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Safety Issues |
| For as much as we believe in our boats, finding them safe, secure and sea-worthy....still, it's a good idea to share what we know so as to keep you folks safe and secure. |
| First.....assume your boat is going to turn over, that everything's going to get wet, that everything that can sink will sink. |
| Most likely this isn't going to happen....but it is an assumption that will serve you well. |
| When we go out, the wallet goes under the seat of the car. Sometimes we'll take the cell phone along, other times, (in demanding seas or with an unsure passenger) the cell phone will go under the seat too. |
| Second This is the same topic as above...in assuming the boat is going to turn over....always have non-swimmers or marginal swimmers .....always... always....ALWAYS....have them securely wearing properly fitted life-jackets. |
| The same applies to children. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have them wear properly fitted life-jackets, (PFD's, personal flotation devices.) |
| Little floaties or inner-tubes or water play toys are absolutely not acceptable. |
| We once went out, two grown men, two young children, shallow water, staying near shore.....but we only had one child's size PFD. |
| There was absolutely no possibility that anything would have happened to either of those children.....but, y'know what? We sat on a park bench and watched other folks play out on Lake Champlain on that beautiful summer's day. While we were disappointed to be shore-bound, we were quite satisfied by the degree of caution even we were exercising. |
| Assume you and everyone else are going into the water and that you'll need to get back to shore on your own power. That life-vest you left in the garage or in the car or on the floorboards of the boat ....don't you wish you had it now? |
 For kids always go with the full life-jacket....such as this. |
| Swim-capable adults might like either of these next two PFD's. They are unobtrusive but will do the job. They inflate either automatically (with a CO2 cylinder) or by pulling on a rip-cord. |
This is called a Stearns Inflata-Belt. It's available lots of places on-line. |
And this one is called SoSpenders. Also available thru an on-line search, it also inflates and like the one above, it won't get in the way while rowing. |
| One of our dealers, Rutabaga, in Madison, Wisconsin, has an extensive on-line store. Good prices too. Check them out at http://www.rutabaga.com |
| Third As often as we've talked about the sea-worthiness of our boats, nearly 100% of the time, when there is a boating incident, in whatever kind of boat, it's operator error. From the canoe with 8 drunks to the Titanic, it's always operator error. |
| It's somebody taking a boat into waters unsuitable for that particular boat or that particular day. Or it's the weather changing. Or it's someone loading a boat in an unsafe manner. Or it's too many people in the boat or it's alcohol or a river changing from slow float to something out of Deliverance. |
| We suggest the first time you go out in your boat that you do it solo. Make friends with the boat. Learn how to row it, learn how it feels and responds. |
| Then go back for a passenger. |
| Or, perhaps let your passenger take the boat out solo. |
| Then both of you go out together. (Remember, if there are two adults in the boat....the center seat is empty). Always strive to have the boat sitting flat on the water. For whatever combination of kids, adults, dogs and gear....you still want the boat flat on the water. Sometimes we achieve that through sandbags or 2-liter soda bottles filled with sand. (A woman, by the way, loves being told that she doesn't weigh enough.) |
| With practice and experience you can modify these next recommendations ....but it's often a good idea if two people are going out....to have the larger person get into the boat first, sit on the floor (not on the seat) somewhat nearer the middle of the boat. |
| Then have the passenger get in and sit at the other end of the boat. |
| Then the first person moves up to his or her seat. |
| Always strive to have the center of gravity low and near the center of the boat. |
| Getting out should also be the reverse. Larger person sits on the floor, second person gets out. Each person holds the boat secure for the other. Only one person moving at a time. |
| As we said, with skill and experience you are welcome to take whatever shortcuts you like, but at the beginning, take it slow and careful. |
| Standing in a small boat is always risky, even in our Vermont Fishing Dory, be careful, be cautious, assume the boat's going to tip over. |
| Out in Washington State it is a law that you have an emergency whistle on board. Every boat shop sells them. They also sell metal hand-mirrors for flashing at someone on shore. Good ideas. Both of them. |
| Tie or bungee gear into the boat. Put things you want kept dry in bags that will keep them dry. Baggies are fine for keeping cookies dry....a water-proof bag is better for keeping that camera dry. |
| Be safe, have fun, don't fight....assume the worst and you'll probably never have to deal with anything more severe than too many laugh lines. |
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