MORRIS, Ill. — As part of National Safe Boating Week, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is scheduled to conduct free vessel safety checks at William G. Stratton State Park in Morris from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.
Experienced members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary perform vessel safety checks to educate boaters about problems that might put them in violation of state or federal laws or, worse, create danger for boaters and their passengers on the water.
Should a vessel not pass the safety check, the owner will be provided a written report detailing how to correct the discrepancies. No citation will be issued.
Representatives with Grundy County Emergency Management Agency and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will also be on hand to provide additional boating safety materials.
National Safe Boating Week, which runs from May 21-27, is an annual observance sponsored by the National Safe Boating Council, endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard and promoted by multiple state and local agencies throughout the U.S. The campaign promotes safe and responsible boating, and highlights the value of wearing a life jacket.
In 2015, 626 boating fatalities occurred across the United States. Fatalities and accidents on the water can be eliminated through safe and responsible boating. Waterway users are encouraged to take the following actions to reduce boating accidents:
Get a Free Vessel Safety Check
The U.S. Coast Guard recommends that all recreational boaters, including personal watercraft users and paddlers, take advantage of the free vessel safety check program each year. Go to http://www.safetyseal.net/ to request a vessel safety check.
Take a Boating Safety CourseCourses cover many aspects of boating safety, from boat handling to reading the weather, and from youth-oriented classes to courses for boaters who want to learn electronic navigation skills. The most popular basic courses generally have from six to 13 lessons to provide a foundation of operational and safety instruction. Boaters can learn about boating safety courses in their state by going to http://uscgboating.org//recreational-boaters/boating-safety-courses.php
Life Jackets
Donning a life jacket is much harder once you’re in the water, especially if you’re injured. The law states you must have a life jacket for every person on board, but the Coast Guard recommends you wear your life jacket at all times when boating. Any boat 16ft or longer, except canoes and kayaks, must also carry one throwable (Type IV) personal flotation device immediately available for use.
Life jackets must be Coast Guard approved, in good and serviceable condition, and the appropriate size for the intended user. Life jackets should be tested for wear and buoyancy at least once each year. Waterlogged, faded, or leaky jackets should be discarded.
Operator Safety
Operator inattention is the leading primary contributing factor in recreation boating accidents, causing 551 accidents, 58 deaths and 353 injuries in 2015.
The top three contributing factors to recreational boating accidents from 2015 are operator inattention, operator inexperience and improper lookout. The operator of a vessel is as responsible as the driver of a car for the safety of passengers and other boaters in the area.
Boating Under the Influence
A boater operating his or her boat while intoxicated is a danger to everyone. The Coast Guard and state and local law enforcement agencies rely on boaters to help report dangerous conditions on the water.
Alcohol affects judgment, vision, balance and coordination. Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; where the primary cause was known, it was listed as the leading factor in 17% of deaths.
File a Float Plan and Use the Coast Guard App
A float plan should be completed and left with someone who is not getting underway. A float plan is a lifesaving tool and provides emergency responders with valuable information they need to search for a distressed boater.
Float plans are easy to create and share with a friend or family member remaining on shore through the Coast Guard Mobile App. The Coast Guard App is a self-contained App; no personal data is collected by the Coast Guard or any other person or agency unless it is intentionally transmitted by the user.
Marine Band Radio
Mariners are encouraged to invest in a VHF-FM radio as their primary means of distress alerting on the waters. Communication via VHF-FM radio provides superior altering capabilities over cellular phones.
A MAYDAY sent out via VHF-FM radio is broadcast that reaches everyone with a VHF Radio, not just the Coast Guard. This allows nearby boaters to offer immediate assistance even before rescue services arrive.
Boardings
The Coast Guard may board your vessel at any time, and it is essential that you are prepared and understand the process. The Coast Guard boards recreational vessels to ensure the safety of boat operators and passengers. Most often the decision to board a vessel is based on activity, location, and in some circumstances, obvious violations such as operating at night without navigation lights
The average boarding of a recreation boat takes less than 30 minutes. Boaters who have been boarded by the Coast Guard within the year and can produce their Boating Report, or who have received a free Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel safety check and earned a decal, will often find boardings of their vessels to be much faster.
Sharing Waterways
Maintain safe speeds. Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that proper and effective action to avoid collision can be taken and the vessel can be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.
Designate a lookout, day and night, particularly near commercial traffic. Stay out of paths of ships, towboats, tugs and barges. A pilot’s blind spot can extend for hundreds of feet, and their speed can be deceptive.