Safety is Important

[MotherNature]

Safety is Important to all of us and when we are out fishing it is important to know some basic life saving skills. I have to admit I am looking forward to this board and to some of the challenges that it will present.

spetro mentioned a thread of honor and I think that is a great idea and will be looking into taking the online safety course asap 

[Ouachita]

Boating and general water safety is a huge part of my job here. It can't be let go at all. I've been involved in way too many lake & river drownings and injuries, including permanent disabilities, to ever let the subject fall away. I'm perplexed that I didn't jump on this idea from day one!

By all means, take a boating safety course. Most state DNR websites offer an online course so you can meet your state's requirements and area recommendations. Some of you have coastal factors, some have dangerous rivers, others have a heavy traffic problem where navigation rules are vital for survival.

Jim

[Ouachita]

There's few things more disastrous than to read about a child's daddy drowning while fishing. I don't recall reading about a case of an angler drowning while wearing a PFD (Personal Flotation Device). It might happen occasionally, but it's rare. Good grief! We go out there to have fun and most risk it all leaving the PFD under a seat. I see photos of top pros fishing with no PFD in sight. It ought not to be. Even professional angling experts can have an accident that's highly preventable. All it takes is one bump from a surprise wave to send you into the water, bumping head on the gunwale, falling on a submerged stump, or getting separated from a boat driven in the wind. Of course they are uncomfortable, they get in the way. It's much harder to lie down to lip a bass with one on. But now there's little excuse for leaving it off, having access to inflatable PFD's being approved by the US Coast Guard. I put one on before launching the boat and it stays on even in 100 degree weather! It comes off before leaving with loaded boat, a reminder for other boaters to put their on, a promotion of the device for those not familiar with it. I could have sold a few thousand on the ramps if allowed. They are not too hot, covering very little body surface, the insulation actually reducing the heating rays of the sun. When working the ramps on the job (Park Ranger- Corps of Engineers) I wear one while directing traffic on busy boating days, which definitely draws attention. I believe that is saving lives, raising awareness. "What IS that you're wearing? Aren't you hot?". It makes my job easier convincing parents that infant SHALL be fitted with a proper infant PFD before using THIS ramp. "PFD CHECK" I say 5,000 times a year. "Show me your PFD's, please." Most of the time that's appreciated. Parents frequently discover their children have outgrown old mildewed devices. "It's only 20 minutes back to town, folks, time to prepare your family." That "ruins" some family outings and causes some outrage, but the alternatives, a lost family member somewhere out among boating waves, a crushed leg from someone riding the bow, our having to mount up a search & rescue effort, managing a dive team, is a lot more uncomfortable for me and everyone concerned.

Be a leader. Wear it.

Jim

[spetro]

Great post Jim.....This is what its all about.  As you can see in my avatar info. I'm a VE in the Coast Guard Aux.  The VE stands for vessel examiner.  I am certified by the Coast Guard to perform boat safety checks.  During a VE (vessel exam) I have found just what you have described regarding PFD's.  Unfortunately A failing mark is given to the boat operator when I find PFD's in the condition you stated.

I will soon have a thread on boat safety checks with the criteria for a passing mark. It will be in depth and thorough.

[left_turn56]

I am really looking forward to this...There is SSSOOOO much to learn!

[Ouachita]

http://www.boat-ed.com/ar/course/p2-1_knowyourcapacity.htm

In addition to letting family or a friend know the basic information I encourage winter anglers to consider leaving a GPS route on an open window on their home pc, then stick to it. Mapping software like Map Create allows you to select a lake then create a route with target waypoints to go investigate. That can be copied to a MMC or SD memory card to transfer the route to the GPS unit. If you stick to that and don't show up at a planned return time, the route can be emailed to a search party, minimizing search time when a rapid rescue is vital. On a lake like Ouachita, with 700 miles of shoreline and 40,000 acres of water, 30 miles long and visibility largely blocked by islands and having so many long creek coves, any angler can remain out of sight for days no matter how much a search team is familiar with it. It would also be a good idea to print a map out showing starting and turn-around point on the route. An officer could come by to pick that up and fax it to a search team, though having the file available for them would enable them to download it onto their GPS.

It's also a very good idea to carry a cell phone plus an extra battery or a power cord and 12 v. socket you know works. Have an old cell phone in a drawer? I have several. Even though you might have changed carrier and phone number account, if it works at all it probably still has access to 911 service free of charge. I keep one in a plastic bag along with a power cord in the boat in case something happens to the active phone.

Part of that plan ought to include some survival items like a fire starter, whistle, a set of dry clothes, and a tarp with string. You can stuff a plastic bag with lots of stuff then hook it to a vacuum cleaner hose and shrink the bag to a very small lump, sealing it, requiring very little boat storage space. It could save your life should you fall in cold water. A light weight sleeping bag shrinks to little more than a pint size packet.

Jim

[spetro]

another great post Jim

I would like everyone that wants a float plan and how to use it to the fullest click here>>>http://floatplan.uscgaux.info/

Download the PDF file fill it out and leave it with someone that cares for you. It comes with an emergency guide.  This guide is geared towards salt water.....but if you folks are on navigable waters such as the TVA, Coastal estuaries, moving rivers.....this is a must