For anyone who owns a boat, there are ten rules which should always be kept in mind. There is also certain equipment which should always be carried aboard ship.

1. Check your boat thoroughly and never leave your mooring until you have done so.

2. Never over-load your boat and at all times be especially careful about non-swimmers and children.

3. Carry a life preserver for every person on board. Be sure they’re worn when doing deck duty in rough weather.

4. Carry filled fire extinguishers.

5. Exercise extreme caution when filling fuel tanks – no smoking – turn off all fires and electric accessories – hold filling nozzle firmly against fill pipe (ground it) – wipe up spillage – thoroughly ventilate engine compartment and all enclosed spaces before restarting motors.

6. Observe carefully weather, wind, tide and current conditions before starting. Plan emergency harbors on long hops.

7. Keep to the right when meeting another boat and give the right-of-way to vessels approaching in your danger zone on the starboard (right) side.

8. Always be Courteous, Careful and Competent. Watch your wash! Slow down to 4 mph in harbors. Keep away from large vessels, which are not as maneuverable as smaller craft. Keep away from all sail boats – small ones may be swamped by the wash from a motor boat and large sailing yachts do not have the maneuverability of a motor boat.

9. Never make a turn at high speed. Small craft can easily be and have been swamped by their own wash.

10. Approach dock or mooring slowly against the wind or current, whichever is strongest.

Articles of Equipment Which Should Be Aboard Every Well-Found Boat, Though Not Required By Law

The Motor Boat Act prescribes that motor boats must carry certain equipment for the safety of those aboard. This includes life preservers, lights, whistle, bell, fire extinguishers, name arresters on carburetors, ventilating cowls and ducts for the bilges, and the certificate of registration. These requirements vary with the class of boat, and certain exceptions are made in some classes.

In addition to this required equipment, however, there are other things which should be aboard before a boat may be considered to be well-found. The extent of cruising the boat does will determine the amount and kind of equipment, such items as anchors and lines, boat hook, fenders, bilge pump, tool kit, spare engine parts, piloting equipment, auxiliary lighting equipment, and such special safety equipment as ring buoys, flares, and a first aid kit.

In the same category with tools and spare parts we might include a few good carpenter’s tools, extra pieces of line of several sizes, a ball of marlin, an assortment of nails, screws, bolts, washers, wire, caulking cotton, paint, etc. On boats equipped with sails a small repair kit should be added containing twine, wax, needles, palm, fid, and similar articles. All should be properly stowed to keep it accessible and in good condition.

Other miscellaneous items would be a deck mop, pail (some prefer a canvas bucket), a chamois for cleaning windows, brass polish, a supply of oil for engine, grease (both the regular and waterproof varieties as required), some light machine oil and penetrating oil for rusted parts, Vaseline, distilled water, a hydrometer, some clean rags and several rolls of paper towels. An emergency tiller is often carried.

Keep the ten rules of conduct outlined, and carry the equipment mentioned above, and you will be well-prepared for anything.

The market has a wide range of boat accessories to choose from. Boat accessories increase the fun and comfort that you can have with your boat. Additional accessories can escalate the worth of your boat also. A few accessories are mandatory and others are fads that give you more comfort and are luxury items. When you have to make a choice of boat accessories it is always safer that you start with procuring those that are vital to the smooth functioning of your boat and ensure the safety factors

You will have to select the trimmings that you need according to the type of boat that you have, and the purpose that you are going to use it for. The function that the boat is going to utilized for is the primary deciding factor for the added equipment and accessories that you will need. For example a fishing boat will require something other than a sail boat or a speed boat would. While contemplating on the kind of accessories you would like to buy, it is an even better idea to list out the accessories that you want to have starting with the fundamentals requirements first. You could also make a primary and a secondary list so that you have an idea of what you should buy on priority and what can wait for the next round of purchase.

