Boating safety idea.

[Woody B]

I was fishing today and heard a high speed boat suddenly cut off.   It was a couple hundred yards away.  I could see someone in the water so I went over quickly.  The guy had a inflatable life jacket (that worked) but his boat had "coasted" 50 yards or so.  He was by himself.  I pulled him into my boat and took him over to his.  He was cold, but said he was OK.  He had a dry coat, and blanket in his boat.  He said he was OK to go back to the landing but I followed him, until he got in his truck.  He didn't know what happened to throw him out.  It was windy today but I could cruise comfortably in my tin tub.  

 

So, my safety idea.  I assume the reason boats don't have seat belts is because of the danger of trapping someone when capsized.  How about seat belts with a "trigger" similar to an inflatable life jacket to release them if they're under water?   The "trigger" would have to be located up high, so it would release even if someone's head was all that was under water.   There are problem,  like being trapped under a capsized boat after the seatbelt releases, but I think "something" to keep people in the boat could be worked out.  

[A-Jay]

10 minutes ago, Woody B said:

I think "something" to keep people in the boat could be worked out.  

The man you recovered was very lucky.

There are at least 4 somethings that can work to keep people in their boats.

The Throttle, The Helm, Situational Awareness & Good Judgement.

Most rigs have at least 2 of the 4.

A-Jay

[TnRiver46]

Dang woody isn’t this the second guy you’ve pulled out of cold water? Glad you were there 

[Bird]

If all fisherman reacted the way you did, we'd all feel a little safer. ?

I'm an advocate of boat safety and wish everyone would take it seriously.

Life jackets on at all times on my boat and no alcohol.

[Woody B]

33 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Dang woody isn’t this the second guy you’ve pulled out of cold water? Glad you were there 

This guy today would have been OK.  I don't think the one last year would have been.  The guy was making his way back to his boat.  He somewhere around my age, and didn't panic.   I suspect panic is responsible for many water deaths.  He had a ladder on his boat, which I'm considering for mine.   I keep a rope tied from a bow cleat to a stern cleat to use to climb in, but it would probably be difficult in cold water.   

 

He had a super nice Vexus boat.   

[Dogface]

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

This guy today would have been OK.  I don't think the one last year would have been.  The guy was making his way back to his boat.  He somewhere around my age, and didn't panic.   I suspect panic is responsible for many water deaths.  He had a ladder on his boat, which I'm considering for mine.   I keep a rope tied from a bow cleat to a stern cleat to use to climb in, but it would probably be difficult in cold water.   

 

He had a super nice Vexus boat.   

 

First of all ?. It was a good thing he had a flotation device on and his kill switch. I see many who don't use either of theirs.  

 

I made a rope ladder to climb back into the boat when duck hunting but it was a pain to use. I just climb up on the motor cavitation plate. 

[Jigfishn10]

13 hours ago, Bird said:

If all fisherman reacted the way you did, we'd all feel a little safer. ?

I'm an advocate of boat safety and wish everyone would take it seriously.

Life jackets on at all times on my boat and no alcohol.

Same here. 

Great message you’re sending in your post.

[Susky River Rat]

I fished with a guy who did not wear his killswitch. I said are you going to put that on? He said why I never use it I said on take me back to the ramp. He was dumb founded but, put it on. Also the same guy when loading his boat didn’t hook up the safety strap from his boat eye in the hull to the trailer. He told me he thought it was useless. I am very glad he ended up selling his boat.
 

I have my killswitch connected to my life jacket. Unless I’m trolling, maneuvering around the dock they are both on. I try to be as safe as I know how to be.

[gim]

16 minutes ago, Darnold335 said:

I have my killswitch connected to my life jacket. Unless I’m trolling, maneuvering around the dock they are both on. I try to be as safe as I know how to be.

The problem as I see it here, is that until there is a law that requires everyone in a watercraft to wear their PFD, there will always be a significant portion of the boating community that isn't going to do it.  In fact, I would say that there is more people not wearing them than there is wearing them, at least from what I see here in MN.  That is not going to change until there is a state law requiring the use of them.  Right now it only says they have to be "accessible."  For the longest time, seat belts were not required.  Then they became mandatory because they saved lives.  PFD usage needs to follow that sort of trend before more people use them.

 

I believe the kill switch thing is federal law now, isn't it?  Maybe someone with more knowledge of the subject can confirm this but I thought a law went through on their requirement now.

 

BTW I wear my PFD for any boating on plane and my kill switch is attached to it.  I take it off when I am fishing and using my bow mount.

[Susky River Rat]

14 minutes ago, gimruis said:

believe the kill switch thing is federal law now, isn't it? 

