It all adds up for lots of potential fun and fellowship with friends and family. Don’t forget to keep safety in the forefront of your mind. Safety for yourself, family friends and others. Slow down, look twice, be patient, don’t drink and drive – all those terms come to mind!

Enjoy your weekend, be safe and here’s to another fun filled summer in the books. Best part about summer ending – football starts!!

www.harrellandharrell.com

Two of the more shocking statistics are the fact that nearly 75 percent of of the 736 deaths from boating accidents were as a result of drowning and 84 percent of those victims were not wearing a life preserver. The other shocking statistic is that 86 percent of boat operators involved in an accident had not received any boat safety instruction. According to Admiral Kevin Cook “the two most important things boaters can do to prevent the loss of life is to wear a life jacket and take a boater’s education course.”

Would you ride in a car with someone that had never driven before? Better yet, how about fly with a pilot that has never soloed or taken flying lessons? I’m guessing MOST of you would say no.

You can’t just park the boat when bad weather rolls in and wait for it to clear like parking on the side of the highway in your car. Also, if you haven’t noticed your boat or personal watercraft doesn’t have any brakes.

Check into a local boat safety course and if you have any question about your own swimming ability or your passengers ability – please wear a life jacket. They are much more comfortable and less bulky than the old orange pull over your head life jackets our parents wore.

Happy and Safe Boating!!

• Check the weather forecast – it is Florida and you know what that means
• Review a safety checklist before leaving the dock or launching your boat
• USE COMMON SENSE at all times
• Designate a second person in charge to pilot your boat back to safety
• File a float plan so someone else know what you are up to
• Make sure everyone has a proper fitting life-jacket and that they know where they are stored.
• Get a free vessel safety check
• Avoid alcohol – don’t drink and drive
• Learn to swim or find out who on the boat cannot swim – they should don a life-jacket
• Check into a boating safety course even if only to refresh what you already know

The new law requires Florida boaters born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 to take and pass a state approved boating education course in order to pilot any vessel with 10 or more horsepower. The new law also applies to non-Florida residents with a few exceptions like those with a USCG Master’s license.

More and more people will be affected every year since it is tied to a specific date and not an age. Being an avid boater all my life, I believe this will go a long way towards improving boating safety. It won’t end all the boat accidents out on the water but I have to believe that if more people understood the basic right of way rules – we would all be better off. Driving a boat is not like driving a car and some people shouldn’t even be driving  a car. Biggest difference is that boats don’t have brakes.

Let’s be safe out there on the water and don’t forget all your required safety equipment. If you can’t swim, wear a USCG approved life vest.