RBS Outreach Directorate News

Statements of policy or procedure provided by members of the Chief Director's office, national elected officers, or department directors posted on this webpage should be regarded as official statements.

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Adds New Publications Partner to Further Boating Safety and Public Education

Posted on 7 September 2012 by Bruce White DVC-BL

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Outreach Department recently teamed up with WindCheck magazine of Bridgeport, Connecticut, to help promote boating safety, maritime domain awareness, public education and other Auxiliary efforts that support the missions of the U.S. Coast Guard.

As the newest Publications Partner within the RBS Department, WindCheck joins Soundings magazine, Soundings Trade Only magazine and HeartLand Boating magazine in serving the interests of Auxiliarists by providing a wider reach for the Auxiliary’s missions. WindCheck, a monthly magazine devoted to sailors and boaters in the Northeast, features stories about those who race, cruise and want to learn about boating – and boating safety – in the region. Their monthly editorials include boating news, a Coast Guard report, an events calendar, published tide tables, racing coverage, cruising topics, junior sailing, environmental updates and boats for sale in the region. The “Captain of the Port” column, written by Vincent T. Pica, First District Southern’s District Chief of Staff, provides timely tips, stories and suggestions to make boating a pleasant, safe and rewarding experience.

WindCheck is published eleven times per year, distributing over 30,000 print copies via more than 850 yacht clubs, marinas, marine stores, select restaurants and other waterfront havens in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. WindCheck also is provided at numerous special events each month. Subscriptions are available to Auxiliarists for both print and online versions.

This new partnership also affords Auxiliarists an opportunity to publicize About Boating Safely classes and other public education efforts to readers within the magazine’s region. When available, back issues of the magazine may be requested for Auxiliarists who are conducting boating classes and for regional Auxiliary conferences’ courtesy packets. Members are encouraged to contact WindCheck with editorial submissions and public affairs information about class schedules and related topics. WindCheck is located at 110 Chapel Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Their phone number is 203-332-7639. To email the magazine with questions or to contribute news articles or press releases, go to windcheckmagazine.com, click on “About Us,” scroll down and click on “contact us.”

A link to WindCheck will be available soon on shopauxiliary.com that will bring members to a special Auxiliary page for subscription information.

Source: Thomas R. Violante, Branch Chief, Boating Publications Liaison, 203-466-7286 or trviolante@gmail.com.

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BoatU.S. “Best Flotilla” Award Goes to Small Flotilla in Nevada

Posted on 6 September 2012 by Bruce White DVC-BL

One of the smallest US Coast Guard Auxiliary organizations, Flotilla 9-7 of District 11SR, was honored by Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) with the prestigious “Best Flotilla in the Nation” Award for 2011 at this year’s Auxiliary’s National Convention held August 22-26 in San Antonio, Texas. The flotilla, which has just one patrol vessel and the bare minimum number of members to sustain a unit, bested over 1,000 other flotillas from across the US for the top honors.

Located in the southern portion of Lake Mead Recreation Area in Cottonwood Canyon on the shore of 67-mile long Lake Mohave, Flotilla 9-7′s six Vessel Examiners managed to complete 1117 Vessel Safety Checks, over 400 more than the previous year. In addition, their single patrol boat, manned by 9-7′s coxswains and crew, completed 21 safety patrols, verified the latitude and longitude of 33 Aids to Navigation, completed public affairs and educational missions, and provided recreational boating safety information to thousands of lake visitors.

The treacherous 67-mile stretch of water downstream of the Hoover Dam is hemmed by a sheer-walled canyon and has blistering summer temperatures as well as afternoon winds known to kick up four-footers that can smash boats against sheer cliffs and scuttle small craft. BoatU.S. President Margaret Podlich commended the members of Flotilla 9-7, noting that they “excelled at their duties and did an amazing amount of work to help boaters stay clear of the dangers of the lake. By doing that, they ensured everyone had a positive experience and came home safely.”

Source: BoatU.S.

