FACT: Educated Boaters Are Safer Boaters
Published: Thursday, May 23, 2019
By: Jordan Balbresky
The boating season is around the corner after a long, hard winter. I know most of us can’t wait to get back on the water; but let’s make sure you and everyone you encounter on the water are safe.
81% of boating fatalities in 2017 involved boat operators that had NOT taken a basic boat safety course. Let that sink in – 81%! I think we can expect similar stats for 2018.
There is no mis-interpreting this figure; educated boaters are safer boaters. Fortunately, organizations like America’s Boating Club want to change that terrible statistic by making sure that today’s boaters are prepared, knowledgeable, and confident on the water.
Millions of boaters have received training through the America’s Boating Club’s expansive catalogue of online, print, classroom, and hands-on courses, like the popular online “America’s Boating Course", but it offers much more. The organization conducts free Vessel Safety Checks, offers MMSI registration assistance, produces the Boat Live 365 online resource, and is a community of members that have a wealth of experience and local knowledge that promote fun and safety on the water – details below.
Vessel Safety Checks
The best way to launch your boat and start the year off right is with a yearly Vessel Safety Check (VSC). America’s Boating Club has specially trained volunteers at locations across the country that provide VSCs to anyone that wants one, at no cost and with no consequence if your boat doesn’t pass. They will help you confirm that you have all the legally required equipment on board and will educate you about recommended equipment and maintenance. The Vessel Safety Check process is one of prevention through education, outreach, and voluntary compliance with federal and state recreational boating safety laws. It also raises boater awareness about safety and environmental issues. There is no downside to having your vessel checked. Details of the inspection, pass or fail, are not shared with any agency. If your vessel does not pass, the examiner will give you specifics as to what needs to be corrected and will make arrangements to re-examine your vessel at a convenient time. The inspection typically takes about 20 minutes to complete. Items checked include: registration and documentation, personal flotation devices, visual distress signals, fire extinguishers, navigation lights, bells and whistles, placards, and overall vessel condition.
MMSI Registration
America’s Boating Club is authorized by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Coast Guard to issue MMSIs to U.S. flagged vessels not subject to Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention requirements. This includes almost all recreational boats. The MMSI is a nine-digit number that works like a telephone number and is assigned to a vessel – meaning the same MMSI is programmed into all shipboard equipment that transmits and receives digital signals, including VHF radio, medium and high frequency radios, AIS (Automatic Identification System), and INMARSAT satellite terminals. The information provided when obtaining and registering a MMSI is sent to the U.S. Coast Guard's national distress database for use in emergency situations. America’s Boating Club helps you with registration at no cost.
Boat Live 365
BoatLive365.org is an online library which can be filtered by topic and resource. It is a treasure trove of information on the topics of accident reporting, safe boat operation, cold water, life jackets, navigation rules, propeller strikes, safety training, and being under the influence. For example, “Understand the Dangers of Falling Into Cold Water and How To Fight For Your Life” is offered in a clear, readable pamphlet in PDF format that gets straight to the point outlining the human body’s response to cold water, the life-saving benefits of life jackets and what to do if you find yourself in a cold-water situation. BoatLive365.org has videos, media, and educational materials to help you spread the message of safe boating to your community.
Education
These are all important safety services, but the most impactful way America’s Boating Club improves your on-the-water safety is through education. The organization offers a wide range of courses designed to meet the varying needs of every boater, with new courses and course updates added all the time. Even the most experienced boaters can learn something valuable. From short seminars to comprehensive advanced classes, you will become a more confident boater no matter what topic you choose.
Start your season off right. No matter how you enjoy your time on the water, prepare yourself for a fun and safe boating season with the services offered by America’s Boating Club. And, let your friends know; it could be a life saver.
For more information, visit www.americasboatingclub.org.
About the Author
A former public relations practitioner serving the high-tech and consumer electronics industries, Jordan Balbresky returned to the agency world following a decade of hands-on marine experience. Living in the Caribbean and working in all aspects of the marine industry — from boat building, restoration and maintenance, to charter captain and delivery crew of sailing and motor yachts — Balbresky has a first-hand understanding of the outdoor and maritime markets. Fully immersing himself in the industry, he is a licensed scuba instructor, as well as master mariner and has lived on-board a custom-built schooner while skippering charters on boats of all sizes in the US Virgin Islands.
This article first appeared in the Launch Issue (May/Jun) 2019 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Boating 101, Education
