Water Safety

[Buck Conner1]

Water Safety​

DON'T MESS AROUND WHEN IN THE WATER​

Most boating fatalities are the result of capsizing or falling overboard. 80% of drowning victims are not wearing floatation devices (life jackets).
Most fatalities occur in small, open boats during good weather, mid afternoon on summer weekends.


Most non-fatal boating accidents are the result of a collision with another boat or something in the water, rocks, pilings, debris.


Most boating accidents are sudden and unexpected. There's little if any time to reach for a life vest, which is why you should wear one all the time.


Reasons why alcohol and boating don't mix: alcohol affects a person's balance and coordination in a boat, impairs judgment, and makes it more difficult to swim if there's an accident. Many good swimmers have drowned because the alcohol they consumed distorted their ability to orient themselves, swimming down, instead of to the surface.


To a re-enacter this sounds like modern ideas and not fitting for doing correct period travel, true but like it on not its the law. I have traveled from Ft. Benton, MT to Ft. deChartre, IL on the Upper Missouri, Platte, Missouri, and Mississippi Rivers, the State Fish & Game units, US Coast Guard and local law officials will be happy to ticket you, make you leave the water or whatever it takes to make you comply with the law. Get tough and they can start taking your equipment, fines and jail time.


The best plan is to be aware of the water laws, check with your local agents, as well as the US Coast Guard, they have the final word on most water ways.


If the law says we need life vests, fine, there are "Safety Approved" ones that are very thin and can be covered in pillow ticking (leave the bottom of the cover open for inspection). Believe it or not when covered they look like an old pillow ticking vest or whatever its covered with, may be not to our liking but your still on the water and experiencing the trip that you have planned.


We usually leave the vest open, if being viewed from a distance they look to be in order, if approached they can be tied.


You are less likely to have problems if you do go into the water, its better to be afloat as you'll be busy retreating loose equipage and bring your craft into shore, uprighting etc.


Remember its better to be safe and wet, everyone and everything gotten out of the water, on shore and then regrouped. If chilled, build a fire and dry your members and equipment out, have something hot to drink. Just remember your safe, think what it would have been like if someone didn't make it out !

 

[oneshot1]

My Son Laughs at me wearing PFD Unloading or Loading a Boat. Like I tell him never know.

oneshot

 

[Buck Conner1]

We had the Coast Guard watching us from the air and over passes for 1260 miles one way. They don't play games when your on the water.  :suspect:

 

[patocazador]

I wear an inflatable pfd when in one of my boats. I've only had to use it once and that was getting out of the boat to retrieve a duck. I fell into a gator hole about 8' deep. It saved my ass.

The statistics in Florida show the major cause of boating accidents are caused by alcohol. Collisions with those &@#!%$ jet skis is high on the list too. Swamping of a small boat/canoe by jerks in a large powerboat is also up there.

All of these are preventable.

 

[Buck Conner1]

I wear an inflatable pfd when in one of my boats. I've only had to use it once and that was getting out of the boat to retrieve a duck. I fell into a gator hole about 8' deep. It saved my ass.

The statistics in Florida show the major cause of boating accidents are caused by alcohol. Collisions with those &@#!%$ jet skis is high on the list too. Swamping of a small boat/canoe by jerks in a large powerboat is also up there.

All of these are preventable.

I hear you Bob, getting swamped by power boats really can piss you off.  

On the Mississippi the large barges, would shut down until you pass in a canoe (you'll  see the wave coming and all you can do is turn into and ride the wave out then continue down river). Someone told us and I can remember who if it was a game warden or the Coast Guard that the big boats are required to shut down for vessels that are unpowered! I bet that makes those guys unhappy ...

 

[patocazador]

"the big boats are required to shut down for vessels that are unpowered! I bet that makes those guys unhappy ..."




Evidently, the captains or mates of the shrimp boats never read the rules. One swamped my Gheenoe with me and my wife in it. We made it to shore and bailed it out eventually. Boy, was my wife pissed!  :Mischief:

 

[Buck Conner1]

You can't blame her, you guys are lucky you didn't get hurt..  :no: