Before boating, be prepared & safe! : News : CNYcentral.com

This week is?National Safe Boating Week. Beautiful weather can make for an enjoyable boating experience, although the sudden emergence of threatening thunderstorm clouds, gusty winds, and lightning can turn a day?s pleasure into a time of distress. During National Safe Boating Week, you will be able to check out tips prepared from the National Safe Boating Council on how to keep your pleasure and safety to a maximum.? Here is a direct transcription the topics that are discussed through the week.??

Weather Briefing
Few people are affected more often by weather than the mariner. An unexpected change in winds, seas, visibility or the sudden development of a thunderstorm can turn a pleasant afternoon into one which threatens the safety of a vessel and its crew. The National Weather Service, as well as CNYcentral provides marine weather warnings and forecasts serving mariners who use the waters both for their livelihood or recreation, including those traversing our near-shore waters to those heading across our lakes.

The National Weather Service and CNYcentral provides updated and accurate weather information in various formats - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week every day of the year. Before setting out, obtain the latest marine forecast and warnings.? Several days ahead of time you can begin listening for extended outlooks which give general information out to the next five days.

Take particular note of any current advisories and warnings, including Small Craft Advisories, Gale or Storm Warnings which alert mariners to either high winds or waves occurring now or forecast to occur up to 24 hours from now. Also, pay attention to any Watches which forecast possible rough weather expected in the upcoming few days

Here are some radio tips. If you have a marine VHF transceiver with built-in NOAA Weather Radio channels, use them. If your VHF radio is not equipped with weather channels, you may want to buy a VHF weather radio--they?re readily available and low in cost. If you venture beyond about a 40nm range from shore, you should consider buying a good quality HF single sideband transceiver. Remember to always file a float plan with someone ashore and consider the purchase of an Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacon or EPIRB. These devices are designed to save your life if you get into trouble by alerting rescue authorities and indicating your location.

Life Jackets?
Before you and your family get out on the water this year, grab a life jacket and ?Wear It!? Nearly 90 percent of those who drown while boating were not wearing a life jacket.? Life jacket wear is one of the most effective and simple life-saving strategies for safe recreational boating. Boaters are required to have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket on board for every passenger on their vessel.? Today?s life jackets are available in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. They are comfortable, lightweight, and perfect for any boating activity or sport.? No matter what the activity or life jacket style chosen, the most important thing is this: remember to grab a life jacket and ?Wear It!?

Lightning Safety
Each year 100,000 thunderstorms develop across the United States and adjacent maritime areas. These thunderstorms produce millions of lightning strikes that pose a significant threat to boaters. Lightning can generate a phenomenal amount of heat that can vaporize water, melt metal, or cause objects to explode. In fact, bolts of lightning can produce extreme temperatures that are 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun!

A lightning strike to a vessel can be catastrophic, especially if it results in a fire or loss of electronics. The best action you can take the second you see lightning or hear thunder is to head to shore and take shelter until the storm passes. If you must weather the storm on the water, drop anchor so the boat?s bow points into the wind. If your boat has a cabin, then stay inside and avoid touching metal or electrical devices. If your boat doesn?t have a cabin, stay as low as you can in the boat. In addition, make sure you and your crew are wearing life jackets. To protect your boat, make sure it is grounded. Use a good conductive material to allow the current to travel through and off the boat through a discharge plate or the keel.? Ultimately, remember that boating safety begins ashore with planning and training. Listen to NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards for the latest forecast and warning information.

Vessel Safety Checks
This boating season, make sure that you take advantage of the Vessel Safety Check (VSC), program ? a free, no risk, service provided in your area by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and the US Power Squadrons. A qualified vessel examiner will conduct an inspection of all the required safety equipment carried or installed on a vessel and certain aspects of the vessel?s overall condition. Even if you pay careful attention to safety, dangerous mechanical problems can crop up on the best-maintained boat. That's why the U.S. Coast Guard recommends that all recreational boats (including personal watercraft) get a free VSC each year.

A VSC is your best way of learning about conditions that might put you in violation of state or federal laws or, worse, create an unsafe condition for you or your passengers on the water.

Be prepared for any emergency when you are afloat. Get a free vessel safety check to ensure that your vessel complies with both Federal and State requirements. If the vessel meets all requirements, the examiner will award a Vessel Safety Check decal. If your vessel fails to receive a VSC decal, no law enforcement action is taken and the examiner will provide a list of items for correction.

Dangerous Waves
Each year boaters encounter waves that cause significant damage to their vessels, or result in a sinking and loss of life. To keep safe boaters need to understand how waves are formed, when they can become steep, and the type of wave conditions that their vessels can handle.

Wind creates waves and they are influenced by the size and duration of the wind fetch. Waves generated locally are called wind waves, and those that are generated at a distant fetch are called swells. These waves are further modified by currents, refraction, and shoaling. Ultimately, steep waves create many problems for boaters of all shapes and sizes. Steep waves are those with wave heights that are nearly equal to their wave period. Steep waves create hazardous navigation conditions that can be compounded by tidal currents near bars, inlets, or port entrances.

When waves are expected to become large or steep, boaters should strongly consider remaining in port until conditions improve. If you encounter steep or large waves, point the bow of the boat into the waves. Never ride parallel to the waves during these conditions so that your vessel does not overturn. Always make sure that you and your crew are wearing properly fitted and U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.

Boating Under The Influence
The effects of alcohol can be even more hazardous on the water than on land. Boating Under the Influence, or BUI, affects judgment, vision, balance and coordination. These impairments can increase the risk of being involved in a boating accident ? for both passengers and boat operators. Alcohol is a contributing factor in about a third of all recreational boating fatalities.

It is illegal to operate any boat or watercraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in every state. Penalties can include fines, suspension or revocation of your drivers license and even jail time. Every boater needs to understand the risks of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Navigation Rules
Do you know what to do when approaching, meeting or over taking another boat? Before you take your boat out on the water this season, it?s important that you know the ?nautical rules of the road.?

The nautical rules of the road are the navigation rules for preventing collisions on the water. Knowing the nautical rules of the road is important for all boaters. Knowing what to do when meeting, crossing or over taking another boat can prevent costly damage to your boat, personal injury or even loss of life. Whenever you believe there is a risk of collision you should slow down, stop or steer away from the situation as described in the navigation rules. Maintaining a proper lookout and a safe speed are all a part of the navigation rules and should be an important part of your boat operation.

Take some time to learn the nautical rules of the road this summer and ensure safer boating for you, your family, and the other boaters on the water.

Follow along with me on my facebook page here.?For more on your weather forecast, click on "Weather" and then the "Live Triple Doppler Radar" tab on our weather page. Make sure you refresh the Doppler radar to see the very latest information, as well. Furthermore, we have our new?Interactive Doppler Radar?on our website. You can zoom down to street level with Interactive Doppler Radar. You are in total control of where the radar can zoom in. Give it a try. Plus, click on our?Severe Weather Tab?and our?Watches and Warnings map to see the very latest county specific watches and warnings.In addition, you can "follow" along with me on Twitter by either clicking on the "follow" button on the Twitter section of our weather page or by visiting?www.twitter.com/PeteWeatherBeat.

Source: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=622096

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