Safe Boating

THE GOLDEN RULES OF BOATING

Boats

Busy day on the water

Boat

Steaming down the harbour

Taking time to familarise yourself with the rules of boating can make the difference between a great day boating, or make the critical difference between a safe day and a tragedy.

Knowledge - know your boat, know the waterway you will be boating on. Make sure you are familar with the local charts and locality.

Keep a good lookout at all times - monitor commercial traffic movements on your radio, look out for sail boats.

SPEED - always travel at a safe speed so that you can take avoiding action whatever the circumstances.

Vessel safety check - ensure your boat and all engines are fully serviced. No leaks, and carry an auxilliary motor

Carry at least 2 means of communication -at least one should be a VHF radio with channel 16, the universal distress frequency, check out the marine radio networks and keep your radio on at all times. Ensure you tell someone of your plans and time of return.

Know the Weather - get the the latest marine forecast before you leave. If it is doubtful - don't go! Take advice, contact the local coastguard, your local boating club or an experienced boatie. Crossing bars in any weather can be dangerous. Check out NSW Maritime's Bar Crossing Web Cam Trial. Logging on to a live bar crossing web cam near you before heading out will be helpful in your decision to go boating.

Safety check - ensure your boat and all motors are fully serviced.No fuel leaks, an auxilliary motor. - always travel at a safe speed so that you can take avoiding action whatever the circumstances.

Know your boat, know the waterway you will be boating on. Make sure you are familar with the local charts and locality. - monitor commercial traffic movements on your radio, look out for sail boats.

Panic is the enemy - if you are suddenly in an unfamiliar situation, remain calm, assess your position, identify the problem, call for assistance.

Safe Boating Tip

Your boat maybe a "tinnie", Quintrex, Haines, or Searay - whatever the size, or type here's a tip to keeping safe on the water. Hull design, amount of free board (height from deck to water), chine (intersection of the bottom and sides of a flat or v-bottomed boat), passenger numbers, fuel onboard and conditions of the day, all come into play when determining your boats stability and how it handles on the water.

Keep a good lookout. Watch wave height, watch for wake. Reduce speed and take the wave on a 45 degree angle. Your passengers and other boaties will appreciate your boat handling skill.

poor visibility, when there is alot of traffic around you, when your boat can't manoeuvre as well as normally, or because of bad weather, if there are too many lights around you confusing your recognition of marks and vessel lights, if you're too close to a navigational hazard or if you're in doubt.