Getting Ready to Float Your Boat?
First, Tips on Staying Safe on the Water
Setting sail: Boating programs teach teamwork and safety -- important information for the crowded summer season on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
(Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum)
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Pete Imirie grew up spending his summers on the water -- crabbing, oystering and learning about boats. His father and grandfather taught him a lot, but some things he learned the hard way. He has seen serious boating accidents that might have been prevented had people known what to do.
Imirie now is a boating-safety instructor who lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He teaches other people about boats and boating safety. During the summer, he says, as many as 300,000 people are on the Chesapeake Bay at one time, "so you better know what you are doing."
The Chesapeake is different from a lake. Its tides and currents make handling a boat more difficult, and you have to be able to read a nautical chart so you know where you are.
"Everybody on the boat should have a job," says Imirie. "It's teamwork. Parents and children need to know what to do. Everyone needs to know how to handle the boat. Everyone has a job, even if your job is to stay put and wait for the skipper to tell you what to do."
In Maryland, the boating-safety course takes eight hours and is required for boat operators born after June 1972. There's lots to learn. KidsPost's Ellen Edwards asked Imirie for some basic tips to get you started thinking about boating safety. While the rules apply to Maryland, the advice is good for boaters anywhere.
Always Wear a Life Vest
Life jackets must be Coast Guard-approved. There must be a jacket or other flotation device for every person on board.
ยท Anyone younger than 8 must wear a life jacket when the boat is moving. Imirie recommends that all boaters wear them.
