Man Overboard

According to the article below from Boat US a simple fall overboard is the “number one event that leads to the most boating fatalities.” Are you prepared should you fall over? If you are boating alone are you wearing your life preserver? Do you have a tether for your kill switch to shut the engine down and do you wear it? Is your throwable device where you can get to it? Finally do you have a way to get back in the boat?

I recently witnessed a gentleman fall off of a dock in the ICW. It was low tide when he fell off and he was standing on the bottom after he took his plunge. This gentleman was a middle aged over weight individual and it took him three attempts to pull himself back onto the dock. If he had fallen out of a boat without a swim ladder into water over his head, I am confident he would not have been able to make it back in the boat with out assistance from others. As you will see below a swim ladder is not just for taking a recreational swim on a hot sunny day, it is also a valuable safety device.

NEWS From BoatU.S.
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
BoatU.S. News Room at http://www.BoatUS.com/news/releases.asp

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com

FALLS OVERBOARD CAN BE DEADLY:
FIVE TIPS THAT WILL HELP GET YOU BACK IN THE BOAT

BoatU.S. Foundation Tests 11 Boarding Ladders for Small Boats

ALEXANDRIA, VA, April 9, 2008 - For recreational boaters, a simple fall overboard is the number one boating accident “event” that leads to the most fatalities. The U.S. Coast Guard reports that in 2006, 275 persons died in 721 boating accidents that began with or involved a fall overboard. While some of these accidents involved other factors, being able to quickly get back in the boat - without help - isn’t easy as a BoatU.S. Foundation test of 11 portable boarding ladders recently found.

“A fall into the water can turn into a life-threatening situation very quickly,” said BoatU.S. Foundation P

One of the best tips I have ever gotten was how to use an outboard motor with electric trim and tilt to hoist yourself back in the boat. Yes I know motor must be shut down. Stand on motor foot, hug motor, hit trim and tilt switch on side of motor. Awkward but it works.

“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.”
~ Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)