Boats and Safety

June 1st, 2009

fsblogoWelcome to The Foundation for Safe Boating and Marine Information, established in 1984, is a 100% volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to a clean, safe, healthy marine environment for the benefit of the recreational boating and fishing community and provides free educational programs and boat sales.

Our purpose is to:

  • Consistently institute new programs
  • Seed new ideas to improve the quality of life for all of us
  • Bring attention to problem areas that are detrimental to our safety and well-being, yet solvable

Feature Articles

Buyer Beware

June 5th, 2009

For Boat Owners . . .The Proverb “ Buyer Beware” has never been truer.

Boat Owners, especially “First Time Boat Owners” (FTBO) are experiencing tremendous financial losses. This is a result of unreliable and unscrupulous providers of marine support services. These FTBO are vulnerable because of their own lack of knowledge, experience and prudent preliminary decisions.

Know what your boat needs

Experience and knowledge in dealing with normal boat service is needed to prevent unnecessary problems resulting from normal boat use.

Unusual Boat Service Required

There is, from time to time; service required as a result of engine and/or transmission failure, a boating accident i.e. going aground, hitting a submerged object, an actual collision, or simply picking up debris floating in or below the water line.

When the unusual happens

This is the time boaters are most vulnerable. You as a boat owner will need quick and reliable service. If you were prudent and established a relationship early on with an honest and a quality service organization, your problems will be at a minimum, if not, hang on tight, you will need all the help you can get.

We are close to the problem

Because of the nature of what we do, The Foundation for Safe Boating and Marine Information, we get a first hand view of the situation. We hear all the stories of the unscrupulous tactics of the marine mechanic rip off artist.

Conclusion; Boat Owners will get tired of being ripped off and disgusted at the lack of protection they suffer from, and then . . . just want to get out of boating. This biggest shame of all is the loss of a lifetime of fun. Recreational boating is in fact, a wonderful way to spend your leisure time. I know I have doe it all my life.

The truth

There are many reputable marine service organizations that are reliable and enjoy a great reputation with the boating public. You need to search them out before you need their services and begin to establish a relationship with them.

Remember they need to be specialist with the equipment on your vessel.

Do this and you will enjoy boating!

Remember

The truth is, “The Cheapest Is Not Always The Best.” There is a large group of providers who are honest and reputable. When you find the one for you, stay with them and you will benefit in the long run. The cheap price offered by rip off artist is the hook they use to drag you in and set you up for the slaughter.

The Reputable Repair Mechanic will usually guarantee his work, provide you with a realistic estimate and schedule to complete the repair.

We need to have laws of protection

The Foundation for Safe Boating and Marine Information is prepared to make every effort to have laws put in place to protect the Boating Public against unscrupulous business practices in the marine service industry. With your help we can do this!. We need you to tell your story. Write us of the incident, document as much as possible. This will allow us to accumulate a history of improper business practices. This will become the justification for legislation.

It all come down to you! We need your help to make it happen.

BUYER BEWARE SERIES

June 5th, 2009

 

Submitted by Ex-Boater CT

 

It was about 3 years ago in August , I had just the outdrive repaired, for over $ 10 k . Of course it was not the first time that a mechanic charged me more than enough , but that’s the way it is I suppose .

So here I was, finally ready to enjoy the rest of the summer with my boat . All I needed was a different marina, since the one in Weewhaken was deteriorating and closing at the same time . I decided to keep the boat in a brandnew marina in Hoboken , which also had security cameras installed and actually had a security person watching out at night . Not that I was worried , but I figured it justified the steep price of having my boat docked there.

 

A long Labor-day weekend came along , I was looking forward to some boating , but it starting to rain on Friday and didn’t stop til

Monday eve . At some point that weekend I went over to the marina to check on my boat . I don’t remember why , because I usually would never just check my boat , but I guess I had nothing better to do . I discovered plenty of  water in the bilge , and the security guy happpened to be right there to help . In hindsight , kind of a suspicious . So he offered to pump it out , and I accepted and  thanked him with a $ 20 tip.

 

Then I left and came back to the marina later that week . Security guy was there , and he asked my to give him a ride to another marina up on the Hudson . OK I said , and I started the engine , got out of the slip and then the engine stalled . We drifted and it took  a lot of  patience to get the boat back into the slip . I was distraught and annoyed ,and the engine wouldn’t start again . So I left and came back the next weekend . The  engine started , but it didn’t last . As I got out of the marina, the engine stalled again . The water was choppy, and I jumped towards the bow and the anchor . The anchor was disconnected from the line ! I was getting really upset , but luckely 2 boaters in  a small fishing boat came to the rescue., throwing me a line to pull me back into the marina . At the same time though I saw another powerboat coming right towards us. The ” captain ” of that boat was not looking at us or in front of him , he was looking the opposite way , the Manhattan skyline ! I started to scream, and  maybe he heard me and changed direction  what seemed the last second to avoid a collision .

