Boating and Yachting_05.17.2024

Water Hazards

Boating safety tips

All Hands on Deck

Waterskiing club seeks members

Making Waves

The growing appeal of paddleboarding

re you an East Bay resident looking for a way to get connected with boaters and people who love water sports?

The Bay Area Water Ski Club (BAWSC) is a non-profit, non-competitive, recreational water sports club open to everyone from beginners to seasoned veterans, families and singles, boat owners and non-boat owners. Regardless of your ability, whether you are a firsttime or seasoned short-line skier, are looking to perfect that wakeboard flip, or are just eager to try new toys like the Air Chair or Wakeskate.

The emphasis is on fun and enjoyment. You will meet a group of skiers, riders, and other boat owners who share your passion for the water and enjoy getting together in an organization that is geared more towards fun than tournaments. The club promotes a safe

Members of the Bay Area Water Ski Club.

environment that encourages everyone to improve their skills while maximizing enjoyment on the water. Water sports activities generally take place at various locations on the Delta within boating distance of Discovery Bay.

By law, boat owners always need a minimum crew of three, and non-boat owners who want to ski or wakeboard need a means to hook up with boat owners. Thus the club’s objective is networking between boat owners and

non-boat owners who love to play on the water. The club holds events throughout the summer (and winter) as a means to get members socializing so they feel comfortable contacting each other for activities on the water. The club provides members with networking tools such as a member’s roster and Message Board via the club website (www.bawsc.org) as a means to get together to enjoy water sports.

If you are a boat owner, you can connect with water skiers who will treat your boat with respect. No more scurrying around to find one at the last minute. When it is your turn to ski, an approved/ trained substitute driver will take the wheel. After events, volunteers will help clean your boat before you take it home. Beyond gaining a crew, you meet great people whom you can contact to get out on the water almost anytime You can find details on our Website www.bawsc.org, or contact Gwen Cauthren, membership director, at 707-322-8940.

Photo courtesy of Gwen Cauthren

Water safety is no joke with heart racing activities like boating, Jet Skiing and yacht racing. But the Discovery Bay Marina officials have a few tips for how to stay safe on the water this summer.

All hands on deck should be prepared and aware of what to do in case of a water emergency. The owner and founder of Pacific Coast Water Rescue, Captain John Garza, teachers water safety at the Discovery Bay Marina.

“I’ve worked on the bay for 35 years,” Garza said. “I’ve seen 40 cases of water accidents, and in each case the common denominators are no vest, no lanyard and drinking.”

Garza offered a list of ideas to help prevent water accidents for this summer season.

Verify your California Boater Card

In California, an active and valid California Boater Card is required for anyone operating a boat with a motor of 15 horsepower or more and older than 16 years.

Safety is important out on the water, and keeping boat equipment up to date is important for a safe and stress-free journey, boating safety experts say.

The state requires anyone and everyone operating a vessel to have a California Boater Card, which can be obtained with a certification from the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and by passing the state-approved boater safety education exam.

owners.

Boat safety is one of Garza’s priorities at the Discovery Bay Marina, so he helps ensure that boats are equipped with the necessary equipment and safety measures, and also offers boat training for vessel

“They get trained on how to operate their boat, check their boat and operate the required safety gear,” Garza said. “They take a 60-question, written tests that

KATELYN MARANO

Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock

we instruct them on from Powerpoints and then we give them hands-on instruction on dealing with things like if somebody is overboard and how to get them in.”

Renew and post your Mussel Sticker

Along with a certified and up-todate boating license, boats are also required to have an identifiable and registered mussel sticker.

In California, it is required that freshwater boats cruising bodies of water, such as rivers and reservoirs, have the DMV mussel sticker. The sticker can be purchased online and requested through the DMV.

Captain Frank Morgan said that a common mistake boat owners make on their first cruise of the season is not having an updated and posted mussel sticker, which is proof that payment was made to help prevent Quagga and Zebra Mussel infestation. Mussel stickers are a requirement for all water vessels, including Jet Skis, as a way to protect the water.

“It is easily spotted if you don’t have one,” Morgan said. “There are mussels in different bodies of water that can be invasive to other places. So, they have inspectors to check that they aren’t stuck on your boat.”

