Safety a Big Issue for Small Boats
Give your Boat a Quick Inspection Before Heading Out on the Water It doesn’t require a 40 ft. cabin cruiser to enjoy the nation’s many lakes, rivers, and coastal waterways, but those operating small boats to engage in water-related activities do need to be aware of their boat’s limitations and behave accordingly.
Statistically, more than 80 percent of all boating fatalities occur in boats less than 26 feet in length, often the result of capsizing or falls overboard. In many cases, a contributing factor is one or a combination of the Coast Guard’s Big 4: excessive speed, reckless operation, operator inattention/inexperience, and boating under the influence.
But other factors point to hazards particular to smaller craft. In small, open-constructed boats, the wave-size-to-boat ratio is much less than on a larger boat, and a small boat will fill with water more quickly if washed over by a large wave, or even a small one. Transoms and helm station areas are wide open and the boats have smaller and fewer bilge pumps, or none at all. Also, decks are not watertight, and water can enter and damage the control cables, leaving the boat stranded.
Even empty, such boats have little to no freeboard – the distance between the rail or top edge of the boat and the waterline – and even less when fully loaded with occupants, food, and gear. It’s easy to overload these vessels unintentionally, and an overloaded boat is more likely to capsize, even in relatively calm waters.
So keep in mind your boat’s maximum load capacity. On most mono-hull boats up to 20 feet long, this information can be found on the capacity plate, permanently affixed to the hull by the manufacturer. It notes the maximum horsepower rating and maximum load weight at which the boat can safely operate. If a capacity plate isn’t present, one easy formula for calculating the maximum load for a mono-hull boat is to multiply the boat’s length times its width and divide by 15. As such, a 6 ft. wide, 18-foot boat can carry up to 7 people safely.
To make capsizing even less likely, be sure your load is distributed evenly to keep the boat balanced. Standing for any reason in small boats, even changing seating positions, can raise the center of gravity and make the boat less stable. The same is true for sitting on the gunwales or seat backs, or on a pedestal seat while underway. A raised center of gravity means that a wave, wake, or sudden turn can result in a person falling overboard.
For safety’s sake, complete a pre-departure checklist prior to launch to make certain your boat is in good working order and has all the necessary safety equipment on board. And, big boat or small, be sure to check the weather report and waterway conditions, bearing in mind that conditions considered safe for a 40-foot boat might be unsafe for one half that size.
Small boats are a lot of fun and important to many water-related activities. Take a moment to do a 15-minute inspection before launch, watch your load, and mind the Big 4. Make sure that all of your small boat journeys are safe ones.
Complete this Pre-Departure Checklist
To make sure your small boat is “seaworthy” and that all essentials are on board, set aside 15 minutes for a quick inspection before launch.
- Check the operating condition of your boat: motor, steering, battery, hoses, clamps, bilge pumps, wiring, fuel tanks, lines, float switches, and lights.
- Make sure you have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket of correct size and type for you and every passenger (and, on the water, make sure they are worn, not just stowed).
- If your boat is greater than 16-feet in length, be sure you also have a Coast Guardapproved throwable flotation device – i.e. buoyant cushion, ring buoy, or horseshoe buoy (kayaks and canoes are exempted from this requirement).
- Check for other safety equipment appropriate to the size of your boat and the area where it will be operating; for example, flashlight, tool kit, first-aid kit and sunscreen, paddles, oars, binoculars, anchor and anchor line, fire extinguisher, spare battery, visual distress signals, charts of the local area, and a VHF-FM marine radio.
- Check the capacity plate (if affixed to the hull) or calculate the maximum load to make sure you don’t overload the boat with passengers and gear.
For Boaters, establishing a “Hazard Zone” can avoid horrific Prop Strikes
A whirling cutting machine, spinning at 3200 rpm, able to inflict 160 impacts in a second. Sound like the diabolical weapon of a movie villain? Think again – it’s the three-blade propeller on your boat.