 

So the 2 boaters pulled me back into the marina , and I left . A few days later I got the boat , via Seatow, to another marina where I originally had the outdrive repaired . The prognosis : ca . 15 gallons of water were in the gas-tank . Somebody had monkeyed with my boat:

 Water in the bilge , water in the gas- tank and anchor disconnected from the line ! Cost of repair : over $ 700.

 

The manager of the marina didn’t see any responsibility in the incident when I asked regarding security or who could have

done it . He couldn ‘t have cared less, and couldn’t have cared less about losing a customer . Then I reported all to the Hoboken Police , they also couldn’t have cared less either.They never bothered to question anybody who worked there . Later I  took the case to the Small Claims Court  , and the verdict was in favor of the marina. I could not believe this! 

 

Overall , a very bad boating experience , and one I wish to forget.

 

If you had a bad or similar experience related to marinas or any support service or would like to tell us about your experience; email us at info@boatingandmarineinfo.org

 

COMMENTS ARE INVITED

Who knows your local waters better than you?

June 5th, 2009

No one, It is for this reason that we ask you, What can be done to improve SAFETY in your Local Waterways?

Very soon we will be starting a major effort to have the 5 MPH, (No Wake) Zone for Shell Bank Creek expanded to include the two channel markers directly south of the Belt Parkway Bridge in Rockaway Inlet, Brooklyn, NY.

Presently the safety of all boats, especially small boats is put in danger. There is a two problem in this area. The first problem is large boats will pass the two channel markers on their way to dock their vessel or to fuel it up and continue at their same running speed in a narrow channel. This creates large wakes making for unsafe conditions for all boats, which use the channel for access to the inlet. There are blind spots for both captains, making it even more difficult to maneuver safely. The second problem is these high-speed wakes excite the personal watercraft enthusiast and move them to jump the wakes produced. Many times it is difficult to anticipate the movements they might make. The Personal Water Craft Enthusiast and passenger are in jeopardy and the individual boat, its crew and guest are also put to risk. There are many waterfront residents have their docks and boats tossed and damaged as a result of these wakes. We need to have the authorities expand the 5 mph zone and enforce it.

Write us any suggestion you might have to improve your local waterway safety conditions. Pick only one problem area at and provide us with specific details. We will see what can be done to improve the conditions you present. Select the contact Us Page, put in your Name, Address, Telephone, Email and comments, Be sure to type in the two word security code requested, then hit send. We will do what we can to help!

FISHING LINE FROM ANDE

June 5th, 2009

ANDE MONOFILAMENT has a website: www.andemonofilament.com

 It is worth taking a look at. It provides you with their new products and offers other subjects of interest to the fisherman.

When you are on the site, you will see an offer to mail to you their new 50-page booklet of knots and other information to help you catch more fish and have more fun doing it.

Visit their site, it will be time well spent!

On Board Food Safety Tips

June 5th, 2009

Provided By Viewer Robert Edwards

This week Rob and I were talking on the telephone about boats. The discussion was interesting, even more so when he told me of a safety precaution he uses to make sure the food remaining in his refrigerator on his boat, was safe to eat the following week when he returned for the weekend. His refrigerator is electric; he keeps an ice cube in the freezer. If there were a power failure the ice cube would melt or shrink in size. This trick helped him feel secure about the quality of the food in the refrigerator. If there were any doubt he would throw it out. Tips like this are great and should be passed along.

Write us with any suggestion you might. Select the contact Us Page, put in your Name, Address, Telephone, Email and comments, Be sure to type in the two word security code requested, then hit send. We will pass along any good tips and of course give you credit for it!

 

It’s your God given right to go down to the sea in ships, but…

June 5th, 2009

God Didn’t Say, “You Have The Right To Come Back”

.
If you come back or not depends on you!

Almost 30 years ago I started using these words of wisdom for my opening dialog for U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Safe Boating Classes for new boaters and for The Coast Guard Boat Crew Qualification Course for which I was both an Instructor and Qualified Examiner.

