My Boating Adventures & Adventures in Boating Safety
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
Puget Sound has a large amount of vessel traffic and has very specific safety zones around whales and many types of ships. All mariners need to understand and observe the safety zones.
Washington State Ferries and other Passenger Carrying Vessels: Operate your vessel at minimum speed when within 500 yards and do not approach within 100 yards. If you must approach within 100 yards to comply with the Navigation Rules you must contact the Master of the vessel or the Coast Guard escort vessels or other on scene escort vessels on VHF-FM channel 13 or 16 for instructions. Do not approach within 25 yards of a moored passenger vessel. 33-CFR-1317
Friday, August 20th, 2010
Information to help you stay out of trouble with the Harbor Patrol and Coast Guard when boating in the Seattle area.
Rules of the Water:
All vessels operating on federally regulated waters, including those in the City of Seattle, shall be in compliance with all Federal, State and local equipment requirements.
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
Here are the questions and answers for the Mountaineers Sailing Crew Class Navigation Exercise There is a Chartlet with the answers drawn on it.
The answers match the Chartlet handed out in class. If you misplaced or did not receive a Chartlet there is one at the bottom of the page. The Chartlet provided here is slightly different from the one furnished in class. This one has depths in feet and slightly smaller type in some areas.
Piloting and Navigators Quick Reference
Reference card with help for correcting and uncorrecting a compass, speed / time formulas and other quick hints for navigators.
Friday, March 26th, 2010
A quick guide to using your VHF Marine Radio.
RADIO USAGE
Channel 16 is Distress and Calling.
Pleasure Vessels Working Channels: 09, 67, 68, 69 and 72.
Contact can be made on Ch 16 but then go to a working frequency
CALLING
Make sure Radio is turned on and set to the proper channel.
Press microphone button & speak past the microphone not directly into. Do not “spit” into the microphone, use a normal voice.
Friday, February 26th, 2010
More information on Hypothermia (With Links to Videos) / Cold Water Boot Camp
SYMPTOMS: (Not all symptoms need to be present.)
A) Vigorous shivering.
When shivering stops will have advanced to (H) intoxicated or euphoric.
B) Clouding of mental capacity.
Impaired mental judgment (may vary from mild to severe), impaired speech, poor coordination, disoriented.
C) Muscular rigidity.
Movements may be unsteady, normal movements impaired, may selectively affect extremities (hands and arms when steering), numbness
D) Diminished breathing rate.
E) The skin may be cold to the touch or the lips can be blue.
F) Pupils dilated.
G) Pulse weak, slow, may be irregular.
H) A victim may appear to be intoxicated.
May also be an euphoric or don’t care state.
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
DISTRESS SIGNALS
DISTRESS NOTES
Saturday, February 13th, 2010
From: George B. Harvey
Sent: 10/6/2008 11:01:26 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Subj: Foulweather Bluff, MAN OVERBOARD!
Foulweather Bluff is a nice Saturday day race from Edmonds ( about 15 miles north of Seattle ) to the Foulweather Bluff buoy, then to Schachet Head and back to the marina. It’s a reverse start, meaning the smaller boats start first. With a reverse start you’re passing smaller, slower boats throughout the race, and the larger faster boats are passing you. This makes for some interesting boat-to-boat passing situations and it’s a lot of fun. It’s the first distance race of the fall racing season, and we’ve sailed it a lot and always enjoyed it. This year would be different.
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
Every boat should have a properly stocked First Aid Kit that is appropriate for the boating activities that you do. Factors include; the area you are boating in (how far or how long will it take medical help to arrive), how many crew on board, the first aid skills of you and your crew and the type of activities you do.
I think every boater that is close to help should have at least 30 minutes of First Aid Skills. Boaters that are in more remote areas should have higher skills and a more complete First Aid Kit. What do I mean by 30 minutes of skill? The ability to treat and stabilize a person for at least 30 minutes that has been injured NOT a First Aid Class that only lasts 30 minutes. Remember if you are home and medical help is needed a call to 911 will probably have and EMT at your door in 5 to 10 minutes. On the water you are a lot farther from help. The Coast Guard, Harbor Patrol, Sheriffs Department and other on the water marine patrols are spread a lot thinner than your local fire departments and thus have farther to travel.
