Public Service Articles in the pursuit of
Recreational Boating Safety

Bad Judgment causes Death of Fisherman
How can these types of accidents be mitigated; EDUCATION

By Wayne Spivak
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

On October 12th, 2002, a 24 foot center console boat with two fishermen left their dock at the Westwind Marina in Seaford, not far from the Jones Beach Inlet, in Nassau County, Long Island, New York. Jones Beach Inlet, like most inlets, can be treacherous at current change, add a touch of bad weather, a counter-current producing rough seas, and it can spell disaster.

This October 12th was not just an ordinary sunny day. If it was, it wouldn't provide the object lesson that unfortunately is needed before many people seek out more information about a great sport that can be deadly. This day, it was a rainy, stormy day.

The National Weather Service sea buoy's reported winds were out of the NNE in excess of 20 knots, with gusts reaching 40 knots. Rescue crews estimated the seas in the inlet were over 5 feet. This was that type of day, where a skipper with a little common sense would have known to stay home. It was the kind of day, that boating educator's talk about, when they say, "Some days it pays to STAY HOME and sit at the dock!" It gives rise to some of the important lessons learned in boating safety: know your boat, know your skill level and know the weather.

One of the core principles in boat handling is to appreciate how your boat handles. Every boat handles differently. Even the same style boat, but different years or configurations will handle differently. You just can't assume your boat is like the boat next to you, when it comes to severe weather conditions. For the sake of simplicity, "severe" is defined as any condition where seas are not flat, the sun is not shining and the temperature in not between 70° and 80°.

Be acquainted with the capabilities of your boat, and know when the seas are safe, and when they are not. Boat handling, is a skill, but a skill which is based on educational principles that can be learned in a class room. Unfortunately, many times, as it was this 12th day of October, lessons are learned from the school of hard knocks, and sometimes those knocks are fatal.

Boating on the South Shore of Long Island has been rough this season. Earlier this year, another small fishing boat was lost with three men on board, during a much anticipated tuna tournament. In both cases, none of the boaters were wearing life jackets (PFD's), or for that matter, should have ventured out into the ocean that day. Final responsibility for all actions of a vessel at sea rests with the skipper.

The United States Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary can't stress enough the need for every boater to enroll in at least a basic boating course. More and more states have instituted legislation, requiring basic education. This change (from no education to education) is pretty much a direct result of the many accidents and deaths contributed to both personal watercraft (PWC's) and power boats.

We in the Coast Guard Auxiliary would like to see the boating public increase their boating education, by taking advantage of the many advanced boating courses we (and other organizations) provide. Boaters would be better served by having a full understanding of basic navigation principles, dead reckoning and boat handling skills. Even better, especially for the cruiser's, is learning advanced navigation principles, such as tide and current prediction, navigating with GPS, and all would be better served by having a basic understanding of weather.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary teaches these courses to the public. Statistics show those members of the boating public who have taken, even the most basic boating course, have a lower than average rate of accidents and thereby have a lower than average probability of death on the water.

So, this winter, while your boat is in dry dock, why not take advantage of your down time, by learning more about the art, science and practice of boating. Take a course!

You can contact the Coast Guard Auxiliary either on the web at www.cgaux.org or call your local Coast Guard office. The Coast Guard can also be found in your phone book or on the web at www.uscg.mil.