Preparation and Prevention
Required
Equipment
Personal Flotation Device
Type I
Off Shore Life Jacket |
Type II
Near Shore Buoyant Vest |
Type III
Flotation Aid
|
Type IV
Throwable Device |
Type V
Special Use Device |
For all boats up to 65 feet long you must have one approved Type I, II, III, or V Personal
Flotation Device for each person on board the boat or for those being towed on water
skies, inner tubes, etc. If your boat is 16 to 65 feet in length you must also carry a
Type IV device.
Bell or Whistle
Every boat must have a working whistle or horn. If your boat is over 39 feet long the
whistle must be audible for 1/2 nautical mile. The mouth of the bell must be at least 200
mm in diameter.
Visual Distress Signals
Boats under 16 feet must have signals for night-time use while boats over 16 feet must
carry visual distress signals for both daytime and night time use.
Fire Extinguisher
All
motorboats less than 26 feet in length must carry a B-I type hand portable fire
extinguisher. Boats 26 to 40 feet in length must carry 2 B-I type or 1 B-II type portable
fire extinguishers. Vessels 40 to 65 feet in length must carry 3 B-I or 1 B-I type plus 1
B-II type approved portable fire extinguishers.
Recommended
Equipment
anchor with sufficient line
or chain (5 times water depth)
bilge pump or bailer
(bucket)
oars or paddles
extra fuel and water
sun protection
compass
VHF radio for receiving
weather reports and Coast Guard warnings
Emergency
position-indication radio beacon if you are on any boat operating offshore
First Aid Kit
Backfire Flame Arrestor (prevents an exhaust backfire from causing an explosion)
Flashlight or searchlight
Life rafts
Spare parts and tools
Overloading
Remember these things when
loading your boat.
Distribute the weight
evenly from front to back and from side to side.
Fasten the gear in place to
keep it from moving.
Use the following
guidelines to determine how many people can safely ride in your boat.
| Length of
your boat |
6 feet |
8
feet |
10 feet |
12 feet |
14 feet |
16 feet |
18 feet |
20 feet |
| number of
people |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
Fueling
Most fires and explosions
happen when fueling. To prevent this follow a few simple rules.
Fill portable tanks ashore.
Close all hatches before
fueling.
Do not smoke.
Turn off all engines,
radios, stoves, etc.
Remove all passengers.
Wipe up any spilled fuel.
After fueling open all
ports, hatches, and doors to ventilate and run the blower for at least four minutes.
Check for fuel vapors
before starting the engine.
To keep from running out of
fuel use the "One-Third Rule"
One-third of the fuel going
out
One-third to get back and
One-third in reserve
Float
Plan
Leave a copy of your float
plan with a friend, relative, or local marina before heading out in the water.
 |
Anchoring
Anchoring your boat may
become necessary when you stop to fish, swim, eat, stay overnight or when you run into bad
weather, run aground, or have engine failure. Use the following guidelines when anchoring
your boat.
|
Attach 3 to 6 feet of
galvanized chain to the anchor. Chain is much stronger than a fiber line.
Attach a nylon anchor line
to the chain. The nylon will stretch under heavy strain. To determine the amount of nylon
line you need use this general rule:
5 to 7 times as much anchor
line as the depth of water plus the distance from the water to where the anchor will
attach to the bow.
Bring the bow of your boat
into the wind or current.
When the anchor line has
been let out, back down on the anchor with the engine in idle reverse to help set the
anchor.
When the anchor is firmly
set, use landmarks in relation to the boat to make sure your are not drifting.
Preparation
and Prevention
When
an Accident Occurs
Online
Quiz on Boating Safety
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