“About Boating Safely” is a beginner boating course offered by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (Flotilla 75-Ruskin). The course will be held at the Tampa Sailing Squadron clubhouse on Apollo Beach Blvd. in Apollo Beach .

“Everyone got a life jacket?”
 
It’s a simple question boat owners often ask when heading out on the water. However, for younger guests who require the right-sized life jacket that answer isn’t always “yes.” There may be only adult-size life jackets on board, kids may have simply outgrown their life jacket, or perhaps some younger guests joined the outing at the last minute.

YES, it’s HOT, HOT, HOT. The weatherman says that there have been more heat index records broken this year than any other year in recorded history. At the time of writing this column I heard the weatherman state that Texas has had temps over 100 degrees for the past 50 days in a row. That’s some heat. We here in southwest Florida have not been too far behind. At Gulf Coast Kayak we made our starting time for tours earlier and later than our normal launch times. We did more sunset and moonlight tours than we have in the past. All of which were a lot of fun, and we beat the heat. Some of us don’t care about the heat and just take a dip in the water to try to cool off. However, this time of the year the water temperature is like a warm bath. Not too much cooling off here. The elderly and very young have to watch out in this kind of heat. Folks who work outside are very prone to dehydration.

It was the end of the Memorial Day weekend when a 32-foot motorboat with four persons aboard pulled up to the fuel dock. Moments later, after filling up, an explosion ripped through the boat—literally separating it into clamshell-like halves. In an instant a 25-year old woman was dead. All of the boat’s remaining four occupants as well as a fuel dock attendant were hospitalized.
 
Saddest of all, the accident may have been preventable. A newspaper reported that investigators found that the recently purchased used boat, which was being refueled by its new owner for the first time, may have had a fuel system gasket “give way,” or fail, which allowed gasoline fumes to escape and accumulate below decks. While the owner had properly turned the engine compartment blower on—a required procedure anytime a boat is refueled—not enough of the explosive fumes had been cleared before an engine backfire ignited the blast.

The weather’s power and rage showed itself recently with the devastating springtime tornados that roared through the south. For recreational boaters, summer thunderstorms bring danger not only with wind and waves, but also with lightning strikes. BoatUS’ Seaworthy Magazine recently took a look at how to protect yourself from this hazard while boating, sailing and fishing on the open water and has these tips:

With spring’s arrival comes National Safe Boating Week May 21-27, which gives boaters, sailors and anglers time to reflect on and improve their own safety on the water. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety has these five spring boat tips—but they can easily help you stay safe all summer long:

Summertime Heat - Means Careful Planning.
Summer means hot and humid days and June is no exception. Expect good fishing this month, but good summertime fishing has a price… it’s called heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

If you think that life jackets have to be bulky, uncomfortable or hot to wear, the winners of the “Innovation in Life Jacket Design Competition” will prove you wrong. The BoatUS Foundation and Underwriter's Laboratory recently announced the winners of their 2011 competition, and you may be surprised at how much the inventive designs break new ground.
 
The Competition, which began last year and was open to anyone, asked a simple question: Can you build a better life jacket? Of the original 35 entries (some from as far away as Malaysia), 15 semi-finalists were selected and short videos of the designs were posted online for the public to pick their favorites, with the focus on choosing life jackets that were more innovative, wearable, affordable, reliable and practical. In addition, expert judges voted for their favorite designs at the recent International Boating and Water Safety Summit held in Savannah, GA. The combined votes resulted in today’s three winners:

When one Washington State boater had his boat burglarized at his marina, he didn't take the news sitting down.

Peter Hunt, of Oak Harbor, Washington, went to the internet, where he found the thieves selling the stolen items taken during a rash of boat burglaries—including his own chartplotter—on eBay. Recently, he brought his internet investigation to the attention of authorities that led to the arrest and conviction of an adult and two teenagers and recovery of over $50,000 in stolen electronic equipment. Over 90% of the goods stolen at Hunt's marina were recovered and returned to owners.