Florida Boating Safety- Tips to Keep in Mind

While it’s a bit of a part time hobby or what some might call a “cause”, I suppose, I enjoy teaching people about boating safety and I often volunteer for opportunities to teach Florida boat safety. I wanted to share some of my favorite Florida boating safety tips here on my blog.

When boating in the Florida waters, keep this in mind:

• Don’t drink and boat (you can now be arrested for Boating Under the Influence –BUI)
• Before a day on the waters, get the weather forecast and be up to date on any possible storms or disturbances
• Make sure you abide capacity regulations on your boat- overloading it is dangerous
• Be sure you have personal floatation devices for each person present on the boat
• Take a boating course if you never have before
• Always inspect your boat fully before any trip out on the waters
• Be cautious of propeller safety, especially if there are children on the boat
• Have a fire extinguisher on your boat- fires can happen on the water, too

Many people just don’t realize that a boat is much like a car or a vehicle you would drive on the streets with one main difference, there are no streets. There are also no stop lights or road signs to help people find their way in safety. This is why boating can be even more dangerous than driving.

Add to that the fact that some people operate boats without a license, while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or while otherwise impaired. A boating accident can quickly ruin any fun time on the waters.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) can provide more guidelines for Florida Boating Safety.

Tags: florida boating safety, safety, tips

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Comment by Jane Warren on March 4, 2010 at 11:17pm: All good points - especially with spring here, and summer just around the bend - let's hope! There will be more people getting out on the water, and very few are prepared. And the weather has really been much harsher this year, affecting water conditions, which most operators have not encountered and are not prepared for. I don't think you can ever have too much information on boat safety and the safety for your riders.
Thanks for the tips.
Jane

Comment by Henry on March 4, 2010 at 6:48am: With the boating collisions this past weekend at Port Canaveral and Sebastain, this BLOG is a good one
to get back on the discussion board. Port Canaverals incident involved a cruiser ending up WAY Up on
the rocks, when Steering supposidly failed, and the appropriate action was not taken until the situation
could be rectified. No reports of injuries here, but when you look at how far up the rocks this large boat
went, it certainly could have ended differently.

The Sebastain incident ended up worse, with people in the water, and one submerged long enough to
require CPR. From what other reports state recovery is taking place, but again it could easily have been
worse or fatal.

The overwhelming number of boating "Accidents", are no accident, but operator error, much like
automobile wrecks. On the water people seem to think that there is less threat, and as such tend
to limit their attention to safety issue's. On the water the "roads" move, unlike on land, and on the
water this is 3-dimensional. This creates many more things to consider than simply staying on
the corect side of the yellow line. A puncture on land means pulling over and changing a tire, wheras
on the water it can mean your sinking!

Boat operators need to start taking more responsability for their own actions. Not only should they
ensure that all required safety gear is onboard, but that everyone knows how to use it. They also
should better educate themselves with safe operation of a vessel in the waters they travel, even
if the law does not requires so. Like motorcyclist, most boaters are respectful to each other, and
operate safely, however there are those handful's that cast a bad light on the rest, and make the
situation dangerous for those around them. 'Horseplay', and showing off has no more place on the
water than on the road. Most boats dont have seatbelts, and an incident on the water can quickly
result in people in the water, perhaps unconsious.

Boating operater licenses are being implemented slowly, but again like on land simply having a
license does not make a safe operator. Those that operate safely are to be commended. Those
that do not, need reminded of the consequences, and if they still refuse, need reported.

Capt. Henry
ACME Ventures Fishing
"Wile E Coyote"
www.ACME-Ventures-Fishing.com

Comment by Bill & Valerie on December 15, 2009 at 8:40pm: If you would like to volunteer for opportunities to teach Florida boat safety. Try joining the Banana River Sail and Power Squadron. We teach public boating courses. We also teach member courses. Check out our national website at www.usps.org or our local squadrons website www.bananariversps.org.

Comment by Henry on November 13, 2009 at 7:52am: There are many common sense tips that really should be law. Some tips I feel are good to remember are:

1)Have a checklist for each trip (primarily safety gear)
2)Make a "Float plan", informing someone not going with you what your plans are, and who will be along.
3)Boat operator to make safety review with passengers before making way (where pfd's are, etc).
4)have a communications device onboard (VHF and Cell phone)
5)IF alcohol is onboard, have a designated driver that completely abstains (1 been on the water is like 3 on
land).
6)Have the proper amount of anchor line for the waters traveled (5-7x the waters depth).
7)take navigation matters into your hands, don't assume the other boaters know what there doing!
8)Prepare for the unexpented! Remember, "Murphy's Law" was written for boaters!

Henry
Wile E, Coyote