CGAUX: Recreational Boating Safety Outreach

The January 2012 issue of Seaworthy, the print and online publication of the BoatU.S. Damage Avoidance Program, features a multi-page article describing winter projects for making your boat safe and ready for the boating season.  Below is a brief description of some of these projects.

• Stuffing box: If the stuffing box drips while the boat is at the dock, replace the packing. Approximately one-third of the inboard-powered boats that sink at the dock do so because of leaking stuffing boxes.

• Engine: Replace your impeller if you haven’t done so in the last two years. If a vane breaks off it can get clogged in your cooling system and cause overheating. Also, many engines have zinc anodes in the cooling system to prevent corrosion, so inspect and replace as necessary.  Check all the fluid levels, not just the engine oil.  Proper levels for the outdrive oil, cooling system, transmission, power steering, and trim tabs are critical.  Make sure there is no rust visible on the outside of manifolds and risers–if there’s rust outside there’s probably rust on the inside as well.

• Waste hoses: Sanitation hoses need to be replaced regularly so they do not cause odors in the head. Sags in the hose should be avoided to prevent standing waste water.

• Batteries: Wet-cell batteries can lose five to ten percent of their charge per month. Remove them from the boat and bring them to an auto parts store, where a technician can run a diagnostic test on their health for free.

• Alarms: Install carbon monoxide and gasoline vapor alarms, and mount a propane vapor alarm low in the galley. Also, install a high bilge water alarm, which can be linked to the boat’s horn in case you are not with the boat.

• Seacocks: Open and close the seacocks regularly to make sure they are not getting stiff and rusty.

• Steering linkages: Even if the steering linkage sheath seems to be in good shape, the interior cable could still be rusted. Stiffness in the steering is an indication of possible corrosion.

See the current issue for more details and other tips for protecting your boat and ensuring your safety when you get underway.

Almost three-fourths of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, 88% were not reported as wearing a life jacket.

Only 9% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety instruction.

Operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed, and
alcohol rank as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.

Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; it was listed
as the leading factor in 19% of the deaths.

From the Coast Guard’s Recreational Boating Statistics 2010