sounds kind of silly but always leave a rope over the side when you are alone.
I saw a 40+ft vessel out of Montauk with nail scratches in the stern from owner trying to get back on . Boat was found, owner...NO. A kill switch will not stop another boat from hitting you ( I was in a crappy boat and moved just in time from an oncoming yacht, heard the couple arguing on the bridge, retrospect, shoulda let them hit me ).
My point ? BE ALERT !
GET a radio ( I was 50 miles out in the Gulf of ( America now ) with my 20 ft Proline.
Maybe that was the first thing wrong ( you need a bigger boat! lol ). I spotted 4 teens in a 14 ft old wooden boat waving their hands frantically. I approached their vessel and asked...SUP !
The motor quit and they had been drifting for over 7 hours with no idea where they were. . Of course I towed them back in , they thanked me and asked what I owed them. I told them get a RADIO and maybe a compass and of course a bigger boat. In their defense, they actually had lifejackets, we don't see that much anymore ( they must have known they were in trouble)
