Getting Ready to Float Your Boat?
First, Tips on Staying Safe on the Water

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

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.

· Anyone younger than 8 must wear a life jacket when the boat is moving. Imirie recommends that all boaters wear them.

· An infant's life jacket must have a flotation collar and a strap that goes between the child's legs. This helps keep the jacket on and the infant's head above water.

· Learn to put on the jacket properly, make sure it fits and try it in the water so you know how it feels to swim with it on. Practice taking it off and putting it back on in the water.

'Man Overboard!'

The majority of boating accidents involve someone falling overboard. Here's what to do if that happens:

· Holler "man overboard!" and point to where the person is in the water. Keep pointing until the skipper tells you to stop.

· Steer the boat toward the person. (If the boat has an engine, this will keep the propeller away from him.)

· Toss the person a lifesaving cushion or ring to keep him afloat.

· Once you're near the person, turn the engine off (if you're in a motorboat) so the propeller can't hurt him.

· For boats with engines, pull the person in at the back (stern), which sits lower in the water.

· Before you might need to do any of this for real, practice these steps, including the ring (or cushion) toss. "If the professionals practice," says Imirie, "why wouldn't you?"

Rules for Jet Skis and Skiers

· You must be at least 16 to operate a Jet Ski or other personal watercraft in Maryland. In addition, you must have passed a boating safety course.

· A Jet Ski may tow a skier only if it's a three-seater and has a second person on it, sitting backward, facing the skier. That person has to be at least 12 years old.

· The operator of a boat towing a water-skier must be at least 12 and certified to operate a boat. Also, there must be an observer at least 12 years old facing the skier at all times.