Fundamental Boating Accessories

It would be disastrous to be caught “on the wrong foot” so to say in the mid water without the proper equipment. This could give rise to some emergency situations and give cause for anxiety. To play it safe here are some indispensable accessories for the that you should ensure you have:

1. Life jackets
2. Anchors and lines
3. Ladders
4. Mirrors
5. Paddles
6. Registration and lettering kits
7. Safety equipment like first aid kits
8. Stabilizers
9. Buoys
10. Lights
11. Maintenance equipment

Each one of these serves a different purpose and is needed to ensure that you have everything you require to keep you protected and help you to keep you boat in spruced up condition. Your life jackets
should be worn all the time or at least kept handy for immediate access so that you do not have to face an emergency situation and not be able to find them in a hurry.

Luxury & Fun Boating Accessories

You need not only look at essential accessories for the boat. This is a time for recreation and you should be able to enjoy the experience. These items would make your boat more attractive and also give you some added comforts while you are out sailing. Some of the luxury and fun items are listed below:

1. Boat fenders
2. Boat heaters
3. Water skies
4. Wakeboards
5. Wetsuits
6. Radios and speakers
7. Fish finders
8. Swim platforms

The list is endless and these are only a few of the accessories that come under this category. In case you have not been looking for added equipment for a while for your boat, you may be amazed at all the new gizmos that are available.

These added features not only dress up your boat, they also add to its value in case you wish to sell it sometime. Added comforts are always welcome and give their money’s worth regardless of how essential they are or not.

Before you invest in a new or used boat , you must understand that boating is an expensive hobby. You will have to spend time and money on the care and upkeep of your boat. You will also have expenses associated with docking and fuel. With that being said, there is nothing like the passion of sailing the seas, or going out into the ocean for a weekend of fishing, sea and sun. Weighing out all the pros and cons is something you must take the time to do. So that you understand some of the work required to keep your boat in tip-top shape, read the following boat maintenance guide. Please keep in mind that this general boat maintenance article is intended only to give you an idea of the basic care needed by boats in general and is not by any means all-inclusive.

Know Your Boat

As mentioned above, this article will only give you an idea, not an end-all be-all instruction for the maintenance of your boat. Your best bet is to research your specific make and model, including the year if your boat is older. Start your research by reading any manuals that may have come with the boat. If you purchased your boat used and it did not include an original owner’s manual, you may be able to get it directly from the manufacturer by visiting their Web site or by requesting a copy in writing. You may also be able to get a copy of the owner’s manual by calling the manufacturer directly and asking them to send it to you.

Read the owner’s manual thoroughly to find any information pertaining to regular care and maintenance of the boat. Realize that if you have an older boat, the information may be somewhat outdated in that you may wish to consult a professional such as a boat dealer or broker that specialized in your specific make and model.

Research the Web and try to find message boards and forums where boat owners that have similar boats to yours post about their experiences and how they deal with certain situations. You may find several boat owners willing to dish out advice specific to the care and maintenance of your boat. As with anything you read online, make sure to take any advice with a grain of salt and check your sources. If many boat owners are consistently giving the same advice, it is safer to assume that the information contained therein is accurate and good.

After researching your boat thoroughly, you should have a more accurate idea of the timing and specifics regarding the regular care and maintenance required by your boat.

Typical Maintenance

* Keep it Clean*
A key step in maintaining your boat is to wash it regularly. Cleaning your boat regularly doesn’t only contribute to the looks of the boat, but also helps to protect your boat from the wear and tear inflicted by environmental conditions. Be sure to use only products that are earth-friendly. Also, wax your boat regularly to further protect the surfaces from the elements.

*Proper Mooring*
Boats don’t only sustain scratches and dings from being used out on the water. Damage can appear on your boat’s body while docked if it is not moored properly. Make sure all lines are fastened securely and don’t show signs of wear or breakage.

* Battery Care*
Check your battery regularly by inspecting its charge and fluid levels. Make sure that the area around your battery is clean and dry at all times.

* Regular Overall Inspection*
Boats require regular inspection, as that is the only way to identify any problems or potential problems. Routinely check your boat’s controls, engine, cables, rudder, throttle. Always be on the lookout for loose fittings, fraying ropes or hoses/cables that are dry, cracked or brittle. It is easier to prevent damage to your boat when you are actively looking for little things that might cause damage in the future.

* Motor Maintenance*
Follow best practices for motor care as outlined in your boat’s owner’s manual. Flush your engine after every use. Check fuel tanks and clamps for rust, damage or corrosion. Check the engine’s oil levels and cleanliness. Also keep an eye on your boat’s cooling system to ensure that it is working properly.

