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..

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.