I think it’s anything that came factory with one under a certain length of boat. I am not sure that length but I believe it’s 24’.  Life jackets should be mandatory in my opinion. 
 

I also believe anyone who wants to be in a kayak should have to go through the same boater safety course. 

[Choporoz]

On 2/11/2023 at 10:02 PM, Dogface said:

I made a rope ladder to climb back into the boat when duck hunting but it was a pain to use. I just climb up on the motor cavitation plate. 

One of the things my dealer mentioned when I was buying my first boat was how, in an emergency, he was able to stand on the ventilation plate and lift himself with the motor using the trim button (on the motor)

[gim]

8 minutes ago, Darnold335 said:

I think it’s anything that came factory with one under a certain length of boat. I am not sure that length but I believe it’s 24’

This is what I could find on the subject.  The length is under 26 feet and it went into effect April 1, 2021.

 

The law requiring operators of small boats and personal watercraft (PWCs) to use an engine cut-off switch took effect April 1, 2021. It applies to all PWCs and boats under 26 feet, unless they have an enclosed cabin or are not equipped with an engine cut-off device. Failure to comply provides for fines of $100, $250 and $500 for the first, second, and third offenses, respectively.

This so-called “use requirement” comes on the heels of a law requiring manufacturers to install engine cut-off switches on all boats less than 26 feet in length and capable of 115 pounds of static thrust (about 3 horsepower). This “installation requirement” went into effect at the end of 2019. While most small boats and personal watercraft built in recent decades are already equipped with engine cut-off switches, the new rule means all new small boats and PWCs sold in the United States will feature the life-saving device.

[GaryH]

2 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

Life jackets should be mandatory in my opinion. 
 

I also believe anyone who wants to be in a kayak should have to go through the same boater safety course. 

Agree……..

[airshot]

In most cases speed is the real issue, when flying over the water at 40+ mph, hitting a small wave the wrong way can throw a person...I see many newer boaters claim they would never own a boat unless it went well over 40mph, in my 60 plus years of boating, haven't saw very many slow speed accidents other than some bumps and bruises, but high speed accidents....they rarely end well !!!  

[Darth-Baiter]

4 hours ago, GaryH said:

Agree……..

i am a kayaker.  is there training in the crossover, beyond "wear a PFD"?

 

i am glacial slow compared to a bassboat.  i wear my PFD 100% and i see guys in bassboats only put them on when they are moving high speed to/fro.  

 

i've never taken a boater safety course... some of the stuff can crossover to my kayak passion?  i might take one to see for myself.

[Woody B]

NC requires anyone born in 1988 or after to have a boaters safety course.  (Probably not Kayaks)  I was born way before that but decided to take an online course.  It was boring, and mostly just stuff about laws.  

 

Like @airshot said, speed is usually an issue.  

 

@A-Jay mentioned situational awareness.  I believe that is important is pretty much every aspect of life.  I used to teach basic self defense classes a couple night a week.  Situational awareness is one of the main things I harped on.  Good judgement is another thing he mentioned.  It takes a second of less for something bad to happen.  I used to eat while I was zipping across the lake (at 30 mph)  I no longer do that.  I'll spot lock, eat, then go to the next area I'm going to.  

[A-Jay]

8 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i am a kayaker.  is there training in the crossover, beyond "wear a PFD"?

 

i am glacial slow compared to a bassboat.  i wear my PFD 100% and i see guys in bassboats only put them on when they are moving high speed to/fro.  

 

i've never taken a boater safety course... some of the stuff can crossover to my kayak passion?  i might take one to see for myself.

Boater Safety classes can be very helpful; mandatory or not. 

The content can be very useful for ANYONE who uses public water ways.

However, what you may learn most is how so many boaters either ignore, don't know the information

or just plain don't care.  So 'learning' to recognize the ones that do from the ones who don't, especially at a distance, can be very helpful when operating a manually propelled vessel.

So there's that.

Stay Safe

A-Jay

[thediscochef]

49 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Boater Safety classes can be very helpful; mandatory or not. 

The content can be very useful for ANYONE who uses public water ways.

However, what you may learn most is how so many boaters either ignore, don't know the information

or just plain don't care.  So 'learning' to recognize the ones that do from the ones who don't, especially at a distance, can be very helpful when operating a manually propelled vessel.

So there's that.

