Boating Safety

* Always have plenty of fuel onboard. Allow for the journey to and from the destination and enough for if you had to detour and take another route in an emergency.

* Any children on board under the age of 10 are should wear life jackets at all times. In some states this is mandatory by law.

* Anyone onboard should have some knowledge of CPR procedures and there should also be a CPR chart available in case of an emergency.

* Capacity labels are issued for a reason and should not be ignored. It is the vessel operator's job to assess the number of passengers and the amount of luggage/equipment onboard and assure this weight is suitable for the boat.

* Ensure that your battery is fully charged before departing.

* If you are in distress you can use the marine radio to make a 'mayday' call (only in extreme emergencies; a 'pan pan' call or any message using SOS in the morse code. You can also release a flare, lay out a V sheet, wave your arms repeatedly to indicate distress and as a last resort your Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). A EPIRB is compulsory if you are travelling beyond smooth and/or partially smooth waters if more than 2 nautical miles from land.

* International guidelines render that a boat may not not travel over 6 knots within 60 metres of a boundary of a bathing reserve, 60 metres of people in water, 60 metres of anchored/moored boats, ramps, jetties etc and within 60 metres of the shore.

* Keep onboard a list of emergency contacts in the local area.

* Stick to a safe speed in your boat, irrespective of the engine capacity. Speed limits are not always an appropriate guide, you should adjust your speed to the conditions at the time.

* Tell a friend/family member when you are going out on your boat. Inform them of where you are going, how long you are planning on being away and when you should return. This way they can alert the appropriate authorities if don't arrive to shore when expected.

* The person operating the vessel must have a blood alcohol limit of less than .005. The effect of alcohol is enhanced when on water and as the driver is responsible for everyone else onboard they should reduce if not eliminate alcohol consumption while on the vessel.

* There are 5 different Personal Flotation Devices (also known as life jackets) available today. Each of these have different specifications suited to different conditions. You should consult a professional before purchasing such safety equipment as to what will best suit your boating conditions. Always keep your life jackets in good condition, replace them if they seem to have perished in the sun, sea and/or sand. Make sure that everyone on board knows how to put on the life jacket.

* The rules regarding wearing life jackets differ across the different states, be sure to consult the appropriate authorities before going out on the water.

* Unless in an emergency situation you should always refuel your personal watercraft on land as refuelling in the water can create unnecessary and dangerous water pollution.

* When towing a water skier in your personal watercraft there must be a licenced operator and a competent observer over the age of 12 onboard. The operator, observer and the skier must all be wearing at Type 2 or 3 personal flotation devices.

* When you have children onboard maintain constant supervision irrespective of whether they have swimming experience or a life jacket. You should also discuss an emergency plan for if someone does fall into the water, the boat is tipped or submerged.

* You should always be aware of the weather forecast. Detailed reports are available on various websites and in newspapers. If the weather doesn't look good reschedule your trip for another time. You should also check the coastal/surf forecast so you are prepared for any rough seas or unusual boating conditions.

* You should always have the appropriate safety equipment onboard including flares, two way radio, fire extinguishers etc.

* You should always watch out when boating around other vessels. Power vessels should always give way to any sailing vessels, large vessels which may not be able to change direction easily, boats approaching head on, boats approaching from the right (starboard) and any boats that are partaking in fishing and/or drawing attention to this by using the appropriate signals.

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