Como. Ted Neale, Jr. DC-A ----- Vol 97. MARCH, 1997 No. 3 ----- Otis W. Littleton, BC-ANN
Como. Ted Neale, Jr. DC-A ----- Vol 97. MARCH, 1997 No. 3 ----- Otis W. Littleton, BC-ANN
The February 1997 issue of Soundings, The Nation's Boating Newspaper, featured the United States Coast Guard's Search and Rescue mission and it's relationship to the modern sailor'. The article, opened by recounting the heroics of Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Michael Odum, who barely survived a dramatic offshore helicopter rescue 300 miles east of Savannah, Ga.
Mr. Odum earned the Coast Guard's Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor for Extraordinary heroism and the Association for Rescue at Sea awarded him its Gold medal.
The article tells how the master of the sailboat who sent the SOS, never left the boat and continued on safely and alone to the Bahamas. Reportedly, the crew of the boat was scared and inexperienced and jumped overboard when they feared the Coast Guard might leave the boat without hoisting them off. While this experience was not described as typical, some expehenced sailors observed that perhaps too manv persons are venturing offshore without an appreciation of the rigors and responsibilities involved.
Steve Black of Newport, described as an avid single hander who runs several cruising rallies expressed a "gut feeling" that the number of sailors calling in the Coast Guard prematurely was on the increase and another example of our overdependence on societal safety nets rather than on ourselves. "The idea that you can call the Coast Guard to take you off your boat because you're uncomfortable is something of a modern phenomenon," says Black who is planning to enter the 1998-99 single handed around the world race.
The feature showed great color photos of the Coast Guard in action, including several stories of rescues. One article stressed the rigorous training rescue swimmers undergo to qualify, another featured the work of the Coast Guard's Research and Development Center in Groton, Connecticut.
There was also a special article and editorial recounting how some taxpayers are beginning to balk at picking up the expensive cost of search and rescue efforts for boaters who take unnecessary risks for self glory and aggrandizement. when they are totally free of cost.
Soundings editorialized that the furor expressed by some about taxpayers picking up the tab and proposals to bill boaters for rescue efforts was penny wise and pound foolish.
The paper, Soundings, urged boaters to become more informed, resourceful and to take advantage of available technology, including safe boating courses to avoid trouble.
The feature story in Soundings, about the Coast Guard's Search and Rescue Mission attributes growing concern that too many "pleasure" boaters take to the seas without adequate training or preparation.
One experienced sailor, Dodge Morgan, was quoted, " We should never lead people to think that their personal mistakes or the whims of fate will be covered by a rescue organization."
We recently revised our Boating Skills and Seamanship text book to recognize the difference between Coastal and Offshore boating and Inland boating characteristics.
The problem does not appear to be the quality of the educational material available, but rather the public's perception about its availability. Too many boaters, inland or coastal, are not motivated to take safe boating courses, even when they are totally free of cost. Too many are not even aware of the availability of such courses.
One of the missions of the Auxiliary Public Affairs Officer is to to make the boating public aware of the availability of boating safety courses and to motivate them to take the safe boating course when it is offered. To the extent that boaters are not taking the courses, have we failed in reaching our mission goal?
A Coast Guard funded study has found that the visibility of a PWC is greatly enhanced if the operator wears an orange personal floatation device or the PWC itself is marked bow and stern with an orange stripe.
Last year, the Canadian Coast Guard discontinued a policy of approving only PFDs that were red, orange or yellow mainly because boaters insisted on wearing colors they preferred.
The study was conducted for the Coast Guard by Florida Atlantic University researchers. The research established the color of the PFD or the stripes on the PWC were more effective than strobe or flashing lights. A spokesperson for the Coast Guard indicated that there are no plans to propose new regulations at this time on the colors by the Coast Guard.
The National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) modified its model PWC legislation this past fall. The purpose of model legislation is to provide states an opportunity to adopt uniform legislation/regulations and to help in making restrictions consistent from state to state.
Because of an increase in accidents involving PWCS, a NASBLA PWC commiftee agreed there is a need to restrict PWC speed in close quarters, such as prohibiting operators of PWCs from traveling in the same direction at more than 1O MPH when within 100 feet to the rear or 50 feet to the side of another vessel. Three states, Oregon, Wisconsin and Minnesota have this form of speed and proximity law.
Another proposed rule prohibits operating a PWC at more than a no-wake speed within 100 feet of an anchored vessel, shore, dock or person. The model law also contains a requirement for PWC rental businesses to provide safety instructions to renters, including a review of applicable state law and local waterway characteristics. It was noted that 80% of PWC accidents involve operators who are either borrowing or renting the craft.
In other news, federal parks will be increasing fees charged to boaters using boats on National Park lands. The fees may vary from facility to facility. Similarly, in-creased or added fees are also being implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlfe Service at their facilities.
Florida boaters who live aboard their boats may find out their boat's heads do not comply with the provisions of the Florida Clean Vessel Act. The Florida marine Patrol is enforcing the new law. All sewerage must be stored on board and pumped into an approved pump out facility. Marine Sanitation Devices that treat sewerage and discharge it in the water are not permifted in such vessels. This restriction does not apply to vessels in navigation, however.
Some New Jersey boaters are alarmed that pending legislation governing the use of underwater land on the states tidal waters will deprive them of previous held mooring rights. New Jersey law gives the state title to all tidal flooded land which includes coastal waters out to the three mile limit.
The legislation reportedly would give waterfront property owners broad new powers and the ability to veto the use of underwater land in front of their property effectively depriving boat owners of the night to moor their boats anywhere they may wish. Property owners may, under the proposed legislation, control the use of the underwater property by others.
U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Safe Boating Course :30
So, you've been dreaming about cruise on your boat this summer?
Do you know all you need to know about the seas, your boat and the skills needed to return home to your loved ones?
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers a comprehensive safe boating course that includes information about your boat, equipment for your boat, handling your boat, piloting your boat, weather, and other important information.
You'll have a chance to chart the right course for you by helping yourself to safe boating knowledge.
Call The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary at (local or 800 number). Get in on the know.