Boat Safety Tips

[bdaugherty]

Boating safety is going to be a hot topic as the weather warms up, and more people head to the water. Here are some ideas of how you can stay safe while boating, and some tips for when inclement weather closes in.

What tips can you share with your fellow boaters to help keep them safe when they're out on the water?

[Boat Chief]

Has anyone had troubles losing anchors? I was thinking of the guys who had such a horrible accident last year, trying to retrieve their anchor. Fortunately, I haven't heard of a repeat accident, but wondered what you do when you snag an anchor.

[Kevin Falvey]

Hey Boat Chief

One thing I do, is rig my anchors by the crown, belaying the chain along the shank with zip ties. If it snags, I can run past the anchor a bit, break the ties and essentially pull the anchor out backwards. Of course you could attach a bouy and line to the crown and juts grab that to achieve the same backing out effect.

Another tip is to release the rode from the cleat, wait for the bow to drop in a swell, then take a turn around the cleat and hold on. Often, the bouyant force of the boat rising on the next wave breaks the hook free.

Finally, anhcors are relatively cheap. I've "cut my losses" on more than one occassion ---and I always carry a spare anchor and rode.

[Bonediver]

I'd rather lose my anchor than my boat!!! If it comes to that i'm cuttin the line. I haven't had any major issues 'yet', I've drove over my anchor on occasion to free it though. The swell idea works and people i know use the zip ties to great effects. The event you refer to happens more than you really know about, those guys were Pro football players so it hit the news.

[doughesson]

The biggest problem with most boats is that there is always a loose nut on the helm.
If more people would keep their heads swiveling around,Boating Mag wouldn't have to print items about people running into stuff because they weren't looking out for other objects on the water.

[alwhite00]

The football players tried getting the anchor un-stuck by tying to a cleat on the stern of the boat, they applied power and it pulled the boat under, Never pull an anchor from the stern.

LK

[twyand]

Situational awareness (rather a lack of it) leads to a lot of problems. Folks need to look around once in a while and size up what is going on around them. Even while at anchor, it's a good idea to notice if you have moved, the wind/current, other boats nearby and the weather.
I have lost an anchor or two - both times it was after the anchor or rode tangled on something after the tide changed and the boat swung to the new current.