Spring Commissioning – Safety
It’s June, and while the weather is still a bit uncooperative, most boaters in the Northeast are in the process of commissioning their boats. There are, of course, many things to attend to from bottom painting to new electronics installation. Importantly, I suggest you pay special attention to the safety gear onboard . Here are some questions to think about: is the anchor securely shackled to the anchor chain; are there sufficient modern PFDs aboard; are the flares within date; do the radios work and do you know how to operate them; do all the gauges, including the fuel gauge, work properly; has the engine been properly prepared, etc.?
Now you may think these are small, inconsequential things, however, imagine a situation where you hit a submerged object within the next few weeks which compromises the hull. There are few boaters around to help and things could get ugly very quickly.
You know the fundamentals, just don’t get lazy. The peace of mind you gain will be invaluable.