These words are as true today as they were the first time I use them. I wanted to create air of both respect and fear for the sea. It is extremely important the skipper or captain of a vessel, no matter how large or small it might be, realize the with that title come the responsibility for the vessel, it’s crew and passengers and all of those vessels or people it may effect. Neglectful actions of the skipper may and probably will have dangerous and harmful results, it could be today, and it could be tomorrow or anytime in the future. Do not become over confident or complacent about safety procedures. The Life You Save May Be Your Own or those close to you.

The photos in this article are less than 24 hours old. As you can see they show the skeletal remains of what was once a sport fishing boat. So now you can ask yourself “What Caused This To Happen.” Let me remind you of a well known proverb, For the sake of a nail a shoe was lost, for the sake of a shoe a horse was lost, for the sake of a horse a battle was lost and for the sake of a battle a war was lost. What does all this have to do with being a responsible skipper? It all ties together when you consider the smallest piece of equipment can be the cause of a dangerous situation.

This boat was fishing the reef east of East Rockaway Inlet. A pinhole in the discharge hose cause a slow accumulation of water in the bilge, the bilge pump was circulating the same water while additional water was accumulating. Sea conditions changed for the worse, water was coming in faster from the stern than the bilge pump could handle, the pump failed completely, the batteries shorted out, power and steering was lost. The vessel was no longer under control; the waves were increasing in height and finally turned the vessel side ways to the waves, which then filled the vessel halfway with water. This water shifted to one side as the vessel rose to the crest of the wave, putting all the weight to the downward side and the causing the vessel top flip over. Result two men in the water, all equipment and accessories were lost or destroyed, lives were put in jeopardy. A MAYDAY situation had occurred. All of this was caused by one little pinhole in the discharge hose which the skipper. No doubt, overlooked. 

As a Skipper or Captain YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFE OPERATION of the vessel and the SAFE PASSAGE of YOUR CREW AND PASSENGERS. No excuses are acceptable. If all was operating well yesterday, that doesn’t mean its ok for use today. Check, Check, and then Double Check, Always be mindful aware and sensitive to changes aboard the vessel. Changes In Your Vessel, Tell You What “You Need To Know To Stay Safe and Be Prepared for Emergencies.” Always Be Alert

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Soundings Publication recently published an article concerning an Irish Fishing Boat Captain who was sentenced to 1 year in prison for failure to take proper action to protect the safety of his crew.
During a return trip to port, the Captain left the wheelhouse of his vessel to assist two crewmembers preparing to unload the ships catch. Unfortunately during this time, the vessel went upon the rocks and proceeded to take on water. A series of incidents occurred which could have been prevented if the Captain or a proper qualified crewmember was in the wheelhouse. The result of his lack of performance and poor judgment cause two of his crewmembers to die.

Maritime Law is much the same in England, where the incident occurred, the United States or anywhere else. A finding of gross negligence led to a conviction of involuntary manslaughter. This sentence was neither unreasonable nor unheard-of in cases where people die as a result of a Skippers failure to maintain a proper lookout and or to leave the helm unattended by a qualified crew.

The Foundation for Safe Boating and Marine Information is especially concerned with the safety of all who “Go Down to the Sea In Ships” and it is for this reason that we bring to your attention as Skipper the importance of Safety First as the guide line for you, your crew and passengers. What can happen in One Moment may not happen in your entire lifetime. Be Alert, Be Causes.

All Licensed Captains and Maritime Employees Must Have A TWIC Card!

June 5th, 2009

April 15, 2009 is the absolute last day!

WHAT IS A TWIC CARD?
TWIC stands for Transportation Workers Identification Credential.
A TWIC CARD is a uniform system of credential identification for personnel that will Access to Secure Areas. The purpose of the TWIC Card identification system is to prevent those individuals who might pose a treat to our vital security, “Do Not Gain Access to Secure Areas of the Nations Maritime Transportation System
TWIC was established by Congress through the Maritime Transportation Act and administered by the Transportation Security Administration and the United States Coast Guard.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?
If you are a Licensed Captain or employed in the Nations Maritime Transportation System, you MUST obtain a TWIC Card by April 15, 2009 or your license could be SUSPENDED, “NOT REVOKED.” If you would like to maintain your license, you should act soon, don’t wait.

Applicants for a TWIC Card are encouraged, but not required to pre-enroll online at  HYPERLINK “http://www.tsa.gov/twic” www.tsa.gov/twic. The site is a secure site; the information required is in an easy to fill out format. There are other options, that information is available on line.

The Coast Guard has published TWIC information on their site:  HYPERLINK “http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nvic/” www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nvic/ Look for NVIC No.3-2007 and enclosure 2.

ACT NOW – DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUET!

What to do, What to do, What to do?

