2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook - (Page 71)
BOATING RELATED ACTIVITES
While paddling it is recommended that you wear your PFD. You are required to have a whistle or other efficient sound producing device. At night you are required to have a flashlight or lantern to show in sufficient time to prevent collision. It is also recommended you carry a hand pump or bailing device and a spare paddle for emergencies. You should also place bow and stern lines for assistance in emergencies. In hot weather, paddle at an easy pace and drink plenty of liquids during the day. Lassitude, a lack of will to carry on at a modest pace, is an early sign of overheating. If this happens to you, take a break, drink more fluids, take a swim from the boat, sit in the water by the shore or pour some water over yourself. Wearing a hat will also help to reduce your body temperature. Stick with your group. If you want to take a few people away from the group, discuss it first with the entire group. Establish group horn signals (to gather up, boat over, etc.) Groups always spread out, so identify a few waiting points along your course. Each time you stop, clearly indicate the next rest point. Always paddle at a speed to accommodate the weakest paddlers in the group. Kayaks and canoes are hard to see and are not picked up by radar, so larger boats may not be able to see you. Cross boating channels at right angles to traffic after oncoming boats have passed. Groups should cross together, not one by one.
the tree. When I saw the canoes run into trouble I had grounded my kayak and run back toward the bend to try to help. I kept Hank and Linda within sight while I looked for a safe way to reach them. When I saw Dan, I sent him to scout the riverbanks for signs of Mike. About that time a fireboat showed up for the rescue. “Our motor boat had difficulty taking those two out of that tree, the water was high and moving fast, and branches keep pushing the boat away,” the fire chief acknowledged. “The couple we rescued was suffering from hypothermia—-the ambulance transported them to the hospital.” Dan and I, with the firemen and other rescuers, scouted the river for hours. The only sign of Mike was his PFD, caught in another strainer further down the river. Days later, when the river flow was down, police divers found Mike’s body under the first tree.
CANOEING AND KAYAKS IN MOVING WATER CAN BE THRILLING BUT REMEMBER YOU MUST HAVE RESPECT FOR THE FORCE OF FLOWING WATER
Racing/Regattas
Mike’s Last Paddle
It was a warm April and I just couldn’t wait to try out my new kayak. My friends Mike, Hank, Linda and I piled into Dan’s pickup with our kayaks and canoes and headed to the fishing access site on the other side of town. Dan was the designated driver for the day; he was going to check in with us at certain spots along our route, and pick us up at the end of our journey. We put in our boats in the water and off we went. A week’s worth of rain and the winter snowmelt meant that water was high, fast and rough; but we’re experienced river runners and we looked forward to an exciting ride. We were having an exhilarating trip when we went under the first bridge. Dan had driven there as planned and we waved to him as we passed underneath. As we turned a bend, we came upon a fallen tree across the river. I was on the outside of the group so I was able to stay clear of the tree, but my friends couldn’t. Meanwhile, Dan had stopped at his next checkpoint—a clearing along the river where he could see us go by. A few moments after arriving, he saw two canoes floating by, upside down. “It was the scariest thing I’d ever seen,” Dan said. He called 911 on his cell phone and started running upstream. After about half a mile he found me, Hank, and Linda. Hank and Linda were in the water, hanging onto the tree. Mike’s canoe was wrapped around the base of 71
A regatta is an organized event and often attracts public interest. There will be more boat traffic in the area of the regatta, and there will likely be observers on shore as well. When travelling in an area where there is a regatta, always wait for an escort boat to guide you through safely. If the event doesn’t provide escort boats, proceed at a safe, no wake speed and don’t cut through the event. Any race or regatta requires a permit issued by New York State Parks, New York State DEC or the US Coast Guard. The permitting agency needs to estimate the level of boater participation and the number of spectators. Before issuing a permit, New York State Parks, DEC, or the US Coast Guard will consider:
How many safety patrols will the event require? Will a portion of the waterway be shut down? How will other boaters transit that area? Are there laws that may have to be suspended? If
so, what laws? day?
Will the event create noise? If so, at what time of Is the event near an area that is a preserve or where
endangered species may live? If you are organizing a race or regatta, start your paperwork early so that you will receive your permit in time for the event.
http://www.americancanoe.org/
http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/boating/documents/RegattaPermitApplication.pdf
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook
2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook
Contents
Introduction
Boats and Motors
Registration of Boats
Equipment
Fueling and Ventilation
Safe Loading and Powering
Preparation for Getting Underway
The Marine Environment
Rules of the Road
Boat Operations
Seamanship
Navigation
Personal Watercraft
Boating Related Activities
Accidents and Emergencies
Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter Review Questions Answers
2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook
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