Steady As She Goes
It’s the start of the boating season and most skipper’s piloting skills are a bit rusty. Questions abound in terms of the boat’s ability to plane in open water; turn in close quarters at the gas dock; and reduce speed in mandatory low wake areas. Additional questions surface in terms of rock locations, tidal impacts, and basic piloting actions. Poor piloting can lead to collisions with high costs in terms of life and property. Consider a couple of points. One, take a quick glance at some graphical navigational examples to ensure you have the proper passing frameworks in mind. Two, bear in mind that the other skipper may be impaired in some way and that your ultimate responsibility is to avoid a collision at all costs, even if it involves the inconvenience of slowing down a bit to reduce the odds of hitting another boat. Remember, you can’t go boating, if your boat is in the yard being repaired…