* Winterization*
To protect your boat during the months that it’s not actively in use, you must take the proper winterization steps. Whether you are able to store your boat under shelter or not, you must check your boat’s owner’s manual for the proper techniques of winterizing your boat. If you are not familiar with what needs to be done to winterize your boat, enlist the help of a more experienced friend or contact your local boat dealer or broker for assistance.

* Bilge Pump*
Don’t forget to check that your bilge pump is working properly. In case you do need to use your pump, you may need enough power to run it for an extended period of time. Make sure your battery system can support this.

* Electrical Systems*
Keeping all of your boat’s electrical systems clean, dry and free from damage is crucial to the overall safety and well-being of your boat. Look for any signs of corrosion, and apply water-repellant grease protector to all fittings.

* Boat Covers*
Investing in a boat cover can prevent much damage that can occur as a result of exposure to UV rays and the elements. Consider picking up a used cover, you can save some money and extend the life of your boat.

Trust the Pros

As with anything, if you are new to boating, you may wish to seek out the advice and assistance of professionals. Contact your local boat dealer or broker to get referrals for qualified technicians you can contract to help you maintain your boat. You may wish to put your boat on a regular maintenance schedule and keep a close eye on all systems between visits.

Nothing ingratiates a driver more, to other drivers, than driving on a dark road at night, without your headlights on. Oops, I’m in error. One other action a driver can take surpasses the level of danger of driving without headlights. That’s driving with your high beams on!

Which driver who’s reading this article can honestly say that they have never encountered one or both of these situations? Can you also say you have never made this error?

So what does driving with your headlights on, have to do with nautical lighting? Well, just like our landlubber cousins, boats also have headlights and backlights and high beams. Unlike our road-bound cousins, boating does not have the luxury of a spatial backplane in which to judge, for the most part, direction of another vessel.

Let’s explain this last statement. On the road, even on a very dark, winding, country road, you have signposts, trees, houses and, even fields of corn stalks. Out on the water, you have water, then you have water, occasionally you have an aid to navigation, another vessel’s sound (which can be confusing, as to their direction). In other words, it’s very difficult to tell the direction of a vessel, without looking at their lights.

Navigation Lights

Every time we go boating at night, we’re amazed at the number of people who either have no navigational lights on, due to either forgetfulness or a partial or total equipment malfunction, or who have the wrong navigational lights on.

For simplicity sake, let’s take the standard 21ft cuddy roundabout. The Rules of the Road state that vessels this size need a red and a green bow light (a combination light is acceptable) capable of being seen a mile. In addition, a 360° all-around white light at the stern is also required, that can be seen a mile.

What can go wrong with this simple light configuration? Everything! From the combo light being not operational, to the white light not being positioned so that it can be seen 360° by other vessels. Navigation lights are extremely important.

They tell other boaters that you are making way or at anchor. They give other boaters a conceptual idea of your direction via their own direction. A lookout (remember every vessel is required to have a lookout) that sees a red light followed by a white light while looking over the bow can make the following assumptions: The boat is going from starboard to port, and depending on distance, has the right of  way.

If you saw a white light in front of you, the vessel is either moving in the same direction or is at anchor. Speaking of anchor lights. A vessel that is at anchor, that is not in a “special anchorage area’ must show an anchor light. An anchor light is a 360° white light.

So, if you’re fishing and drifting, you should have on your navigation lights. If you’re fishing on an anchor, then it’s the anchor light. In any event, before you leave the dock, make sure your lights are operational!

High Beams

So you’re saying to yourself, how am I, going to tie high beams into navigational lights. Yes, you’re right; the nav light switch has three positions, off, navigation light and anchor light. Ever hear of your spot light?

Those ingenious lights that are either hand held or attached to your bow. Those zillion candle white lights that can make night into day. That extremely useful tool that can blind the pilot of the other vessel, and cause night blindness that can take 45 minutes to self-correct. Yes, that’s the light!

Why do people find it necessary to point the light at the pilot of the other vessel? The correct way to use your spotlight is to: a.) use it sparingly and b.) move the spot along the water toward the unknown object and/or vessel.

