DON'T GET
STRANDED
Ensure that you and your boat
are prepared for a day on the water
It's a beautiful day; the sun is shining and you've just
launched your boat for the start of another season on the water.
And the thoughts of that tough winter just past are quickly
forgotten. Everyone's on board, excited about the day ahead, so off
you go.
The day unfolds as you had hoped it would. Until a problem
leaves your boat dead in the water.
It could be that you've run out of gas or you've had a
mechanical breakdown of some kind. What to do? Likely what
you did not do is check your boat thoroughly before heading
out. And unfortunately, you are not alone.
www.smartboater.ca
was created by the Canadian Safe Boating Council in
partnership with the National Search and Rescue Secretariat to
remind Canadians during Safe Boating Awareness Week, which runs
from May 21st - 27th, and throughout the
entire boating season to review their safe boating check list
before heading out onto the water.
Scott Miller, a Maritime Search and Rescue Coordinator
with the Canadian Coast Guard says: "75 to 80% of calls for help to
the Coast Guard are non-distress calls; the most common ones deal
with boats that have broken down, run aground or have just run out
of gas which is far and away the most common call to the Coast
Guard, and these are all situations that are entirely preventable
by the boat operator."
Mechanical failures can strike any boater, any time.
That's just part of boating. And it's not necessarily an indication
that the boater has simply failed to properly look after the
boat. Stuff happens !
But many calls for help are predictable and
preventable. Have a proper check list for your boat and
follow it before you head out, each and every time. Make sure
that your boat is mechanically sound and that you have enough gas
for your intended voyage with some in reserve. And file a
sail plan or itinerary to help Search and Rescue find you in the
event of a real emergency. A few simple steps will save you
the embarrassment of making an unnecessary call for help and
diverting search and rescue resources from areas where they might
be needed more.
Review your check list BEFORE your leave - Be Prepared!
Whether you use a power boat, sail boat, personal watercraft,
canoe, kayak or fishing boat, find more information on a variety of
boating safety tips by visiting www.SmartBoater.ca.