Expert Sailing Safety Tips You Can Use Now
“Have a safe trip!” How many times have we said those words when departing by car, plane, train, or boat? While each transportation mode has its own set of challenges, those of us who spend time on the water need to be especially mindful of our role in ensuring onboard sailing safety.
Even if you are just “along for the ride,” you have a vested interest in making sure that the captain, crew, and other passengers are staying safe. Every day is different on the water. Weather conditions, tidal changes, other boat traffic, and guests may affect safety considerations.
For example, three months ago I invited my out-of-state grandchildren aboard, and I needed to procure additional life vests to accommodate their weights and ages. We typically carry 10 personal flotation devices (PFDs). We expected eight people total, but we did not have the correct PFDs onboard for our younger guests. We decided to purchase USCG-approved vests at a local fundraiser but otherwise would have considered the lifejacket loaner program offered by BoatUS Foundation since our usage was temporary.
Every boat owner has a responsibility to themselves and their guests to maintain their vessel and equipment to avoid serious incidents. Boaters should also provide a safety briefing to their passengers prior to every outing. Pointing out fire extinguisher locations and acquainting guests with how to operate the VHF radio while reading GPS coordinates can be of great assistance during an emergency.
Eye-opening stats
Emergencies do occur frequently on the Chesapeake Bay. I recently attended an eye-opening presentation by Lt. Stasia Ellis, United States Coast Guard Command Center Chief for Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. She provided an overview to the Chesapeake Area Professional Captains Association (CAPCA) about how the USCG manages search and rescue (SAR) operations. In 2023, there were approximately 460 SAR cases in our region, with roughly 56 percent occurring during the busiest four months, from June to September. In total, more than 100 lives were saved, and approximately 450 lives were assisted, in addition to several million dollars of property being saved or assisted.
Lt. Ellis included a few slides that described where and why these SAR cases occurred in our region. The top 10 reasons, with rounded percentages: disabled vessel (23 percent), person in water (14 percent), distress alert (13 percent), taking on water (eight percent), aground (seven percent), adrift/unmanned (six percent), bridge jumper (four percent), capsized vessel (three percent), fire (three percent), and overdue/unreported vessel (three percent).
The USCG publishes an annual report about Recreational Boating, including incident statistics by state. Captain Amy Beach, USCG director of inspections and compliance, advises, “Boaters should remain vigilant on the water as most incidents occur when you might least expect them—in good visibility, calm waters, and little wind.” She noted that the most frequent incidents in last year’s report involved collisions with other vessels, objects, or groundings, “which is why it is so important to keep a proper lookout, navigate at a safe speed, adhere to navigation rules, and obey navigation aids.”
It’s also imperative to drive sober and to ensure that guests don’t drink excessively. Alcohol continues to be the leading factor in fatal boating accidents, accounting for 17 percent of total fatalities across the USA in 2023. My husband and I do not allow anyone to consume alcohol while underway. We wait until docked or at anchor to enjoy libations, and even then, will abstain if severe weather conditions are forecasted in our area, just in case we need to operate our boat.
The Coast Guard’s recent report highlighted that recreational boat operators who had not received boating safety instruction accounted for 75 percent of US fatalities. Open motorboats, cabin motorboats, and personal watercraft were most involved. But before sailors feel a bit smug, we should admit that many of us are reluctant to wear lifejackets even in high winds or reduced visibility, despite reported drownings that accounted for 75 percent of deaths in 2023, where 87 percent of the victims were not wearing lifejackets.
“The most frequent event in fatal incidents involved events where people ended up in the water. A fall overboard, capsizing, and cases where a person voluntarily departed a vessel accounted for over half of fatal incidents,” said Captain Beach.
Ideas for better safety practices
Those statistics alone should make us all pause to reflect on our safety practices. How often do we practice emergency drills with family and other crew on our recreational boats? If the captain of the boat were to fall overboard, become incapacitated due to injury, or experience sudden illness, would crew know how to operate the boat while also calling for assistance? Would crew know how to operate the VHF radio or what to say?
As sailors, we can take advantage of low-wind days or non-rushed outings to talk through multiple safety challenges and practice safety simulations with onboard equipment. It’s important to not only know how to use Lifeslings, fire extinguishers, and DSC functions on VHF radios, but also the proper protocols for a variety of emergencies, including medical crises.
When renewing my CPR certification last year, I chose to take a CPR course offered by CAPCA since it is specifically targeted to boaters, rather than just the typical American Red Cross course. As a sailor, I’m keenly aware that adequate medical supplies can be limited at sea, and I wanted to enhance my ability to respond knowledgeably.
Captain Alan Karpas, with Safety Institute of Maryland, was one of my CPR instructors. He urged students to remember: “When a medical emergency occurs on the water, the time for an Emergency Medical System (EMS) response team to get to the person in need of care is significantly longer than on land. The Coast Guard recommends that all boaters have CPR and first aid training and carry a first aid kit. First aid kits should be stocked with supplies appropriate for the length of time anticipated for the patient to get into the care of the EMS.”
Despite my decades on the water, I was surprised to learn just how much more time it takes for boaters, even those in sight of land, to receive appropriate medical attention. To think that it could take as much as two or more hours depending on location and the situation, even on the Chesapeake, was a sobering moment. Would I know how to keep a family member alive until EMS arrived?
As the 2025 Chesapeake boating season approaches, Capt. Patrick Burkett, Commander of USCG Sector Maryland - National Capital Region, urges boaters to remember that “Preparation is key to safety on the water. Taking a few moments beforehand to check the weather, inspect your vessel’s safety equipment, and file a float plan with someone you know can make all the difference should an incident occur. Boaters should also consider equipping their vessel with an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), which is a safety device that transmits an emergency signal allowing the Coast Guard or other agencies to pinpoint your location if something happens.”
With the guidance of these experts, I’m hopeful that 2025 will ring in safety for sailors in addition to fair winds and following seas.
~By Captain Cheryl Duvall
This is part one of our three part Safety Series for 2025. Find part two in our February issue.
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