Once the object is seen at the water’s edge, move the light along the water waterline to see if it’s a vessel or some other object. If it’s a vessel, don’t lift the beam above the gunwale, because the higher you lift the light, the better the chance you’ll blind the other vessel’s occupants.

If you identified the object as not being a vessel, then slowly lift the light up the object, making sure that as much as the beam of light strikes the object. This way you can get a good identification on the object. Remember, there are other boater’s out there, and by swinging your spotlight hither and yarn; you can still cause night blindness for other boaters.

Even on warm days, midwinter waters can be cold enough to kill. Hypothermia, the lowering of body temperature, isn’t something that happens only to people who fall overboard; in fact, you don’t even have to get wet. But a good soaking greatly enhances the process by which the victim loses heat, and that process has to be interrupted and then reversed in order for the internal temperature to return to normal operating levels.

In attempting to aid a victim, keep in mind that heat loss is accompanied by loss of muscle strength, including the heart, and strain, rough handling or sudden movements can result in cardiac arrest.

Follow these three steps;

1. Provide shelter and warmth as soon as possible;
2. Remove all wet clothing;
3. Apply heat to the head, neck, chest, shoulders, sides and groin; it’s more important to restore warmth to the core of the body than to the extremities.

If you can, lay the victim face-up on a flat surface, with feet higher than head.

One way to reverse the process is with warm, moist fabrics applied directly to the skin, remoistened with water at about 110°F. Others are a warm blanket with a hot water bottle, a warm bathtub or shower, a sleeping bag with a heat source or even your own body heat. Be sure to make provisions for restoring your own lost body heat during and especially after this procedure.

Mouth-to-mouth breathing works as well, even when a subject is conscious, because your own breath will be warmer than the victim’s. Be sure to breathe “with” the victim, not against him. You may also want to wrap the victim’s head in a loose scarf to conserve the heated air.

Here are some equally important Don’ts: Don’t use or give alcohol, rub frozen body areas (especially don’t rub them with snow), accept a victim’s plea that he is “fine”, or wrap the victim in anything without a built-in source of heat.

Have you ever tried shouting across a small lake? Easy, isn’t it?

How about when you’ve been water-skiing, and try to get the attention of the towboat? Found it impossible, didn’t you?

Sound does and does not carry over water well. On calm lakes, bays, creeks, or in restricted visibility, sound carries exceptionally well. If you ever went camping around a lake, knowledgeable campers often would tell you to keep the noise down at night, since cool air, and a flat-water surface amplified the sound you were making, so that everyone on the lake heard you.

According to Howard Shaw, Ph. D. and Cheryl Jackson Hall, Ph. D., “Experience suggests that sound, like light, travels (more or less) in straight lines. However, to the contrary, sound actually tends to curve downwards over a lake’s surface.”

“Sound traveling along straight lines would disperse quickly into the space above the lake. Instead, sound that “should” rise up and be lost typically curves back down to the lake/ground level. Therefore, it sounds louder than it “should.” This is a well-known and easily demonstrated observation, measurable out there on real lakes.”

But, let us go back to our water-skiing incident. The water isn’t flat; it is a jumble of waves in all directions. Why? Because the towboat is throwing a wake, your water skis are throwing its own wake, and with the towboat serving and changing course to give you – the rider – a great time, the water has become choppy.

So our wave infested lake, stops your voice from traveling. If this were a large body of water, the wind would be causing the waves. In both instances, the sound of your voice would have difficulty in being heard over the sound of the waves and the interference that the waves would produce to your voice. Add to your problems is the pitch of normal adult voice. It would have problems piercing the noise, and because it’s a lower wavelength, it would also have difficulty moving around the waves themselves.

So how can you be heard? By using a “low tech solution” – an emergency whistle!

An emergency whistle costs under $7.00, usually comes with a lanyard, which can attach to your PFD. Every member of your boat crew and guest should be familiar with their PFD, its emergency whistle and mirror. A whistle and a mirror, two low cost, low tech emergency solutions that can just save your life. So the next time you go to the boat store, why not pick up a signal mirror and a whistle and attach it to your PFD. Low Tech Safety Items – they might just save your life!

