Cold Water Dangers

Even though it is summer and the water is warm in Texas doesn't make it so everywhere. I just read a story from the Coast Guard News about a young man who fell out of his Kayak in Lake superior and has died. Apparently the water temperature is only 49 degrees there still and that is definitely cold enough to get hypothermia.
A couple of things that stood out about the story he had on a blue life vest.. as they stated this makes visibility harder because you blend in.
He had a wetsuit but it was half way on... He did not put it on before starting out on the trip, it is almost impossible to grip anything once your fingers get cold. There is no way to finish getting the wet suit on.
No strobe light and the article doesn't mention if he had a whistle but you need one on your vest.

Whether it is cold water or warm you need a brightly colored PFD. Outfit the PFD with a strobe light and a whistle. For added safety get a small and portable PLB (personal locator beacon).
If it is a cold water situation dress appropriately from the beginning.
Make sure you don't go alone, unfortunately his friends lost site of him.
File a float plan, just tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
Be safe and have fun.

A great strobe light for your PFD is the ACR Auto-Hemilight 2

Of course if you need any help with safety gear we are here to assist you.

Spring Boating ... Be Safe In the Water Too

Spring is here and well every where else in the country too, though I am sure those of you having snow still have not started boating..
If you have a boat then you should have your safety needs in mind.. Did you follow our Spring Safety Check List Posts  , if not you can click the link and read them.

Triad Marine reminds you to be safe while boating this Spring and Summer as well as anytime of the year, but today I want to talk about safety when playing in and around the water.
Remember the ocean and rivers have currents even if they look slow moving or still, water can always be in motion.
Never swim alone.. it is just bad practice anything can happen. Take flotation devices with you and your swim partner, the best ones are worn and the worst one is the one you left at home. Keep watch over your swim buddy at all times. If you are in a moving body of water wear the life vest... Weak swimmers should wear one at all times and strong swimmers should consider it.
Keep in mind the temperature of the water can affect your ability to swim...
Watch for the weather to change, when the wind picks up so do currents and that is when people get swept away.
Drowning can happen with no warning signs, most victims of drowning never make a sound or thrash like you see on TV or would imagine.

From This Article by Mario Vittone you can read about most drowning cases and how they really look

1. Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
2. Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
3. Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
4. Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
5. From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

Be safe my friends and at Triad Marine we believe marine safety encompasses a lot more that just boating.

A comfortable solution to Traditional PFDs is the belt pack..

PFD Talk - Spring Safety Check List for Leisure Boating

I would like to talk about PFDs (personal flotation devices), they are required for all boaters by the USCG. With Spring approaching it is a good idea to start checking all of your boating safety gear, my suggestion is start with you PFDs. Inspect each one for rips, tears, holes and frays at the seams. Check all straps and hardware for damage, check the buoyant materials for shrinkage and damage, and finally put it on and check to ensure it still properly fits from last boating season.

The USCG recreational boating requirements for PFDs are different than commercial vessel requirements and are the same across the board for children. All children must be wearing a PFD while on the boat.
Bellow are the rules for recreational boaters in our home state of Texas. Always check your state's laws about boating, also remember to check out boating rules if you will be traveling and boating as they may not be the same.

Texas PFD Requirements

• Children under 13 years of age in motorboats under 26 feet must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD while underway.
• All vessels under 16 feet (including canoes and kayaks) must be equipped with one Type I, II, III or V for each person on board.
• Vessels 16 feet and longer, in addition to the Type I, II, III or V for each person on board, must have one Type IV which must be readily accessible. Canoes and kayaks over 16 feet are exempt from the Type IV requirement.

So now we can talk about leisure boating and PFDs the USCG has a great informational page on PFDs you can CLICK HERE to visit. They have advice on how to choose a properly fitting PFD, checking them, caring for them and great information about cold water survival all in one place. There is a whole section that describes each "Type" of  PFD for Example a Type I is Best for all waters, open ocean, rough seas, or remote water, where rescue may be slow coming.  Abandon-ship life jacket for commercial vessels and all vessels carrying passengers for hire.

