Freedom Boat Club gives Safe Boating Tips
Safe Boating Month
DELAWARE – Boating can be fun, but it should be safe. Freedom Boat Club’s Captain Allen Rex gives some tips on how you can safely set sail. May is Boating Safety Month, and the U.S. Coast Guard reports that every year, there are more than 4,000 boating accidents that result in over 500 deaths.
In a boat there is movement all around says Captain Allan Rex of the Freedom Boat Club. As a boating instructor, he tells us many people think boats operate like cars which is false,
and that some boaters just aren’t careful. “People seem to think they’re invincible at times… Majority of accidents occur due to inattention, just distracted driving if you will. He says that all children 13 and under must always wear a life jacket, and all boaters should check wind speeds before heading out.
Unfortunately, those aren’t the only reasons boats crash. “The most common ones are collisions with other boats, hitting fixed objects, falling overboard, and running the ground… Alcohol is actually the number one cause of fatalities on the water, and has been for many, many years… The captain of the boat, the person driving it, should never drink.” Captain Rex warns that just like getting a DUI, you can also get a BUI, which is boating under the influence.
Claire Weitz has been a club member since 2018 and knows just how important it is to follow the rules of the water. “I see people hanging off of the boat, I see them sitting in unsafe locations on the boat like “bow riding”… The person who is captaining the ship is responsible for everyone on board, and if they observe unsafe behavior, it’s up to them to sort of let everyone know how things are supposed to go.”
As part of protocol, Captain Rex says filing a float plan can put one’s mind at ease and will keep everyone safe. “A float plan is designed to let someone know where you’re going, what time you’re expected back.” Fire extinguishers, working communications, and first aid kits are just some of the things that should be on board. “When you’re going out on a boat you want to make sure you have all the required safety gear. First and foremost, you want to make sure you have a properly fitting coast guard approved life jacket for everybody on the boat.”
If you’re still bit skeptical, Claire says there are many ways to get educated. “Be sure you’ve taken a boater safety course, and partner up with someone who has boating experience, you can learn a lot.”