Beyond a certain age, nothing stops fun on the water better than unexpected soakings, suddenly violent waves, or any activity that can lead to a serious risk of falling out of the boat. And few events can end a good time on the water as precipitously as being hit by lightning.

These are all summertime risks, but they can vary greatly in degree of probability depending on your knowledge of – and respect for – the weather.

There may have been a time, way back before Odysseus, when ignorance of the elements was an excuse for mishap or disaster. But incredible modern-day refinements in satellite-based forecasting and communications technology have removed the last traces of an alibi for being caught on the water unawares. These days, if you didn’t know what to expect it was because you didn’t ask – or you just didn’t take the time to learn.

Ask where? Learn what?

The Weather Channel is a good place to start. Along with its local forecasts, it provides good radar tracking, notification of small craft advisories, and other pertinent information that boater’s can use. In most coastal areas, VHF broadcasts provide accurate, timely, local marine data on wind direction and speed, temperature, wave height, tides, and special advisories of both long-term and sudden changes. In the summertime, this service includes notification of current thunderstorm activity along with estimates of its future probability.

In addition, with direct downloads from weather-mapping satellites, along with your VHF radio, CBs, ship-to-shore, portable AM-FM radios and cellular telephones, you’re only a moment away from everything you should ever need to know.

And that’s not all. For the technology-deficient, toy-deprived or electronically unprepared, there is another reliable resource in the form of accumulated lore and common sense. Since thunderstorms usually travel from west to east, boaters should keep an eye on the western sky. Calm usually does precede a storm, so can a mackerel sky. And yes, red skies at morning are a sailor’s warning.

If you don’t have a phone, can’t hear the crackling on the AM radio and there is haze in the path of the roiling clouds, one of the best indicators of increased electrical activity in the area is still the hair on your forearms or on the back of your neck: when it starts to rise, it’s well past time to get moving.

You say you shave your arms and there isn’t enough hair left on your head to throw a shadow? Well, when caught in foul weather, you should immediately put on your life jacket, reduce the speed of the boat and head for the nearest lee shore or safe harbor. Point the bow at a slight angle into the waves, keeping your passengers low and near the midship point to reduce the risk of battering from the seesaw motion of the boat.

If the engine fails, anchor by the bow or, in deep water, deploy a sea anchor (anything that will slow your drift with underwater drag, such as a bucket or an empty bait box) from the stern.

Prayer is permitted. Learn from the experience.

Death by choking known by EMTs and medical examiners as “Cafe Coronary” because it mimics so many characteristics of a heart attack, also has some important similarities to drowning. The victim gasps for air, becomes cyanotic (turns blue) with insufficient blood oxygen, and often grasps at his or her chest to relieve the pain of pressure on the lungs. Death is usually preceded by unconsciousness.

Now the similarities go further to include the Heimlich maneuver, for the past three decades a standard emergency response to choking and more recently adapted as an effective first-aid treatment to reverse the tragedy of drowning. In 27 incidents reported by the National Pool and Water Association for one recent year, an astonishing 24 drownings were averted by the use of the Heimlich maneuver alone; only three had to be given CPR, and every one of the victims survived.

However, there can be a couple of big differences between what happens in the environment of a swimming pool and in a lake or open ocean. For one thing, most pool water is treated with chemicals which can be extremely caustic, so the faster such water can be removed from the lungs, the lower the risk of subsequent pneumonia or long-term damage. In either setting, time is obviously of the essence.

Probably the biggest difference between the two settings is that the Heimlich maneuver, CPR or any other life-saving response is far easier to administer when the victim has been removed from deep water to the shallow end of the pool or to dry land. But even in the middle of a lake or on the open ocean, it’s still a viable option that can make the difference between life and death.

In either setting, the rescuer takes a position behind the victim, passes his arms under the victim’s arms, joining his hands about halfway between the victim’s navel and breastbone, just below the rib cage. He makes a fist of one hand with the thumb toward the victim’s abdomen, then using both hands drives his fist sharply inward and upward toward the solar plexus. This action is repeated as often as necessary – typically four or five times – until no more water comes out of the subject’s mouth.