Stay Safe

A-Jay

I think this is another part of situational awareness and recognizing your surroundings. I'm OK with removing it on a calm day when not on plane, but noticeable rocking usually puts me in a pfd even while trolling. The PFD helps in two ways this time of year - impact that knocks the user unconscious, and keeping user afloat in cold, cold water. Even down here, there's places where it's 45 degrees and that's enough to knock the wind out of you pretty quick. For reference the south of the bering sea reaches 41 degrees and we all know how famous that water is for causing hypothermia. It happens fast. The less you have to fight to stay afloat in cold water, the less likely you are to panic. Panic leads to distress, distress leads to pain, pain leads to fear


...fear leads to anger, which leads to ... the dark side

[Susky River Rat]

10 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i am a kayaker.  is there training in the crossover, beyond "wear a PFD"?

 

i am glacial slow compared to a bassboat.  i wear my PFD 100% and i see guys in bassboats only put them on when they are moving high speed to/fro.  

 

i've never taken a boater safety course... some of the stuff can crossover to my kayak passion?  i might take one to see for myself.

I do not fish with my jacket on unless conditions are  sketchy or at night. You are a lot more likely to fall out of your kayak then I am fall off my boat. Again it could bally though.

 

I think it’s a good over view of general rules of water. a lot of it may not pertain to you specifically. It is still useful information.  It also may give you some insight on why boaters do what they do at times. When I am on plane in inches of water. I can’t come off no matter who is near by. It states I need to be at a speed to safely control my vessel going by unpowered vessels. There are asterisks to rules.

 

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

NC requires anyone born in 1988 or after to have a boaters safety course. 

 Pa is like this anything over 25HP and that year or maybe 86 I am not sure.
 

We have a few low head dams in my area that kayaks go over from time to time or get sucked into it. I don’t feel like they know the danger of them.  Where a course like this might shed some light on it.

[Logan S]

12 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i've never taken a boater safety course... some of the stuff can crossover to my kayak passion?  i might take one to see for myself.

I would think that knowing the rules that motorized vessels should be following would be a big help in ensuring a kayaker stays safe.  IMO anyone using a navigable waterway should be held to the same standard, motorized or not.  

 

Similar to how cyclists on the road are SUPPOSED to follow the same rules as motorized vehicles.  There are a lot of parallels between cyclists on the roads and kayaks on navigable waterways.  

[WIGuide]

12 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i've never taken a boater safety course... some of the stuff can crossover to my kayak passion?  i might take one to see for myself.

Yes, it goes over the rules and laws how to safely share the water and everyone out there should have to go through it. 

One of the biggest things I see around here when it comes to Kayak's is they need to realize they aren't as visible as a boat or pontoon. One in particular used to fish evening past dark. He liked to fish out in front of the unlit landing with a dark colored kayak and always wore dark clothing. He occasionally carry a flashlight he'd shine your way when you're coming in, but many times he did not and he was virtually invisible against the backdrop. Because I knew he liked to fish there I was always overly cautious coming in after the first time I saw him, but for others who didn't have that knowledge that could set up to be a horrible situation. 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

19 hours ago, gimruis said:

This is what I could find on the subject.  The length is under 26 feet and it went into effect April 1, 2021.

Thing is - it's not retroactive...so all these guys with older boats/motors that never retro-fitted kill switches still don't have to have them.

 

The '73 25hp Evinrude I got for the F-9 didn't have one...so I DID retro-fit one on it, and use it properly...and wear my PFD all the time even though I'm in a 'real' boat now.

 

(AM-24 still on even though I'm up on the front casting deck)

[airshot]

12 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i am a kayaker.  is there training in the crossover, beyond "wear a PFD"?

 

i am glacial slow compared to a bassboat.  i wear my PFD 100% and i see guys in bassboats only put them on when they are moving high speed to/fro.  

 

i've never taken a boater safety course... some of the stuff can crossover to my kayak passion?  i might take one to see for myself.

I took the safety course with my grandkids a few years back, not much on hand powered craft, mostly about power boats and a bit on sailboats. Rights of way and the laws. 

[gim]

4 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Thing is - it's not retroactive...so all these guys with older boats/motors that never retro-fitted kill switches still don't have to have them.

Ya I gathered that from the rule.  Pretty much every modern boat I saw at the boat show last month had a factory installed kill switch.  Exceptions being under 3 hp and over 26 feet in length.

[Susky River Rat]

1 hour ago, airshot said:

I took the safety course with my grandkids a few years back, not much on hand powered craft, mostly about power boats and a bit on sailboats. Rights of way and the laws. 

A lot of people are putting electric motors on kayaks now.  Electric  is considered power and the laws must be followed as such. 
 

Also in PA you can get a BUI on a kayak, tube or paddle board. Most are floating down the creeks here drunker then a skunk.