June 5th, 2009

A Question Many Of Us Are Asking

The end of the boating and fishing season is just around the corner and many of us are asking the question” What to do with the boat?” The answer to this question is even more critical this year due to the economy, the rising cost to store, maintain and to insure. Add to this the uncertain rising cost of fuel and labor and you have what might be for some, a serious problem. As a solution, many are thinking, should I consider selling my boat? In the past when times and conditions were normal, an individual could sell the boat without too much trouble. Now conditions are so bad, that many of the new and used boat dealers have or are going “Out of Business.” The simple reason for this is that there is NO MARKET (no buyers).

The Foundation for Safe Boating and Marine Information (FSB) may have a solution for people who want to get out of boating at this time. We have a Boat Donation Program, approved by the IRS, for tax-deductible donations. If you examine our credential, you will see we are approved as a 501 (c) 3 corporation. This means we can accept donations and you can take a deduction on your tax. We were established in 1984, I am proud to say, we have had absolutely no problems with the IRS or with our donors. Remember, we are a 100% volunteer organization (no paid employees) dedicated to the well being of the recreational boating and fishing community. “Greed is not our motive,” “Protecting and Helping People Is”! You can donate your boat if it qualifies.

To qualify a boat must be in fairly good to excellent condition, free of loans or liens and meet some other requirements set by The Foundation (FSB). If our donation program is of interest to you, you can go to our home page and click on donations. This will bring you to a simple easy to fill out form you can send to us by clicking submit, I will respond as quickly as possible.

The Foundation for Safe Boating and Marine Information is in the 25th year of service and is proud of its reputation and accomplishments! You can be assured the Foundation (FSB) is ready to help and serve you!

The Foundation (FSB) does accept other types of donations such as Running Cars and Trucks and Personal Items also. See Donation Link and fill out and click submit.

Gus Savaros, President, (FSB)

ANCHORING TECHNIQUES & ANCHOR RODES

June 5th, 2009

courtesy of Long Island Boating World and West Marine

SETTING

An anchor must be “set” by placing tension on

the anchor line to ensure that it has penetrated the

bottom. This is done by making the anchor line fast

and applying lots of power in reverse. If your boat

moves when you try this, it’s time to reset the anchor

and try again. Only when an anchor is securely

set should you consider shortening scope while in a

crowded anchorage. Once an anchor has been set, it

will almost always hold the same amount of tension

that was used to set it, even if the scope is reduced.

This means that you can pay out long scope, pull

hard on the anchor rode using the engine, and then

shorten scope to reduce swinging room. However, if

your boat swings and the anchor has to reset itself,

it will have to do so at a reduced scope. This is also

known as Anchoring Russian Roulette.

RESETTING

It’s one thing to set an anchor when the wind and

current is consistently from one direction, but what

happens if they veer? Some anchors perform better

than others under varying angles of pull, but any anchor

can fail to reset if the boat swings far enough

to dislodge it from the seabed. Two techniques can

alert you when your boat swings:

1. If you have an anchor alarm on your GPS, set

it for a reasonable distance from the position your

boat assumes at the end of the rode so it will alert

you when the boat swings.

2. If you have a course alarm on your electronic

compass or autopilot, set it for the heading that your

boat assumes initially at anchor. It will “beep” you

if you assume a new heading.

ANCHORING BOW AND STERN

In tight anchorages, you may have to limit your

boat’s tendency to swing at anchor. By dropping an

anchor close to the beach, and a second anchor offshore,

you can locate the boat precisely in the anchorage.

You can also use the tension on one rode to

help set both anchors. If other boats are swinging

on a single anchor, they could swing into you if you

are the only one anchored bow and stern.

TWO ANCHORS OFF THE BOW

Bob Ogg, co-inventer of the Danforth anchor,

recommends setting one anchor into the wind or

current and a second anchor 180° away. Then take

both lines to the bow of the boat. This will allow the

boat to swing about a relatively small point, yet

allow the boat to pull against an anchor without

causing it to reset when the wind or current changes.

IF the wind is on the beam, the boat will settle back

on both anchors.

TYPES OF BOTTOMS

Sand: Some bottoms, like fine-grained sand, are

relatively easy for anchors to penetrate and offer

consistently high holding power and repeatable results.

Most anchors will hold the greatest amount in

hard sand. Best in sand are the Fortress and West

Marine anchors.

Mud: A broad shank-fluke angle and larger

fluke area allows an anchor to penetrate deeply to

where the mud has greater sheer strength and project

more surface area in the direction of pull. Peter

Bruce points out that mud commonly covers other

material, and pure mud anchorages are rare. Thus,

anchors that can penetrate through mud to the underlying

material will hold more. Fortress anchors

are easily converted to a broader fluke angle for superior

holding power in mud.

