| You really have to wonder what Shirley and | | | | |
| her friends were thinking as they roared | | | | * About 25 percent of boating deaths involve |
| their motorboat up and down the Mississippi | | | | alcohol. The marine environment accelerates |
| River. First, they drank too much alcohol | | | | impairment. Tests have shown only one-third |
| under the steady gaze of a hot July sun. | | | | the amount of alcohol that makes a person |
| | | | legally impaired on the road is enough to |
| Then they forgot to check the gas gauge and | | | | make a person equally impaired on the water. |
| ran out of fuel. Finally, drifting at the | | | | If someone does drink, use a designated |
| mercy of the river, they failed to put on | | | | driver. |
| their life jackets. | | | | |
| | | | Life Jackets Are A Must |
| Is it any wonder that when the boat struck a | | | | |
| barge and sank, the member of their group who | | | | * Over 50 percent of fatal accidents are due |
| could not swim drowned. Just a little | | | | to capsizes and falls overboard. They usually |
| clear-headed thinking could have prevented a | | | | result from overloading, poor weight |
| tragedy. | | | | distribution, high-speed maneuvers, leaning |
| | | | over the edge, and operator error. |
| In a recent reporting period, almost 700 | | | | |
| people died in nearly 5,000 recreational | | | | * Almost 85 percent of people who drown in |
| boating accidents. To stay safely afloat: | | | | boating-related incidents were not wearing a |
| | | | life jacket. All occupants should have a |
| Know The Basics | | | | Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Make sure |
| | | | life jackets are selected and fitted for each |
| * Take a boating-safety class to learn basic | | | | passenger. |
| seamanship skills. Nearly 70 percent of | | | | |
| boating fatalities involve an operator who | | | | * If you stand up for any reason in a small |
| didn't complete such a course. | | | | boat, wear a life jacket. |
| | | | |
| * To take a class, contact a local | | | | * Don't sit on your life jacket when it is |
| safe-boating organization, or the U.S. Coast | | | | not in use. The weight could damage the |
| Guard Information Line, (800) 368-5647, or | | | | protective shell. |
| visit the Coast Guard website. | | | | |
| | | | * Test your life jacket annually. |
| * Know the rules and regulations of the area | | | | |
| you will be navigating. | | | | * Children and nonswimmers should wear a life |
| | | | jacket on any small boat or near water. |
| * Get a free vessel safety check and a list | | | | |
| of recommended safety equipment from the U.S. | | | | Chart A Safe Course |
| Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadron. | | | | |
| Make sure all items are on board and work. | | | | * Be especially careful the first few trips |
| | | | of the season. Your skills might be rusty. |
| * Before you cast off, be sure you have tools | | | | |
| to make repairs. | | | | * Many accidents are the result of a |
| | | | collision with another boat or an object in |
| * Be sure the boat is in top operating | | | | the water, such as rocks, pilings, or debris. |
| condition, with no tripping hazards, sharp | | | | Stay alert. Use many of the same defensive |
| edges exposed, or fire hazards. | | | | measures you employ to drive a car. |
| | | | |
| * Maintain fuel and ventilation systems as | | | | * The overwhelming majority of capsizings |
| directed in the owner's manual and state and | | | | occur on small boats because of sudden weight |
| federal requirements. | | | | shifts. Move carefully and cautiously. |
| | | | Everyone should remain in their seats while |
| * Check the fuel system for leaks or signs of | | | | the boat is in motion. |
| deterioration. Replace immediately a corroded | | | | |
| fuel tank, or hoses that feel cracked, | | | | * Travel at safe speeds. Avoid sudden and |
| brittle, swollen, damp, or mushy. | | | | sharp high-speed turns. |
| | | | |
| * Heed regulations concerning fire | | | | * Give swimmers, skiers, and divers plenty of |
| extinguishers, and keep them in good | | | | distance. Be especially alert near boat |
| condition and readily available. | | | | docks. |
| | | | |
| * Give someone your itinerary. | | | | * Before heading out, check the latest local |
| | | | weather forecast. |
| * Close hatches and openings before fueling. | | | | |
| Turn off electrical gear and appliances. No | | | | * Head for shore when the weather turns bad. |
| smoking. | | | | Everybody should immediately don a life |
| | | | jacket. Sudden wind shifts and choppy water |
| * Fill tanks 90-95 percent full to allow for | | | | can mean a storm is brewing. |
| expansion. Fill portable tanks off the boat. | | | | |
| | | | * Carry a portable radio for weather reports. |
| * After fueling, wipe up all spills. Open all | | | | A cellular phone, and a marine radio when |
| hatches. For inboard engines, run the bilge | | | | venturing far from shore, are good additions. |
| blower at least four minutes before starting | | | | |
| up. | | | | * If your boat capsizes, don't panic. Stay |
| | | | with the boat. |
| * Never start the engine until all traces of | | | | |
| vapors are eliminated. Your nose is your best | | | | * Don't boat alone. |
| detector. | | | | |
| | | | * Wear your life jacket. It floats - you |
| * Check for power lines in your path before | | | | don't. |
| launching. | | | | |