Propeller injuries can be easily prevented. Although injuries from boat propellers are uncommon, the results of a prop strike are so horrific that it’s worth setting some strict rules for passengers and operators alike.
How Accidents Happen Children and other passengers love to dangle their legs over the side as a boat speeds through the water. They think it’s fun and exciting. Maybe so, but it’s also illegal, and extremely dangerous.
Passengers riding with legs over the side can easily slip, fall in the water, and be struck by a moving propeller. This is particularly true in a pontoon-type boat, where the pontoons “funnel” a passenger who slips off the front of the deck directly into the propeller blades.
For these reasons “bowriding” as well as riding on a seatback, gunwale (side), transom (rear), or swim platform while the boat is moving at greater that 5 miles per hour may be considered negligent operation and, in some cases, grossly negligent operation. A propeller can continue to spin after an engine is put into neutral, or even for some time after it is turned off, posing a hazard for swimmers, skiers, and tubers.
The Hazard Zone
One way to prevent accidents is to establish a “hazard zone” that includes the bow, gunwales, stern, and swim platform, as well as the water 30 feet behind and all round the boat. Then make a hard-and-fast rule: No one goes in the hazard zone until the motor is off, the boat has stopped moving, the keys are removed, and the operator has counted to ten.
Before starting the motor, do a headcount to make sure all passengers are safely inside the boat. Assign a responsible adult or adults to keep track of the whereabouts and safety of each child on board.
From the helm, it’s often difficult to see swimmers in the water near the propeller. Go to the stern and look in the water near the propeller yourself, or appoint a lookout to do so before inserting the key in the ignition lock.
Don’t forget that the passengers of other boats also need to be kept away from your propeller. Stay out of designated swimming zones and take particular care in congested areas or near boats that are towing skiers or tubers.
Well Equipped
The safety-conscious boater may want to consider some of the practical new devices designed to help prevent propeller strikes. These include wireless cut-off switches, propeller guards, ringed propellers, alternative propulsion systems, interlocks, sensors,and anti-feedback steering.
No equipment, however, can substitute for taking care and keeping a lookout. Keep passengers out of the hazard zone whenever the key is in the ignition lock, and you’ll be well down the track to preventing horrific propeller injuries.
For Boaters, establishing a “Hazard Zone” can avoid horrific Prop Strikes
A whirling cutting machine, spinning at 3200 rpm, able to inflict 160 impacts in a second. Sound like the diabolical weapon of a movie villain? Think again – it’s the three-blade propeller on your boat.
Propeller injuries can be easily prevented. Although injuries from boat propellers are uncommon, the results of a prop strike are so horrific that it’s worth setting some strict rules for passengers and operators alike.
How Accidents Happen Children and other passengers love to dangle their legs over the side as a boat speeds through the water. They think it’s fun and exciting. Maybe so, but it’s also illegal, and extremely dangerous.
Passengers riding with legs over the side can easily slip, fall in the water, and be struck by a moving propeller. This is particularly true in a pontoon-type boat, where the pontoons “funnel” a passenger who slips off the front of the deck directly into the propeller blades.
For these reasons “bowriding” as well as riding on a seatback, gunwale (side), transom (rear), or swim platform while the boat is moving at greater that 5 miles per hour may be considered negligent operation and, in some cases, grossly negligent operation. A propeller can continue to spin after an engine is put into neutral, or even for some time after it is turned off, posing a hazard for swimmers, skiers, and tubers.
The Hazard Zone
One way to prevent accidents is to establish a “hazard zone” that includes the bow, gunwales, stern, and swim platform, as well as the water 30 feet behind and all round the boat. Then make a hard-and-fast rule: No one goes in the hazard zone until the motor is off, the boat has stopped moving, the keys are removed, and the operator has counted to ten.
