Tagged: safety
Storm Swells
Storm Swells Hurricane Lee is on the horizon and some challenging conditions are sure to accompany the storm. The forecast is for rain, wind, storm surge, and swells. All of these elements normally accompany large storms and most boaters actively prepare by checking bilge pump operation, attaching extra dock or mooring lines, and checking boat movement possibilities at the dock or mooring. Dangerous swells stand out as an issue many boaters might not encompass in their thinking. While, fun to look at and even ride over, large storm-related swells can prove dangerous by covering and then uncovering various objects from [...]
No Direction Known
This past weekend, a friend of mine unexpectedly lost his steering ability on his small powerboat, a disconcerting experience at least and a potentially disastrous one at worst. Some lessons he learned included: Perform a VHF radio check before exiting your home waterway to ensure you have access to responsive help if necessary – new equipment may have a different interface than replaced equipment, and emergencies are difficult times to get educated. Check your anchor and line to confirm both are within reach and ready to be put to use quickly-anchor lines not used frequently can get kinks and snarls, [...]
Storms and Skinny Water
Boating over the past few days has been a mixed bag with some decent sunshine, but also some measurable wind and a continuous thunderstorm threat. Prompted by an interest in returning to the dock quickly to avoid the storms, many inexperienced boaters will try to shorten their route by steering on the wrong side of channel buoys or following a straight path on the inside line between buoys. Either of these approaches can result in problems primarily because the channels are constantly shifting. And although the buoys indicate plenty of water, oftentimes there is not. You may only need 6” [...]
Down East Conditions
Yesterday, as I cleared the Blyman Bridge in Gloucester Harbor, I noticed a slight wisp of fog over Eastern Point. The weather was sunny and cool, and the fog seemed out of place, so I made a mental note to keep an eye on it and headed towards the Harbor mouth. Much to my surprise, within five minutes of the sighting, I was completely enveloped in a fog bank that reduced visibility from a couple miles to a couple hundred feet. Almost all visible landmarks disappeared, and only the nearby rocks and an occasional house silhouette were partially visible. Needless [...]
Close Shave
Sunday was one of the best boating days of this season and it seemed to drive every local boater to the water. Naturally, the seamanship abilities ranged the gamut from expert to tenderfoot and the mix of overcrowded waterways with beginner level skills made for some tense moments as I experienced heading out the harbor. I was about ½ way to the harbor entrance when I noticed a small outboard runabout on a direct collision course with no one at the helm. The captain, the only person aboard, was rummaging around in one of the forward compartments, completely oblivious to [...]
Low Visibility
Earlier today I enjoyed lunch with an old boating buddy of mine. Naturally, we covered a lot of boating topics, from repowering to fireworks display viewing experiences. I was fortunate in that, on July 3rd, the bad weather cleared during the late afternoon, and stayed that way, for the evening display., resulting in good night-time visibility. On the other hand, he was unfortunate in that the weather, specifically fog, became progressively thicker during the July 4th display creating poor visibility to return home in. Being an experienced boatman, he used his limited electronics and charts to pick up the main [...]
Vessel Safety Check (VSC)
The United States Power Squadrons and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary are partners in delivering Vessel Safety Checks to recreational boaters. The VSC is similar to the one done by the U.S. Coast Guard, but only you receive the results and it’s voluntary. The check can be a really good way to ensure you have the right safety equipment in working order. I suggest you contact your local USPS office today to schedule your free safety inspection.
Seasonal Awareness
Last night I attended a local boat club meeting that featured a panel of fishermen sharing tips on landing more fish on outings. The meeting covered a lot of ground, from proven lures to various fishing line sizes, however, one thing that might have been included was safety. Currently the air temperature over Boston Harbor is 48 degrees and the water temperature is 49 degrees. With temperatures that low, any fisherman that unexpectedly enters the water is going to deal with hypothermia in short order. This time of year requires not only lures and rods, but EPIRBs - both [...]