This is obviously a lot easier on land than in the water. When the rescuer is swimming, a flotation device should be wedged between his chest and the victim’s back to keep the body in an upright position with the face safely clear of the water. The rescuer also should take care that his own head is out of the way if the victim should suddenly rear back during this exercise, a not uncommon part of the gag reflex associated with the coughing up of water.

The Heimlich maneuver doesn’t always result in immediately restored breathing even on land. In the water, the problem can be that the airway is closed due to the patient being bent forward; the solution is to reposition the flotation device further down the back so the person’s head is forced backwards and the airway opens.

Once on deck, the victim should be laid on his back with his head turned to one side. The rescuer should wrap his leg’s around the victim’s opposite thigh, and repeat the maneuver until water no longer comes from the mouth or until breathing is restored. If the patient still fails to respond, check the pulse and use rescue breathing or CPR.

In describing this technique in Sea magazine, Captain Victoria Sandz offers a frontal compression approach – similar to the above but focused on the center of the breastbone rather than below the ribs – when the victim is pregnant or too large for the rescuer to embrace effectively from behind.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) can be a “silent killer” on houseboats and other recreational vessels. Each year, boaters are injured or killed by preventable carbon monoxide poisoning. Boaters have been poisoned by carbon monoxide in situations such as while setting fishing lines or performing maintenance on their boats while the engine was running.

“Teak surfers” or “drag surfers” are particularly susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning. This activity involves clinging to the swim platform or transom of an underway boat, then letting go and body surfing. Exposure to engine exhaust can cause a teak surfer to faint, and if not wearing a life jacket, (which interferes with body surfing), to drown – not to mention the potential danger of propeller injury. Teak surfing is illegal in some states.

Carbon monoxide is produced by gasoline, propane, charcoal or wood. On boats some common sources of carbon monoxide include engines, generators, cooking ranges, space heaters, and water heaters. Carbon monoxide can collect within a boat in a variety of ways. Exhaust leaks (the leading cause of death by carbon monoxide) can allow carbon monoxide to migrate throughout the boat and into enclosed areas. Even properly vented exhaust can re-enter a boat if it’s moored too close to a dock or another boat, or if the exhaust is pushed back by prevailing winds. Exhaust can re-enter boats when cruising under certain conditions – the station wagon effect – especially with canvas in place. Exhaust can also collect in enclosed spaces near the stern swim platform.

There are many ways to protect your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide. Several of the different precautions a boater can take are listed below.

Use a Marine Carbon Monoxide Detector – These detectors work much like smoke alarms in houses. They sense a moderate level of carbon monoxide present on the vessel and emit a loud siren noise to alert the occupants of the danger.

Ensure Proper Ventilation – Open foredeck hatches and a window in the cabin to allow fresh air to travel through the vessel. Also, be aware that carbon monoxide can collect under a canopy.

Inspect Exhaust System Regularly – Look and listen for leaks in the exhaust system. Check each joint for discoloration, water leaks, carbon build-up or stains. Make sure all ventilation systems are in good repair and are not obstructed, restricted, or punctured. Seal gaps around engine room and exhaust system doors, hatches, and access panels.

Avoid the Transom – The transom is where carbon monoxide collects. Stay away from the transom while the vessel is idling or underway.
Educate Children – Instruct your children about the danger and presence of carbon monoxide on vessels.

Avoid Other Idling Vessels – Idling vessels are a very prominent source for high concentrations of carbon monoxide.

Symptoms of CO poisoning may include severe headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, fainting, and death. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and a mild headache. Low levels are more dangerous in the boating environment because they can lead to drowning. Carbon-monoxide poisoning may not be suspected immediately because the symptoms are similar to those of people with the flu, food poisoning, or other illnesses. If you suspect CO poisoning, immediately get the victim to fresh air and seek medical care.

Recognizing the dangers of CO poisoning some states, such as California now require warning labels (below)

Alcohol has been a part of boating lore since the first ship was christened with a bottle of champagne, but a new study says the two are a particularly deadly mixture.

