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3 safety tips to safely get you through the spring fishing and
boating season
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[May 03, 2012]
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- In
many parts of the country, people are asking, when did winter end
and spring begin? Anglers and boaters are taking advantage of the
unusually warm weather, but some may be forgetting that cold waters
still lurk beneath the keel. Here are three easy safety tips from
www.boatus.com/foundation that will help you get safely through
the spring fishing and boating season.
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1. Don't allow the warm
weather to let your guard down: The air temperatures may be
downright balmy, but deceptively cold waters increase the risk of
hypothermia even on a T-shirt day. Also remember there are fewer
boats out on the water that could come to your aid. Bring extra
layers or change of clothes and rain gear this time of year. 2.
Plan on how to get back in the boat: If you
accidentally went overboard, do you have a way to get back aboard?
You may be surprised how hard this can be -- especially if you are
alone or haven't prepared for it. It could be as simple as having a
rope with looped footholds affixed to a cleat that can easily be
grabbed from the water. The BoatUS Foundation also tested
after-market boarding ladders for small jon boats, rigid inflatable
boats and larger center-console boats. You can view these tests at
http://www.youtube.com/
user/boatusfoundation/videos?sort=dd&view
=0&page=2. A copy of the tests along with a
ranking of the best ladders can also be found at
www.boatus.com/foundation/boardingladders.
3. Refresh your memory: Take a boating safety
course now from the comfort of your own home. The no-cost BoatUS
Foundation Online Boating Safety course, which is designed so that
you can stop and then continue at any time, includes videos that
demonstrate important safety devices such as flares, shows the rules
of the road, how to get help in an emergency, and the best way to
fit a life jacket to a child so they will not slip out. Go to
www.boatus.org/onlinecourse. It may also help you save money on
boat insurance and meet your state's requirements for boating safety
education.
[Text from file received from
BoatUs] |
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