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.

Swim Safe

Today I will touch on swimming safe because marine safety covers all water activities.
The top 3 rules for swimming safe
Never Swim Alone
Never Swim while intoxicated
Never Swim in unknown remote waters

Swimming alone means you don't have anyone looking out for you. Should you become tired or swallow water the wrong way and the process of drowning begins no one would know.
When you are intoxicated you are impaired and your body reacts differently. Your ability to make good judgements is clouded. Drinking and swimming do not mix for those very reasons.
Swimming somewhere unknown can be an issue because you never know what is under the water. There could be drainage pipes that cause currents or even ones big enough to get sucked into. There could also be dangerous debris, which could injure you causing you to drown.
I touched on swimming safety before and you can read it hear.

Make sure you have flotation devices in case they are needed, provide life jackets for children, and watch out for each other.

We have already had some drowning accidents in our area and I hope there are no more this summer.

National Safe Boating Week Post #4

This week we have been focusing on safe boating for National Safe Boating Week if you missed the first 3 post you can read them

Kick Off Post about PFDs (life vests)

Post #2 About EPIRBs and PLBs

Post #3 about Ditch Bags

Today in Post #4 I am going to write about life rafts which are crucial pieces of life saving gear. Also they are the number one defense against becoming shark food if your boat goes down. All right so that is probably not the nicest thing to say but the point is anything can happen!

If your boat sinks or capsizes how will you get out of the water. Did you know, that in addition to being at risk of injury from floating debris or drowning you are at risk of hypothermia even in warm water.

I know people believe that they have unsinkable boats, so did the owners of the Titanic..Remember how that went down (pun intended). Even if a boat is unsinkable it can still capsize. Attempting to hold on the hull of your capsized boat is hard enough but what if the seas are rough or you are injured then it is nearly impossible.

You need a life raft, as with any piece of equipment it does not guarantee you will survive but it improves your chances greatly. Getting out of the water can be crucial to your survival. 

A life raft is not a set it and forget it item either you need to service the raft as the manufacture instructs. The equipment in the life raft is dated and the CO2 cylinder needs to be checked, as that is what makes it so vital the fast inflation in an emergency.

Life rafts come in several options for person capacity, equipment pack and service intervals so don't be afraid to contact a professional like Triad Marine (us) or another life raft sales and service center. A place that services them as well as sells them will ultimately be more knowledgeable about the contents of the raft and how they work. We even offer people Demonstrations and will go through your raft with you the first time you get it serviced.

Be safe when boating buy the gear you need for the voyages you make. Ask for help in making the choices if you are unsure. Make choices with the worst in mind and the the best is even better.

Remember even the smallest craft like a canoe or kayak needs safety gear, so as the boat grows the list of safety gear should grow with it.