Before starting the motor, do a headcount to make sure all passengers are safely inside the boat. Assign a responsible adult or adults to keep track of the whereabouts and safety of each child on board.
From the helm, it’s often difficult to see swimmers in the water near the propeller. Go to the stern and look in the water near the propeller yourself, or appoint a lookout to do so before inserting the key in the ignition lock.
Don’t forget that the passengers of other boats also need to be kept away from your propeller. Stay out of designated swimming zones and take particular care in congested areas or near boats that are towing skiers or tubers.
Well Equipped
The safety-conscious boater may want to consider some of the practical new devices designed to help prevent propeller strikes. These include wireless cut-off switches, propeller guards, ringed propellers, alternative propulsion systems, interlocks, sensors,and anti-feedback steering.
No equipment, however, can substitute for taking care and keeping a lookout. Keep passengers out of the hazard zone whenever the key is in the ignition lock, and you’ll be well down the track to preventing horrific propeller injuries.
Safe Boating Checklist
THREE KEYS TO SAFE BOATING/SAFE BOATING CHECKLIST
Most boating accidents are the result of easily prevented mistakes. Every time you launch your boat, be sure to observe the Three Keys to Safe Boating and the Safe Boating Checklist, developed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). The NMMA, representing U.S. boat manufacturers and suppliers
THREE KEYS TO SAFE BOATING
Make sure everybody on your boat wears a functional personal flotation
device (life jacket!).
Designate a driver who will refrain from drinking.
Make sure weather conditions are safe before launching your boat
SAFE BOATING CHECKLIST
Understand the basic rules of the waterways and safety procedures. Take a class on boating safety if you’re unsure.
Am I OVERLOADING the boat? Check the manufacturer’s weight recommendations on the capacity plate.
Is EMERGENCY GEAR (fire extinguisher, bailer, paddle, anchor & line, signaling device, tool kit, etc.) in place?
Is the STEERING SYSTEM working smoothly and properly?
Does the FUEL SYSTEM have adequate fuel — are there leaks or fumes?
Is the BATTERY fully charged and are cable terminals clean and tight?
Is the ENGINE in neutral?
Is all ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT (lights, horn, pump, etc.) working?
National Safe Boating Week May 20-26
Carbon Monoxide -Silent Killer
Carbon Monoxide -THAT SILENT KILLER – Finds Yet Another Way To Kill: Coast Guard warns public of dangers associated with: “Teak Surfing”
SAFETY ALERT:
The United States Coast Guard advises boaters not to “Teak Surf.” Recent boating fatalities revealed that carbon monoxide [CO] emitted from a vessel’s exhaust resulted in CO poisoning and the death of teak surfers. “Teak Surfing” places the individual in position directly exposed to the CO in the engine’s exhaust. This may result in a loss of coherent responses and even death. In addition, “Teak Surfing” dangerously exposes the individual to a possible propeller injury, and since it is done without a life jacket [PFD], it significantly increases the probability of drowning. Therefore, the Coast Guard stresses, “Teak Surfing” is a very dangerous activity and advises boaters not to participate in it.
BACKGROUND:
“TEAK SURFING”/ITS DANGERS: The Coast Guard noted that carbon monoxide has found a new venue to ply its silent but deadly means: “Teak Surfing.” This is a new and dangerous boating fad that involves an individual holding on to the teak swim platform of a vessel while a wake builds up then lets go to body surf the wave created by the boat; hence the term- “Teak Surfing.”
Captain Scott Evans-Chief of the Office of Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters- pointed out, “Because of the multiple dangers associated with “teak surfing” and the carbon monoxide problem in particular, the Coast Guard issued this alert that strongly advises the public not to engage in “Teak Surfing” and warns that “Teak Surfing” may cause carbon monoxide poisoning and even fatalities.”
“Besides carbon monoxide poisoning, Evans emphasized, two other dangerous factors are associated with “Teak Surfing. It exposes an individual unnecessarily and dangerously to a boat’s propeller, and this is compounded by the failure to wear a lifejacket.”
