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Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway bringing you Used Pontoon Boats along with news and views from the boating industry. MILLVILLE --Whether used for fishing, exercise or transportation, boats are an important part of the draw to eastern Sussex County.
But many boaters are often so caught up in thoughts of fun in the sun that they forget about safety
Carl Littleton of Bob's Marine Service in Millville said boaters -- even those venturing out for a day-long excursion -- should become accustomed with their vessel and take steps to ensure their trip into the back bays and coastal waters is a safe one. The lack of knowledge that boaters are bringing into Sussex County's waterways, he said, is a concern. "I'm out on the water almost every weekend and there's getting to be a lot of boats out there," he said. "I can tell a lot of people don't know what they're doing."
According to the National Department of Vessel Safety Checks, most people who have their boats examined --nearly 75 percent of them --pass inspections. Of the boats that fail, 3 percent don't have the correct flotation devices on board. The main items missing on boats are visual distress signals, incorrect display of numbers, lack of registration and lack of some type of sound-producing device such as a bell. Items with expiration dates, such as signal flares, are often neglected.
Inexperienced boaters who become boat owners
The problem, according to Littleton, most often lies with inexperienced boaters who become boat owners. "A lot of times people just don't know what they don't know," he said. "Most of the time they don't have the safety equipment just because they don't know what they're supposed to have."
Proper boat equipment saves lives
Littleton is a member of the United States Power Squadron --an organization dedicated to showing boaters how to operate their crafts safely. Checks are made on every boat that leaves Bob's Marine, Littleton said, and new owners are advised of their responsibilities. "We do a safety check on the boat by going over the boat completely," he said. "We tell the boat owner what all the safety aspects are that you have to have according to Delaware or Maryland law."
As a member of the Power Squadron, Littleton became certified in vessel examinations. Offering inspections with boat sales, he said, is an important part of his job. "I've been around boats all my life, so I can go around the boat and look to see what needs attention," he said. "For the most part, people really like that."
So what are the most common items that need to be addressed on boats?
Potentially the most important, Littleton said, is the status of life jackets on board. "People don't realize that kids twelve and under need kids vests, or they have life jackets on board that are old and in bad condition," he said. "There needs to be one life jacket for each person." Flotation devices are an important aspect to boat safety, according to Robert Rosenberg, flotilla commander for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary's Flotilla 12-1 of the fifth district.
"All children must have life jackets on in proper sizes for everyone on the boat, plus one extra," he said. "Plus, I always suggest that people get a (lifesaving) ring and tie a rope to it so they can pull it back if they have to throw it overboard."
Problems not limited to motorized vessels
More safe boating classes needed
Motorized boats aren't the only vessels that cause a problem for the Coast Guard Auxiliary, according to Rosenberg. "We have a great number of kayak rentals in the area," he said. "Some of these people haven't taken safe boating classes or anything and they go out there and they get themselves in trouble. Even though they're kayaking --they don't have motors or anything --they still have to have a lifejacket on and some means of communication, something to hail people down."
Novice kayakers need to take heed on area waterways
Rosenberg said. "The biggest problem is that these people rent the kayaks, but they don't know anything about the water," he said. "They give themselves problems. They have no knowledge of what they can and can't do on the water."
While inexperienced kayakers and canoeists create a great deal of woes for emergency agencies, motorized vessels still account for a large part of the Coast Guard Auxiliary's calls. One of coastal Delaware's most used destinations for boat travel, according to Rosenberg, is also one of the most hazardous for larger boats.
The Indian River Inlet is the second roughest inlet on the east coast
"You get people coming out and going in with a changing tide and a high wind and it's very tough. They get afraid and try to turn around and go back and when they do it rolls them over. That's one of the biggest places for our distress calls." 'Preparedness is of the utmost importance' As boats begin to appear in greater numbers in the bays and along the coast, boat operators will be checking their rigs to make sure everything is the way it should be.
Sheryl Campbell, an Ocean View resident and owner of a 20-foot pontoon boat, said her boat is outfitted with all the proper gear for her and her passengers. "We have at least 11 life jackets," she said. "But it's rare that we have more than half a dozen people on the boat. We also keep our life vests on board for our grandchildren and they're all appropriate to their size."
Campbell was an attendee of one of the Coast Guard Auxiliary's past boater safety courses and said it was very beneficial. "You're taught how to maneuver in the bay, how to read channel markers and how to handle a distress situation or an accident," she said. "If you're following the channel, the course teaches the correct side to pass other boats on and who has the right of way --it gives you all of those rules and regulations."
Boater safety is important
To Campbell because, she said, there are those inexperienced boaters out there who are on the water without following the rules. "Those people out there who don't have any knowledge --you will run into them," she said. The bays and the sea, Rosenberg said, are unpredictable, so boater safety and preparedness is of the utmost importance. "On the water, if it can happen, it will," he said. Thanks to Andrew Ostroski, aostroski@dmg.gannett.com Staff Writer http://www.delmarvanow.com for this.
For more information on Pontoon Boats and Pontoon EnclosuresUsed Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
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