Researchers say your chances of dying in a boating accident rise exponentially for every drink you have, and you don’t have to come close to going overboard with the liquor. The odds of an average-sized man getting killed on the water go up 30 percent after drinking just half a beer, the study says. And a person with a blood-alcohol content of 0.25, which is about three times the legal limit for drunkenness in most states, is more than 50 times likelier to die than a non-drinking boater or passenger.

John H. Shanahan Jr., president of the Boating Safety Institute of America, in Maywood, N.J., said, “Although there are state standards that permit operators to drink while they are boating and set intoxicated levels at 0.08 to 0.10 [BAC], our recommendation is that consuming alcohol has no place in boating.”

The study appears in the Dec. 19, 2001, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The researchers, led by Dr. Gordon Smith of Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, looked for the influence of alcohol in deadly boating accident records from Maryland and North Carolina between 1990 and 1998. For comparison, they collected interviews from nearly 4,000 boaters in each state between 1997 and 1999 and were able to garner breath alcohol samples from most of them. Only accidents involving boaters over age 18 were included in the study.

Smith’s group analyzed 221 fatalities during the nine-year period, or roughly 25 a year. Eight in ten were drownings, as opposed to other trauma, and men accounted for about 93 percent of the fatalities.

Most fatalities involved motorboats that were either fishing or cruising, though people also died on sailboats and doing everything from water-skiing to towing another vessel. The researchers considered not only where and in what kind of waters the boaters were when they died, but how many people were in the crafts and at what time of day or night the fatalities occurred.

Of the boaters killed, 55 percent had a positive BAC, the researchers say. Although the relative risk of dying on a boat soared by a factor of 52 with a BAC of 0.25 compared to sobriety, the risk of death rose sharply even at levels considered legally safe.

At a BAC of 0.05, for example, the risk of dying was nearly four times higher than for sober boaters, the researchers say. An average-sized man, weighing roughly 160 pounds, could have a blood-alcohol level of 0.05 after less than three beers, whereas reaching a mark of 0.25 takes at least 14 12-ounce cans.

The odds of death were nearly identical for drinking boaters whether they were behind the rudder or in a passenger seat, effectively scuttling the notion of “designated driver” programs for the waterways, Smith’s group says.

Drinking on a boat can get a person in trouble on two levels. Drunks who land in the water are more prone to hypothermia and have a harder time keeping their heads above water. So not only does alcohol impair judgment, coordination and balance, raising the risk of a wreck and making drunken boaters more likely to wind up in the water, it boosts their chances of injury or death once there, the researchers say.

Shanahan said several factors help explain why boating and alcohol mix like oil and water. Boats move in three dimensions, pitching, rolling and yawing, which scramble the body’s equilibrium. It’s also physically draining, especially if punctuated by periods of swimming or paddling.

And, by definition, recreational boating is done during off times when people are “pretty laid back” and have less “situational awareness,” compared with, say, driving in traffic, to keep them alert to hazards. “That’s, after all, why people like to go boating,” he said.

Add to that the heat and exposure to sun and glare, which can exacerbate feelings of intoxication. “Now you take the same [BAC] that might be permissible in an automobile and ask the simple question: “Does it work when you’re boating?” The answer, he said, is no.

“There’s clearly a causal factor between boating accidents and drowning and alcohol,” agreed William P. Condon, president of the American Boating Association. “Unfortunately, a lot of people look at recreational boating as a time to get a six-pack and go out and drink.”

Condon said he doesn’t believe “anyone in the industry would promote boating and drinking or would condone it.” However, he said, “A lot of organizations are somewhat silent” on the problem.

He said another concern is that many fatal accidents occur when boaters have tied up and are relaxing with liquor. “They have a few drinks and fall off a dock “

For that reason, Condon said many in the boating industry recommend not moderation but total abstinence from alcohol around the water.

What to do

Roughly 14 million Americans enjoy boating on a regular basis, Condon says. In 1998, 800 Americans died while boating, say Smith and his colleagues. And they say 30 percent to 40 percent of boaters report drinking while on the water.

To find out more about safe boating, try the National Safe Boating Council or theAmerican Boating Association. The National Transportation Safety Board also deals with marine matters. The University of Oklahoma Police Department has a site that lets you calculate BAC, which varies by weight and gender and how long you’ve been drinking.

This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.