“Teak Surfing” requires that an individual hold on to the swim platform of a vessel that is underway while it builds up a wake on which he or she can body surf,” explained Evans. “This puts that individual directly in the path of the vessel’s exhaust and poisonous external carbon monoxide. If that in itself is not dangerous enough, the individual is now in a position that a slight miscalculation may throw him or her into a whirling propeller. Still … it doesn’t stop there. In order to “Teak Surf” you don’t wear a life jacket, the two do not go together. As is easily seen, all this is a recipe for a tragedy. A tragedy that the Coast Guard wants to see averted; that is why we are issuing this warning.”
THE COAST GUARD AND CO: Evans noted. “The Coast Guard, along with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [NIOSH], other researchers, and the states, are actively investigating carbon monoxide and the dangers this silent killer brings to the marine environment and recreational boating. Recent information revealed that carbon monoxide exposure is a threat not only inside the boat, but outside the boat as well. A NIOSH investigation linked external carbon monoxide to houseboats with a design flaw that vented generator exhaust into a an enclosed space near the stern swim platform, resulting in external carbon monoxide poisonings and deaths at Lake Powell, Arizona. Once this link was established, the Coast Guard immediately initiated a recall of the affected houseboats. Today, the Coast Guard, NIOSH and the states are continuing to investigate exhaust problems in order to identify the most optimal manner for dealing with them.”
Evans stressed, “Both on land and at sea, carbon monoxide is not to be tempted. Researchers have found CO danger to persons sitting on or near a swim deck. That is why we cannot stress enough that you protect yourself and avoid activities such as “Teak Surfing”, since it places you directly in the path of carbon monoxide’s lethal tentacles.”
U.S.C.G Recalls Houseboats Due to Carbon Monoxide
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
Headquarters Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20593
MEDIA ADVISORY NO.2
COAST GUARD RECALLS HOUSEBOATS DUE TO CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD AND CAUTIONS OWNERS/OPERATORS ON DANGERS
On February 23, the Coast Guard began issuing mandatory recall notices to houseboat manufacturers who may have built vessels equipped with swim platforms and electrical generator exhaust systems vented into a stern cavity. This design has been found to permit lethal concentrations of carbon monoxide to build up in the vicinity of the swim platform. The directed recall was addressed to those houseboat manufacturers who had not responded to the Coast Guard’s December 21, 2000 letter notifying them of this design defect, which has been linked to a large number of carbon monoxide [CO] poisonings. Six houseboat manufacturers have agreed to voluntarily recall all of their boats with the design problem.
Captain Ron Weston, Chief of the Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety, stressed, “The Coast Guard will leave no stone unturned. We are committed to eliminating this safety defect.”
“We have made the manufacturer’s aware of the problem, and that venting the generator exhaust through the vessel’s side is an approved solution. We expect them to correct the problem quickly. We are in the process of insuring that absolutely all U.S. houseboat manufacturers are aware of this potentially lethal construction design and that they immediately take steps to correct it on boats they built,” Captain Weston said.
The Coast Guard noted two major manufacturers, Somerset Custom Houseboat Inc. and Stardust Cruiser Inc. responded quickly to its December 21 letter and are actively engaged in correcting the problem. The six manufacturers conducting voluntary recalls intend to correct all of their boats with this design defect-notwithstanding the fact that the Coast Guard cannot require them to correct boats over five years old. The companies are cooperating with the Coast Guard to assure that all owners with houseboats with this design are notified of the recall.
Since it will take time to complete the necessary corrections, the Coast Guard invites the media to join with them and the Department of Interior in publicizing this recall. The Coast Guard emphasizes that all boat owners/operators should be alerted to the dangers of carbon monoxide, and any owner of a houseboat with the defective design (see the attached diagram) should exercise special care until the manufacturer corrects the problem.