Type I PFD

Besides the USCG Type given to the PFD there are a couple of styles of PFD traditional inherently buoyant and Inflatable. Both styles have a Type given to them and can be identified at the time of purchase.
Inflatable PFDs are not for use by persons under age 16 as they may not be able to fully understand their operation. This means someone under age 16 will likely not understand how to manually activate the inflatable PFD if the auto activation should fail.

Mustang Inflatable PFD MD3184

Revere Comfortmax Plus Inflatable PFD

Revere general boating inherently buoyant PFD

The best PFD is always one they you are wearing and fits properly. This gives inflatable PFDs the advantage because they are more comfortable. For leisure boating in Texas carrying a life jacket of the proper type meets the requirements but will not save your life if you go overboard without it.
Many inflatable PFDs have 34-35 pounds of buoyancy where most standard non-inflatable PFDs only provide between 15.5 and 22 pounds of buoyancy depending on the type.

I would like to introduce you to the Mustang Survival MD0450 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT (Life-saving Inflatable Flotation Technology) This vest features Auto Hydrostatic Activation and has 40 pounds of Buoyancy when inflated. This is a high quality inflatable PFD designed to meet the needs of offshore boating. You can purchase high quality Mustang Survival products from Triad Marine.

Spring is around the corner and as we prepare the boats for another season of fun we need to make sure we are checking the boat's safety equipment. Check your PFDs and replace damaged ones. Consider purchasing at least one new safety item every Spring to accompany the current safety gear. There is always room for a PFD you will wear on every boat.

Please feel free to contact us if you need help choosing a PFD or any safety equipment for your boat. Also remember regulations and laws change from time to time so it is a good idea to check each Spring to make sure you are in compliance.
Happy and Safe Boating!

Small Craft Safety Equipment

Every boat needs safety equipment... From the smallest aluminum boat to the biggest commercial tankers you need the right safety gear. The size of the vessel and the waterways you use can be a factor in choosing the minimum safety gear.
On a small craft the number one essential piece of equipment is a life vest for every single person on board! This is a no exception to the rule piece of safety gear no matter the size of the vessel but in small craft it is often the only safety gear. Make sure they are working properly and all of the straps are in good shape.
To supplement your life vest you can add a strobe to the vest that will go off should you fall over board and end up in the water. You may also consider a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) not to be confused with a messenger device like SPOT which also has a place and a purpose. My advice with SPOT is be sure you pay your subscription fees and double check your batteries.
If you have a small craft over 20 feet you may want to consider a small life raft such as a Revere Coastal Compact, it is light weight and only a single buoyancy tube but will get you out of the water if you capsize. You may accompany the life raft with a small ditch bag.
Pick a safety package based on where you will be in your small craft. Consider the possibility that your boat could capsize, consider the possibility they there may not be anyone else around if you go off course, and remember to consider the fact that cell phone batteries die and most all cell phones are not water proof.
I feel compelled to talk about small craft safety today based on a couple of recent stories in Texas.
Safety gear is no guarantee that you will come out of the situation alive and well but, you have to arm yourself with the best possible equipment to have the best chance at survival.

Coast Guard Rescues 2 After Boat Capsizes in San Antonio Bay Near Port Lavaca

And this story
Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Fisherman in Galveston Bay

Here is my small craft Safety Equipment Package Idea

This package includes:

*Revere Coastal Compact 4 Life Raft with Canopy

*Revere Survivor Ditch Bag

*4 Revere Comfort Man Inflatable PFDs Auto Activation

*1 USCG/SOLAS Hand Flare

*2 USCG/SOLAS Parachute Flares

* Revere Day Pak Plus First Aid Kit

* Revere Hear Me Whistle

* Revere See Me Strobe

* McMurdo Fastfind 210 PLB

Remember we can customize a package for you!

Colder Weather Means More Boating Risks

As the cooler temperatures make their way south to the Houston area we find increased risks with boating...Should you fall over board and remain in the water very long you are at increased risk for hypothermia. Hypothermia is actually defined as any time the core body temperature falls below 95* F. Taking extra precautions in cooler temperatures is the key to avoiding a tragic outcome.  On Friday December 2, 2010 we had a shrimp boat capsize in our waters and 3 of the 4 men were rescued clinging to debris, sadly they have to be treated for hypothermia which leaves a grim reality that the 4th person in the water probably has hypothermia as well leaving them at greater risk of drowning. He has still not been located and the Coast Guard suspended it's search for him. You can read the full story here.