Rocks: Holding power is most dependent on

where you happen to drop the hook. Fixed-fluke

grapnel-type anchors, having high structural

strength to sustain the high point loads which occur,

generally work the best. These include Bruce, CQR,

Yachtsman and Delta.

Kelp: This is sort of a trick question, because

most kelp grows in the water and on the surface, not

on the bottom.Kelp does attach itself to rocky bottoms,

however, so it is likely that a rock anchor will

hold. You can also get a false set, due to the anchor

catching on kelp roots and not something solid.

Shale, clay and grassy bottoms: Tough bottoms

for all anchor designs and the weight of the

anchor, rather than its design, may be the most important

factor in penetration and holding power.

CQR and Delta anchors, as well as Yachtsman’s anchors,

are thought to be good in grass, due to their

“points” that penetrate the vegetation.

Continued on page 34

ANCHOR RODES

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Not surprisingly, no one rode does the job for all

boaters. Each anchor rode is a compromise of qualities

that must be chosen for a given type of boating.

RODE TYPES

All Nylon Rodes: Small boats often use anchor

rodes made entirely of three-strand nylon because

they are lightweight, inexpensive and for boats

without a windlass or anchor well, easier to stow

than rodes with chain. Although all-nylon anchor

rodes can be quite strong, they lack the chafe resistance

of rodes with chain and are therefore not

appropriate for extended use or for use in rough

weather. as the primary rode for a lunch hook or

spare anchor, however, an all-nylon rode functions

quite well.

All-Chain Rodes: Larger boats with windlasses

generally use all-chain rode. This reduces the need

for long scope (except in shallow water) because

the chain is heavy and lies on the bottom until severe

conditions are encountered, when more scope

may have to be let out. Since chain has very little

elasticity, care should be taken to prevent the chain

from becoming “bar tight” in high winds by using a

snubber made of nylon line. The penalties for using

all-chain rode are weight, expense and the need for

a windlass. A windlass and all-chain rode may add

300-600 lbs. in the bow and can adversely affect the

performance of your boat. Modern lightweight

cruising boats probably will not be willing to suffer

the reduction in speed and increase in pitching that

this weight entails.

Mixed Rodes: A compromise to either allnylon

or all-chain rode is to use a short length of

chain (6-30’) connected to the anchor, with a long

length of three-strand nylon line connected to the

chain. This combination satisfies nearly all requirements

of a good anchor rode, except that it is

not abrasion resistant over its entire length, and

long scope must be used to keep the pull on the anchor

shank horizontal. Nylon is used because it is

naturally elastic. Its stretch reduces peak loads on

the anchor and your boat. One myth we’d like to

dispel is that a boat length of chain will keep the

pull on an anchor shank parallel to the bottom.

This is, unfortunately, not the case, since even a

15-knot wind will lift short lengths of chain clear

off the bottom. Yes, it is better to use chain but, no,

it isn’t effective as wind speeds increase. Its primary

mission is to handle the chafe from rough

bottoms that would otherwise abrade the soft nylon

line.

Rode Sizes and Lengths

Scope is defined as the ratio of water depth

(plus freeboard) to anchor line paid out. Most anchoring

texts and anchor manufacturers agree that

a scope of 7:1 achieves the anchor’s designed

holding power and more scope is better than less.

In theory, 7:1 scope is great, but at a crowded anchorage

most cruisers scoff at the idea of paying

out more than 3:1 or 4:1 – there just isn’t much

space for boats to swing. Any reduction in scope,

of course, must be made up for by using larger anchors

and/or larger chain.

As a general guide, for winds up to 30 knots,

we recommend the following anchor line and

chain diameters, using three-strand, high quality

line. This table assumes an 8:1 working load ratio.

Boat LOA: 3 Strand: Chain:

Up to 25’ 3/8” 3/16” PC

27 – 31’ 7/16” 1/4” PC

32 – 36’ 1/2” 1/4” PC

37 – 44’ 9/16” 5/16” PC/BBB

45 – 50’ 5/8” 5/16” PC/BBB

51 – 62’ 3/4” 3/8” PC/BBB

63 – 76’ 7/8” 3/8” HT

77 – 90’ 1” 1/2” HT

 

Conclusion

In inland, coastal, and performance cruising applications,

boaters should use a combination of

nylon line and galvanized chain. For serious cruisers,

all-chain rode is a better solution. The trade-off

is one of weight vs. abrasion resistance.

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