Blog 2015

Don’t Be The Worst Marina Guest

I travel more than my fair share, and whether I'm at my dock or visiting a new port, these common sense tips will go a long way to keeping the peace.

Okay, so it’s nearing the end of summer cruising season, and boaters are looking to fit in one more trip away from home. A new port or marina means boaters should recognize that they have responsibilities as marina guests. Ignoring these responsibilities and you risk earning the ire of the locals and the scorn of management. Worst case you will be asked to leave.

What will get you in trouble?

Here you go:

You’re approaching the gate to your dock, and there they are. Workmen with toolboxes, families with ice chests and water toys, and other seemingly nice people waiting for someone with a key to let them in the marina. It’s awkward, annoying, and a pain. What do you do? You should tell the stranger where to find the marina office. Allowing strangers access is bad idea.

At the marina dock, keep the music volume reasonable, honor the marina’s posted quiet hours, and invite your neighbors to come aboard and make friends.

Poop ! That’s right – your dog’s poop is bad stuff. Just like oil, grease and other toxic chemicals, you don’t want bad bacteria leaching into the water we swim in. Don’t be the shunned as the “poopie” boater – clean up after Fido.

And finally, It goes without saying that being considerate of others, like not hogging dock carts, keeping docks clear, and following the safety rules will make you a welcome guest

REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY, TRAINING IS NEEDED

According to 2013 statistics, the U.S. Coast Guard reports that collision with another vessel, flooding, collision with a fixed objects, grounding, and skier mishap are the top five types of boating accidents.

The  Top 10 contributing factors to accidents are operator inattention, improper lookout, inexperience of the operator, speeding, machinery failure, alcohol use, violation of navigation rules, force of waves, hazardous waters, and weather.

How many of these accidents are because pleasure boaters don’t possess the necessary knowledge and training?

Though not mandatory, a course or courses , which includes personal survival techniques, personal safety and social responsibility, first aid and CPR, and basic firefighting would be a huge tool in lowering that statistic and making the waters safer.

A personal survival technique course involving both classroom and practice in the water  would be hugely effective. Some basic knowledge on how to abandon a ship, what to do if involved in a rescue, and swimming techniques with life jackets and immersion suits on could save lives. Also, knowing how to turn over a life raft and how to get in and out of one, should be mandatory.

A personal safety and responsibility course focused on emergency procedures, who is responsible for what on board, marine pollution, and courtesy aboard all should be basic mandates before you ever leave port. A first aid and CPR course would teach how to resuscitate someone, what to do in an event of allergic reactions, heart attacks, strokes, broken bones, and other casualty events.

Some Basic firefighting knowledge including what types of fires there are and what to use and do to put out those fires is highly beneficial. Practice wearing real gear to maneuver a hose or fire extinguisher, and putting out fires in a timely basis. Lastly, learn techniques on how to save a person in a smoky part of the boat.

I recommend that all boaters take courses that involve both operation and education about all the responsibilities ownership involves. It is crucial to know what to do to avoid accidents; equally important is knowing what to do in the event of an emergency away from the shore.

 Put safety first, even if the law doesn’t require you to.

Troubleshooting Tips

What good is all the fancy electronics you spent a fortune on, if they don't work? Sometimes, as is often the case in many things in life, simple is the solution. Continuing on the previous blog, here's a continuation on tips for keeping your equipment functioning.

Pull the plug! Just like your computer, when your GPS/chart plotter, fish finder, radar or other gear locks up or fails to respond to the controls, sometimes disconnecting the power cable or switching off the set’s circuit breaker and reapplying power can restore normal operation.

 In extreme cases, when all else fails, you can perform a “master reset.” Follow the instructions in the owner’s manual for the unit. Be advised that this is a last-resort procedure. A master reset can also delete all your waypoints, routes and custom settings.

 Quick tip: Regularly back up your waypoints and other entered data on a blank data card (refer to the unit’s owner’s manual for instructions on how to back up your waypoint list and other valuable data).

Be sure you know the location of every fuse for every electronics instrument you have. And keep an adequate supply of each fuse size on board.

Redundant Systems

Consider installing a second VHF radio and GPS/chart plotter. With a modest investment you can have independent redundancy for these essential instruments.

Keep a handheld VHF and GPS as part of your electronics lineup. Basic models are very affordable, serve as portable second stations and stand ready to go with you if you ever have to leave your boat in an emergency.

 The bonus is that the radio and GPS are already connected internally, so the set’s DSC emergency button is ready for use as soon as you obtain, register and enter your personal Mobile Maritime Service Identity (MMSI) number These sets are waterproof and floatable and will operate even in the event you find yourself in the water.

Always keep fresh batteries for every portable device you carry on board. And, if you don’t already have one, install a 12-volt cigarette lighter outlet to charge all of your handheld devices that have rechargeable batteries.

Credit picture boatus.com

Tips for keeping your marine electronics functioning properly.

