Boating safety may seem like a nuisance or too much extra hassle. After all, boating is supposed to be fun, right? Boating safety is not rocket science, and if you exercise common sense and do some planning ahead of your boating excursion, you should be able to have safe boating experience. The reality is that, generally speaking, most folk that are preparing for a day out on the water forget this and do not tend to focus on the safety issues at all.
Boating safety is tantamount to responsible boating and it shouldn't be taken lightly. Boating safety certification is a state-approved course for boaters. But it is NOT a license, it is a certification, which means that it is valid for a lifetime and can't be taken away from you.
Alcohol or drugs played a role in 22 percent. One in five victims was operating a personal watercraft, and Miami-Dade led in the number of personal watercraft accidents, with 21. Alcohol was either a direct or indirect contributing factor in approximately one-fourth of all boating accidents, while operator errors accounted for 70%. These are devastating statistics and should serve as a wake-up call to anyone on the water, so start boating safety now. Alcohol and water don't mix. In a Red Cross study, two-thirds of boating injury victims had consumed alcohol.
Accidents involving Personal Watercraft have almost doubled in the last few years. Accident risks multiply at busy times such as July 4th weekend, when recreational boating increases on popular lakes and rivers. The chance of being involved in an accident cannot be completely alleviated but can be reduced by using good judgment, courtesy, common sense and knowledge and obedience of boating safety laws. Accident statistics have identified items to be addressed through a combination of education, public awareness and possible manufacturing changes. Some of these items include better understanding of the operator's responsibility by some PWC riders, especially renters and non-owner operators.
Persons accompanied in a vessel by a person exempt. A person is exempt from this requirement if there is a person on board who is not affected by this law or is at least 18 years of age and holds a boater education I.D. Persons between the ages of 12 and 16 are now prohibited from operating a personal watercraft without the direct, on-board supervision of a person over the age of 18. For boating safety, a personal watercraft is defined as a vessel less than 16 feet in length propelled by machinery, and designed to be operated by an individual sitting or kneeling on the vessel rather than sitting or kneeling inside the vessel. Personal watercraft (PWC), such as Jet Skis, must follow all boating laws in addition to specific rules. Make boating safety natural for all family members.
Anyone is eligible to take the class and receive a boating safety education completion certificate. For children under 12 years of age, the certificate does not become valid until the child reaches 12 years of age. Anyone operating a motorboat, including a personal watercraft, in Colorado must be at least 16 years old. Fourteen and 15-year-olds who successfully complete a state approved boating safety course, such as the one offered by Colorado State Parks, can operate a motorboat in Colorado.
Coast Guard contains information about Federal boating laws, equipment requirements and boating safety recommendations for recreational vessels. Loaded with charts, graphics and diagrams, this brochure covers navigational rules, cold water survival and life jacket requirements to name a few. Coast Guard received reports for 4,969 boating incidents; 3,474 boaters were reported injured, and 710 died. Of people who drowned, only one in ten had a life jacket on. Coastal rivers are affected by tides. Paddling against tidal flow makes a trip difficult.
Check your local adult community school for available boating safety courses. Find a course near you by calling 1-800-336-2628.
Martin Johnson - JMW Global Ventures, LLC
Family Weekend Break in the Camping World
"Trying to make camping, fishing, boating and hiking better for families."
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