THE COAST GUARD CAUTIONS HOUSEBOAT OPERATORS
If your houseboat has a swim platform and its electrical generator vents through the transom into a stern cavity, do not run your generator when not underway, if someone is swimming in the rear area or sitting on the stern deck.
Dangerous levels of carbon monoxide collect beneath the swim platform or above the stern on those houseboats with this design (see attached diagram). Recent data provided the Coast Guard by the Department of Interior and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health {NIOSH} reveals that the carbon monoxide hazard is greatest when these houseboats are not underway and their electrical generators are running. This safety advisory is in effect until owners or manufacturers have an opportunity to correct the design of the generator system on these vessels. The data from a study at Lake Powell, Arizona, yielded the preliminary evidence supporting the need for the Coast Guard to take action. {See attached background}
Due to the inherent risk presented by CO in engine exhaust, the Coast Guard recommends that all houseboat owners/operators with swim platforms take steps to ensure the safety of anyone swimming by keeping them away from any area where exhaust is vented. Also, owners should contact the manufacturer of their houseboat, if they have any questions concerning the applicability of this recall to their houseboat, or if their houseboat has this design and they have not been contacted by the manufacturer.
BACKGROUND:
In September 2000, the Coast Guard received information from a Department of Interior and NIOSH study that provided important data about concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) associated with various houseboat designs. The study was conducted at Lake Powell, Arizona, due to a number of deaths and injuries there thought to be caused by CO poisoning. The study indicated that dangerous and even lethal levels of CO collect in a cavity beneath the swim platforms and above the stern deck on certain model houseboats when the vessels are not underway and the electrical generator is running.
Participants in the study include Dr. Robert Baron, National Park Service Medical Director for the Glenn Canyon National Recreational Area/Lake Powell; Ranger Steve Luckesen, National Park Service; Industrial Hygienist Mr. Tim Radtke, Department of Interior; Ms. Jane McCammon, carbon monoxide expert for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health; and others. Through their perseverance and dedication, these individuals were able to finally attribute a number of deaths on Lake Powell that were previously reported as drowning accidents to CO poisoning.
The study showed the most dangerous concentrations were associated with houseboats that are equipped with swim platforms and electrical generator exhaust systems that vent through the transom/rear panel into a cavity formed by the vessel’s rear deck area. The study demonstrated that CO emissions could induce severe CO poisoning in exposed outside areas. Previously it was thought that CO emissions were primarily a problem that affected cabins or enclosed spaces on boats.
The Coast Guard has determined that the evidence from the Lake Powell study established a substantial potential for injury to the public due to this particular design and was indicative of a national problem. Therefore, it issued a letter on December 21 requesting that all manufacturers of houseboats with the defective design to contact the Coast Guard and identify the number of affected vessels manufactured. In addition, they were asked to provide a solution for the problem, describe their plan for correcting the problem on boats already sold and those to be constructed as well as their plan for notifying owners/operators.
Captain Ron Weston, Chief of the Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Office, stressed, “The effort of these individuals is truly significant. They were able to link external carbon monoxide poisoning to a number of deaths previously reported as drownings on Lake Powell. This is an important contribution to public safety. It reflects a dedication that we in the Coast Guard greatly appreciate. Public service and protecting the public is what the Coast Guard is all about, and clearly that is what these individuals and all those that assisted them are about. They worked long and hard to identify the true cause of these tragic deaths. They deserve both our appreciation and gratitude for what they have accomplished.”
“The Department of Interior is continuing to assist the Coast Guard in getting the safety message out. This will help us reach a broad base of the recreational boating public. With the media’s help, delivery of this important safety message can be expanded significantly,” Weston said.
Weston concluded, “The Coast Guard cannot stress enough how valuable the cooperation of the various agencies and concerned manufacturers has been. Preventing mishaps is an essential investment that is equal in importance to our investments in emergency response capabilities. This is truly the goal of everyone dedicated to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.”