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SUP Supplemental Resources at RBS Outreach AUXBWiki

Posted on 6 September 2012 by Bruce White DVC-BL

Additional materials about Stand Up Paddling (SUP), including bibliography and short online videos, have been added to the RBS Outreach AUXBWiki under Paddle Sports. In addition, videos for other paddling fields including whitewater and sea kayaking, rafting, and canoeing have been added. These videos run from about a minute and a half to five minutes and are useful supplements for Auxiliary Public Education instructors teaching the Paddle Sports safety classes.

Source: Don Goff, Ph.D., BC-BLC

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BoatU.S. Foundation Identifies Youth Programs for Life Jacket Donations by West Marine

Posted on 27 August 2012 by Bruce White DVC-BL

West Marine, the nation’s largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, has partnered with the non-profit BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water to donate more than 2,500 easy-to-wear, type-III vest-style life jackets as part of its BlueFuture(TM) initiative.

The BoatU.S. Foundation identified camps, programs targeting at-risk youth, and community swimming and sailing programs to receive these life-saving donations. Additionally, the National Safe Boating Council and several state boating agencies in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Florida received jackets.

The camps and groups receiving the donated life jackets range from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts to the Mataguay Scout Ranch (Boy Scouts) in San Diego. “We looked at the wide variety of summer camp and sailing programs that get youth on the water, and saw a real need,” said Lynne O’Hearn of the BoatU.S. Foundation. “We greatly appreciate West Marine’s effort and I’m sure the kids will appreciate wearing these comfortable jackets instead of the standard orange horse-collar-type jacket that most camps offer. If kids learn early that life jackets can be comfortable, they will embrace wearing them their entire lives.”

Source: BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water

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Importance of EPIRBs and PLBs for Safe Boating

Posted on 8 August 2012 by Bruce White DVC-BL

Recreational boaters can ensure their safety, especially when far off shore, by having a GPS-enabled Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) aboard, and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) attached to crew members. These devices, which are lightweight, compact and easy to use, can instantly summon help and provide rescuers with precise location information.

EPIRBs are ideal for voyages where traditional communications are spotty. Once activated, either manually or automatically by submersion in water, 406 MHz GPS-enabled EPIRBs broadcast a repeating SOS signal with integrated GPS location from virtually any point on earth for 48 continuous hours. The signal is received by Cospas/Sarsat satellites, which identify the beacon’s position within a few hundred yards in mere minutes. Search and rescue personnel are then contacted and know exactly where to look.

The 406 MHz PLBs are like small EPIRBs, except that the PLBs can only be activated manually and are secured to the individual crew member, not the boat. They use the same satellites and send an SOS signal with GPS position to summon help. However, their smaller batteries are effective for only 24 hours of continuous operation once activated.

PLBs make a great addition to an EPIRB, providing greater peace of mind when it comes to the safety of crew members, especially when on deck, on night watch, or solo cruising. They are also suitable for paddlers making outback voyages to remote locations.

Paddlers and boaters who find the price of these devices prohibitively expensive have the option of renting them from the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, which is a nonprofit organization. For more information about these devices go to the Foundation site.

Source: BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water

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A Boater’s Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats in stock again at ANSC

Posted on 31 July 2012 by Scott Warner DIR-B

We are pleased to report that the Coast Guard publication, A Boater’s Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats, is once again available from the Auxiliary National Supply Center (ANSC). This publication, ANSC#3006, contains information about federal boating laws, equipment requirements, and safety recommendations for recreational vessels. Loaded with charts, graphics, and diagrams, this brochure covers navigational rules, cold water survival, life jacket requirements and America’s Waterway Watch information. It is particularly useful in support of public education, vessel examinations, program visitation, and public affairs missions.

Flotillas are reminded to please use normal procedures for ordering supplies of this publication. It is also available online at the Coast Guard Boating Safety Division website.

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Seven Tips for Swimming Boaters

Posted on 25 July 2012 by Bruce White DVC-BL

There have been many tragic drownings this summer, and the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety has these seven DO NOT tips for boaters who want to swim:

DO NOT . . .

. . . permit anyone in the water until the engine is turned off and the key is out of the ignition.

. . . permit swimming until there is at least one life jacket or throwable flotation aid (tied to the boat) in the water, and every child is wearing a life jacket.

. . . swim at marinas. Electric current leaking from poorly maintained boat electrical and shore power systems can stun you and cause you to drown.