With the latest spate of recent boat fires and collisions or near collissions, its' always a good idea to review some basics. (thanks to our friends at boat magazine for the excerpts)

Here are some simple benchmarks to verify that your marine electronics are working properly before you leave port, including:

1. Make a radio check to confirm you are transmitting and receiving properly.

2. Confirm your position dockside with your GPS. Make a range and bearing check with a known point of reference. Become familiar with how many satellites you normally receive and their relative strengths. This will let you know if your GPS is operating normally.

3. When leaving port, make sure your autopilot has no difficulty holding a course and responds properly to steering commands.

4. Check your radar by viewing familiar targets on long and short ranges to make sure they appear normal.

These quick reference checks can verify that your electronics are ready for sea duty, as well as serve as an early warning for possible pending failures.

Another way to avoid electronics failures is with a periodic preventive maintenance inspection, which you can do yourself.

Voltage Loss
Guard against a drop in electrical voltage, which can cause equipment to stop working or limit its performance. Inspect all connections from the battery to your electronics. Be alert for any loose connections, which can over time result from a boat’s normal impacts when underway. Be alert to corrosive buildup on terminals and electrical connections.

Batteries
Check batteries routinely. Buy a multimeter and learn how to use it. This is one of the handiest instruments for finding, correcting and preventing electricity-related problems.

Consult the Manual
Be sure you have a manual for each electronic device you have on board. The troubleshooting section can tell you what to do for each instrument’s most common problems. Don’t have a manual? Most manuals can be downloaded for free from the manufacturer’s website.

MARK IT      

Permanently mark or engrave your boat, your trailer, all your equipment, electronics and personal items which you use regularly on your boat with your vessels hull identification number (HIN) and/or your driver's license number. Since 1972, your boat will already have a HIN on the transom. In 1984 a regulation was passed which requires the HIN number to also be permanently attached in a second unexposed location

More and more boats (an estimated 18,000,000), trailers, equipment, electronics and personal items are stolen each year. Most of these crimes are committed by amateurs who, when tempted with an easy opportunity, can't resist the temptation.

Water Safety

Summer is in full swing, and the more nice days we encounter, the more we get tempted to avoid our common sense in pursuit of enjoying all the water has to offer.

If you are responsible for children it becomes even more important.

Whether you are at the beach, at a pool or at a nearby lake, on the Sound, or at the shore, make it common practice to have a life jacket on when you are in the water. A life preserver and a life jacket should be an essential accessory.

If you are boating, law requires boaters to have enough life vests for everyone on board, and ages 12 and younger are required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times when the boat is under way.

Also, I encourage all families to consider enrolling children in swimming lessons. Swim lessons will teach children not only how to tread water but also how to stay float and keep close to shore.

Stay Safe and Enjoy the Water.

YOU ARE OUR ENJOYING A PEACEFUL DAY WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

It' s a good idea to make sure you have these handy.

Whistle

Rescue situations after natural disasters are typically chaotic affairs, with quickly-assembled teams doing their best under difficult circumstances. You can't always depend on visual identification in this kind of scenario, which is why survival experts insist that any disaster kit contain a safety whistle. Yelling for help can leave the average person hoarse after just a few minutes. A well-constructed whistle, however, can be blown for as long as you can normally breathe and heard for far greater distances. Many safety whistles also produce unique staccato sounds designed to be heard over helicopters and other loud engines.

Water

Drinkable water is one of the most important resources to have after a disaster. While many people recommend setting aside several gallons of bottled water, long-term survival might require something a little bigger. 

DID YOU KNOW THAT

Unlike any other law enforcement arm, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) may board your boat at their discretion — they need no search warrant, no provocation, and no reason other than ensuring your boat is in full compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations.

I read this article in the July Boating Times and thought it would be a good topic to explore.

Do you know what to do and say if you see a USCG vessel in the vicinity and hear their voice on VHF channel 16 (or across the water) hailing your vessel and ordering you to bring your boat to a full stop?

You have been stopped by highly trained federal officers who will soon impress you with their professionalism. Before they even step off their vessel onto yours, the very first question they will ask you is, “Without reaching for them or touching them, do you have any weapons on board?” Subtly but powerfully, the tone is set:  “I am polite. I am professional. And I mean business.” Let’s assume (and hope) that the answer to that question is “no” since an affirmative answer sets up a scenario outside the scope of this article.

Once your boat is boarded, the officers will be seeking compliance with regulations, starting with those applicable to all boat sizes:

• Your actual registration needs to be aboard and current. If you just have a copy, that’s a problem, but if you have no registration, you have a much bigger problem.
• The Hull Identification Number needs to be the same on your registration and on your boat (embossed into the transom, low on the starboard side). If they don’t match, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.
• The registration numbers must be at least three inches, appear as a contrasting color to your hull, and be the most forward of any numbering or lettering on the boat.
• If you have a Marine Sanitation Device (aka head or toilet), it must conform to regulations. As Long Island is a “No Discharge Zone,” an over-board, through-hull holding tank must be in the locked/closed position and the key must be under the control of the captain (no exceptions unless it can be seized closed or the handle can be removed in the closed position).

For more check out the full article in the Boating Times.