The contents of a Small Boat First Aid Kit and a Personal Marine Duffel First Aid Kit that I have put together are listed below.
(more…)
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
Or how to tell what direction to point the boat or which way is home.
“Correcting” is converting a magnetic (M) direction to true (T). “Uncorrecting” is converting from true to a magnetic direction. “True” direction is relative to true north (north pole).
Variation is the failure of the compass to point to true north. Variation is read from the compass rose on the chart. Variation is the same for all boats in the same area. Variation is the same for all directions in the same area.
Deviation is the failure of the compass to point to magnetic north. Deviation is caused by local magnetic fields on the boat. These fields may be caused by the engine, instruments or other electronic equipment, power wiring, tools or any other magnetic objects. Deviation is specific to an individual boat. Deviation changes with the boats heading. Deviation is read from the Deviation Table on the boat.
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
CAUTION: This is a subset of the Rules of the Road or “ColRegs”. Everyone is encouraged to read the ColRegs at least once in their boating career.
Rule number 1 is to always avoid a collision. If a collision occurs the Nav. Rules were not observed. The Coast Guard and Admiralty Court take the position that there are no accidents.
A watch (lookout) is required anytime that a vessel is under way.
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Good manners on the boat:
Always stow your gear
Bring something for everyone to eat / drink
Do NOT talk about work or personal problems…we’re out there to get away from it all, not bring it all with us.
Be supportive, even if you’re the best sailor on the boat.
Be on time or call if you’re delayed or need to cancel.
Clean up the boat and put stuff away before you leave.
If you don’t know where stuff goes, leave it alone.
Take your garbage with you.
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
What a skipper expects your mother to have taught you about proper boating manners.
The skipper is always in charge, they are responsible for the safety of the vessel and crew. Most skippers are quite relaxed but sometime things happen suddenly requiring action, they can quickly become very formal and firm, if this happens, PAY ATTENTION, STOP TALKING, your safety and the safety of the vessel may be at risk. Understand what needs to be done and help in a timely and safe manor.
One very helpful duty crew can do while underway is to help keep watch for other vessels and junk in the water, even if you are not ask to help. Sails can hide a large vessel for a long time. Hitting a log or another vessel can really mess up the trip.
Remember you are a guest on the skippers vessel:
Skippers Pet Peeves or How to Really Upset the Crew & Skipper (What not to Do)
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Here are a few books from my library that I refer to on a regular basis or have found very interesting. They are listed in no particular order. This list is not intended to be all inclusive or safety only. I assume everyone has Chapman’s, The Annapolis Book of Seamanship and the other “Major Reference Books.” Some of the books are below the radar so to speak, but worth a second look. Good books all and recommended.
Good luck and happy reading.
Monday, June 8th, 2009
Friday, May 15th, 2009
Boaters in the Seattle area now have a safe and legal way to dispose of old safety flares. The what do I do with old flares is a recurring problem for boaters as safety flares expire 42 months from Date of Manufacture (check the expiration date when purchasing flares and every spring when you start your boating season).
Lighting flares for a non-distress reason on Federally Regulated waters is a Federal Crime. Offenders can and have gone to jail, been fined and required to pay for the cost of responding to the false mayday.
The flare collection sites are:
Elliott Bay Marina
Fisherman’s Terminal
Shilshole Bay Marina
West Marine, Shilshole Bay
Western Fire & Safety, Ballard
Seattle Police Harbor Base (North Lake Union, west of Gas Works Park)
West Marine, Edmonds
The Seattle flare disposal program was started in 1999 by Mr. Al Jensen, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary member of Flotilla 12, Edmonds Washington. Al started the program after finding out that District 13 Coast Guard (Pacific North West) was spending about $ 1.3 million dollars a year responding to false flare sightings. Al collected and disposed of 2,740 flares the first year and in 2000 he received a Superior Professional Achievement Award from District 13 for saving the district almost $700,000 in reduced false flare sightings. As of spring 2009, Al had collected and safely disposed of about 20,000 flares.
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