's own power feed and switch, extra fire extinguishers, Halon automatic extinguisher system, well stocked first aid kit, upgraded nav lights to more powerful 2 mile LED's, 2 VHF radio's, one for ch 16 and one for chatting, high capacity manual portable dewatering pump, Xtra PFD's ( I use Mustang PFD's, not the Walmart ones, as folks are more likely to wear them if they are comfortable and don't look dumb), extra anchor, line and rhode. extra throwable PFD (life ring) w/ retrieval line. The second bilge pump, blower and radio are powered from the second battery, so they are independant from the primaries.

Be sure your fuel fill, engine feed and vent line are in top notch condition.

Ensuring all passengers pre-fit PFD's and know exactly what to do in an emergency BEFORE leaving the dock. Everything is mostly common sense. I also have a towing bridle ( can use the extra anchor line with it) on board in the event someone needs a tow to safety.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

Lighting it up like a christmas tree so you can see it from 10 miles out never hurts,lol Click on pic for larger view

 

[sasto]

Re: what do you do to make your boat more safe?

Lots of good advice here. I've learned over the years that more boats sink or catch fire at the dock. I usually take mine out everyday.....and for as long as Mother Nature and Father Time allow me.