Be A Good Lookout I still remember the day I was on a friend’s fishing boat when we realized our course was getting too friendly with that of a nearby cruiser. When the other boat was about 100 yards away, we started to wonder if the skipper was asleep. Then the boat swerved inshore, and as it passed, we saw the operator in the cockpit, with his hands on a newspaper, not the wheel. It was a reminder to be a good lookout. The truth is, it’s easy to get distracted from helm duties, either by a riveting headline or just a plain old cell phone. But if we’re going to share the water safely, we need to be responsible for every action.
This is particularly true when boating in a busy fairway or narrow channel. Navigation rules remind us to stay to the right so our starboard side is closest to the edge of the channel, but things can get confusing if the channel is wide and several boats are passing through at the same time. And today it’s becoming more common to be overtaken by fast boats, so it’s even more important to keep a careful lookout.
Drive Slower Speed is a big topic these days, as there seem to be more wickedly fast boats with three, four and even five outboards. Watching the operators of these speedsters rip through my home waters near Norwalk, Connecticut, as if they’re driving their cars on Interstate 95, makes me anxious. I think we’ve all seen throttle-happy drivers flying by slow boats, overtaking them without so much as a signal, and passing on whichever side is most convenient.
This behavior is just dangerous, and it’s why instructors in safe boating classes often urge boaters to regularly look astern to see what’s coming and to prepare to be waked. You can’t control the speed at which another person drives, but you can manage your own. So slow down, especially in a busy harbor or channel, and particularly where paddleboarders or kayakers may suddenly emerge from behind piers. These people just want to enjoy a day on the water too, and they deserve respect and courtesy.
Count Your Passengers It’s great fun to go boating with a big group of friends, and yet some people (my kids included) can be too quick to invite the whole neighborhood for a harbor cruise. Overloading can be a problem, particularly on bowrider-style boats, where passengers tend to gather forward of the driver and obstruct his or her view. In addition, the added weight in the bow can reduce the boat’s buoyancy and change the longitudinal center of gravity, which can then create extreme bow steering and—even worse—fill the bow with water. It’s best to just avoid all of that by respecting the boat manufacturer’s recommended
passenger capacity.
Wear the PFD The good news is most kids like to fish out a colorful PFD from a locker on board before the boat leaves the dock, so parents don’t often have to nag them to do it. And yet there are still a lot of children on the water who don’t wear personal flotation devices. Years ago, when it seemed the Coast Guard and state police marine patrols were more prevalent, they would stop a boat if they saw that type of safety infraction. But more than ever these safety decisions must be shouldered by boat operators. Most states have a minimum required age for kids to wear a PFD while underway—it’s 12 years and under in Connecticut. Know the law in your state. And while you’re at it, don a jacket of your own and be a good example for the young ones aboard.
Those are a few of the safety basics my crew will review this season. How about you? I hope you’ll share your best practices, because we can all learn from each other. And in the long run, we’ll all have better experiences out on the water.
This article was originally published in the July 2024 issue.