. . . dive in water headfirst unless you know exactly how deep the water is. Ease yourself down a boarding ladder to confirm the water depth.

. . . swim alone.

. . . swim under a boat’s swim platform or near any boat with the engine running. You could die from a propeller strike or from carbon monoxide poisoning.

. . . swim in a navigation channel where you could be struck by a vessel or in an area with strong river or tidal currents, which can swiftly carry you away from the boat.

For more information on boating safety programs from the BoatU.S. Foundation, such as the free Kid’s Life Jacket Loaner Program, go to their web site.

Source: BoatU.S. Foundation for Safety and Clean Water

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Avoiding Collisions with Kayaks

Posted on 3 July 2012 by Bruce White DVC-BL

In the past few years, there have been several tragic examples of small boats, notably kayaks, which were run down by larger, fast-moving boats. A group of prominent engineers recently presented the paper, “Visibility Factors in Small Boat Collisions,” at the 2012 International Marine Forensics Symposium sponsored by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. This paper offers some good suggestions on how to avoid being run over in smaller boats–kayaks–and, conversely, how to avoid running over small boats.

The suggestions on how to avoid being run over were based on a series of tests on the water using volunteers in kayaks and powerboats. Researchers found that kayaks aren’t likely to be spotted by a powerboat until they’re a quarter-mile away, which can quickly lead to an “extremis condition.” The sooner a small boat is spotted, the better.

Seventy-five percent of the powerboat operators first reported seeing “paddle flash” when they saw the boat. A white or light colored paddle blade was much easier to see than a dark blade. The remaining 25 percent saw the luminous jersey that was being worn by the volunteers.

Among the recommendations to kayakers–
1) Carry an audible signaling device.
2) Wear fluorescent life vests or shirts.
3) Use paddles with white or light colored blades.
4) Avoid kayaking in areas with high boat traffic.
5) Use flags that can be mounted on kayaks.

Conversely, for owners of larger boats: wear sunglasses; keep a proper lookout; and, be especially alert in areas where you are likely to encounter smaller craft.

Source: “Seaworthy, the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance and Damage Avoidance Report,” July 2012, p. 4.

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Enjoying July 4th on the Water

Posted on 27 June 2012 by Bruce White DVC-BL

Planning to celebrate July 4th on the water? Our boating safety partners at Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) have some tips for coping with the challenges of boating’s busiest day of the year:

Getting underway: With July 4th on a Wednesday this year, more boaters may take at least half the week off. This means more wear and tear on boats which may have been recently launched and not fully prepped for the boating season. Now is the time to double check the battery, charging system, navigation lights and fuel system, as well as the trailer tires, wheel bearings, and brake and signal lights.

Getting protected: Many boating guests for the holiday are likely to be kids, but some boats won’t have the right-sized life jackets aboard. Boaters can borrow a kid’s life jacket at no cost at over 500 locations by going here. Make sure to avoid overloading boats so that wakes and waves don’t wash over the gunwales. Having extra guests also means more socializing and the potential for less focus on safety. If alcohol must be part of your holiday celebration, wait until you’re safe at home before you drink.

Getting home: What’s the best way to prevent needing a tow after the fireworks are over? Don’t run down the battery playing music all day, and be careful to avoid anchor line entanglements. On the way back to the marina, post extra lookouts, don’t take shortcuts, go slow, and be patient at the launch ramp. Boating at night is risky, so make sure everyone is wearing a life jacket.

With appropriate preparations and planning, boating this July 4th can be a safe and memorable experience for you and your family and friends.

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May 2012 issue of Watercraft and Vessel Safety (WAVES) available

Posted on 3 June 2012 by Scott Warner DIR-B

The May 2012 issue of Watercraft and Vessel Safety (WAVES), the newsletter of the Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Affairs Department, is now available. This issue of WAVES features information about the 2010 Auxiliarist of the Year, recipients of the Auxiliary’s RBS National Partnership Award, reaching out with the RBS message to school children, and the availability of congratulatory letters for Eagle Scouts and Sea Scout Quartermasters. Also featured is information about why State Liaison Officers (SLOs) are key members in the Auxiliary’s efforts to promote the recreational boating safety message. Download your copy here.

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