Make sure there is a working PFD for each person aboard and make sure they are wearing it. By having the life vest on you give yourself an advantage should you fall over board. Once you fall into the cold water if you begin to lose dexterity and function you will not be able to swim to keep your head above water a PFD is designed to help you stay afloat. Wearing it is the only way to be sure it will work.

With that being said there are some things that can make your journeys on the water safer and help protect you against hypothermia. The first thing you need is a life raft this will help get you our of the water if your boat were to capsize or sink. even if you go into the water and become wet and cold you can increase your chances by having a way to get out of the water. Pack some extra isothermal blankets in your ditch bag and use them to attempt to stay warm once you are in the life raft. Purchase an EPIRB or PLB or both and keep the PLB with you. The sooner they can find you the better chance you have of recovering fully from hypothermia.

If you plan on making overnight trips in cold weather you may want to consider an immersion suit for each crew member. The immersion suits are designed to help you stay warm, they will make a big difference in how quickly your body begins to go through the stages of hypothermia.

As always file a float plan, check dates on safety gear, check all components of the boat, and be prepared for the worst conditions and you will always have a more enjoyable boating experience.
There are a lot of ditch bag items that can help one survive and if you need help choosing these items we will be happy to sit down and help you. We can also provide you with more information on PFDs, PLBs, EPIRBs, and Life Rafts.

Survival Times in Cold Water Without Protective Clothing

Water Temperature		Loss of Dexterity	Exhaustion or	Expected Time of
Degrees C	Degrees F	with no protective clothing	Unconsciousness	Survival
0.3	32.5	Under 2 min.	Under 15 min.	Under 15 to 45 min.
0.3 to 4.5	32.5 - 40	Under 3 min.	15 to 30 min.	30 to 90 min.
4.5 to 10	40 - 50	Under 5 min.	30 to 60 min.	1 to 3 hrs.
10 to 15.5	50 - 60	10 to 15 min.	1 to 2 hrs.	1 to 6 hrs.
15.5 to 21	60 - 70	30 to 40 min.	2 to 7 hrs.	2 to 40 hrs.
21 to 26.5	70 - 80	1 to 2 hrs.	2 to 12 hrs.	3 hrs. to indefinite
Over 26.5	Over 80	2 to 12 hrs.	Indefinite	Indefinite

The above table is simply a reference, remember each person's body reacts differently and one may become colder more quickly if they suffer from certain illnesses or if they take blood thinning medications.

Comfort and Safety thats what I am talking about

In the pictures you will see the inflatable PFD in real action at the Zodiac Maritime Academy hosted by Triad Marine and Zodiac of North America. You also see one of our employees demonstrating how the inflatable PFD does not get in the way of driving the boat. The other pictures are taken from the actual product lines we carry. Mustang Survival and Revere, both companies offer a variety of the inflatable PFDs ...one to meet the needs of every boater, fisherman, law enforcement officer, USCG personnel and even your children. Be sure to scroll to the bottom to check out both manufacturer's web pages.

When it comes to safety on the water a life jacket is a MUST. We are truly fans of the inflatable PFD (personal flotation device). The inflatable PFDs are light weight and comfortable. They actually fit like suspenders and you hardly notice you are wearing them. This makes them great no mater what type of boating you are into. They give you freedom to move as well as peace of mind.

There is more than one manufacturer of the inflatable PFDs and they have more than one type. Understanding your boating needs is the best place to start in choosing the right vest. The come with and without a harness and they are available with automatic inflation or manual inflation. You may combine the choices in ways that best suit you.

We represent two manufacturers of the inflatable PFDs and both companies have great reputations. There are cost effective solutions and there are solutions for even the pickiest of standards. We are certain that if you tried one of the inflatable PFDs you would never go back to a standard life vest again. Just having the maneuverability and comfort is worth the price. There are rearm kits available for all models. You may want to check out these websites to see some awesome choices.

http://www.mustangsurvival.com/

or

http://www.reveresupply.com/

Take time to think safety first and as always if you have any questions or need pricing you may reach us sales@triadmarine.com or http://www.triadmarine.com/
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Please leave us comments and I will be certain I reply. We love our boating community and work closely with swift water rescue groups to insure our community is safe,