Hooked lanyard

A lanyard is often known as the captain’s safety lanyard and is used to ensure that if the operator of a vessel is thrown overboard that the engine will shut off.

The rules for helming a boat are meant to keep the excursion fun. There are a lot of rules to orchestrating a boat, but they are meant to ensure that safe fun is made. Garza said that although people wear their lanyards, if they aren’t connected accidents happen.

“A crew that I trained got there and the boat was spinning three people in the water and the guy they saved still had his Lanyard on, but it wasn’t attached to the boat,” Garza said. “If he would have had the Lanyard connected, the boat would have stopped when it hit something.”

Garza said this is one of the most common mistakes sailors make when hoisting sail. Remembering just one simple step could save lives.

Have accessible safety equipment

The most important part of any water voyage is being prepared for any kind of wave. The best way to be prepared is to have easy access to safety equipment like life vests, fire hydrants, anchor lines and navigation lights.

Life jackets save lives. Make sure you and all passengers have a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket onboard and always wear it while on the

water. Life jackets are the most effective means of preventing drowning in the event of an emergency. Kids younger than 13 years old on a moving vessel must wear one.

Being prepared doesn’t mean just having these items on board, but having them easily accessible, up to date and annually checked.

“A lot of people don’t check fire hydrants and they should be checked every year, “Morgan said. “Make sure that they’re current and that people aren’t just saying they have a fire hydrant on board, but they have one that’s actually within the specifications.”

Along with having a fire hydrant close by, boat owners and sailors should also ensure they are double checking other equipment, such as flares, that can often be overlooked, Morgan said.

“A lot of bigger vessels have signaling devices, which a lot of times are flares,” Morgan said. “A lot of times people turn in their flares 55 years later and they’re out of date. So they should look at the names and dates of their flares and signaling devices to make sure those are currently not out of date.”

Safety is important out on the water, and keeping boat equipment up to date is important for a safe and stress-free journey, boating safety experts say.

No drinking and sailing

Boating and DUI laws may not seem alike, but they do have some aspects in common in what is legal in regard to drinking and sailing.

The legal blood alcohol level of boating is the same as driving, a person operating a vessel with a blood level of 0.08% or higher. “It’s always the person drinking that causes an accident on his or her boat,” Garza said. “By far, drinking is the number one denominator of water-based accidents.”

Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not only illegal but also significantly impairs judgment and reaction times. Alcohol is dangerous for passengers too. Intoxication can cause slips, falling overboard, and other dangerous accidents.

Other safety tips include:

♦ Check the weather forecast and be prepared for changing conditions. Sudden storms or rough waters can pose significant dangers. Always have a reliable means of communication onboard to receive weather updates.

♦ Let someone know your boating plans before you depart. File a float plan with a friend or family member detailing your itinerary, expected return time, and contact information. In the event of an emergency, this information can be crucial for rescuers.

– Metro Creative contributed to

gear

Kayaking is a wildly popular paddlesport. Paddlesports offer people unique ways to enjoy nature while getting up close and personal with expansive waterways. Kayaking is remarkably accessible for people of all skill levels and interests.

According to the Outdoor Foundation’s 2019 Special Report on Paddlesports and Safety, kayaking has seen consistently more participation for the last five years. Today, recreational kayaking is the most popular paddlesport, with more than 11 million participants in the United States. And the activity is almost evenly split among men and women (51 percent and 49 percent, respectively).

Many kayakers can enter the water with relatively no instruction in kayaking and take to the sport like a duck to water. Of course, the right gear can make all the difference for both experienced and novice kayakers. Anyone who plans to be a consistent kayaker should probably invest in a kayak of his or her own. The right kayak depends on where kayakers plan to use it. Sea kayaks can sail easily through choppy conditions. Tandem kayaks carry two or

Life jacket

A life jacket is a must when on the water. While kayaks are relatively stable, should a tipover occur a life jacket can keep you afloat and safe until you are able to reboard the kayak.

Kayak racks and carriers

Kayaks can be transported to the water on roof racks that strap on to SUVs and cars. Kayak carts and trailers can help you comfortably move the kayak to the water’s edge or dock, as kayaks can be heavy and cumbersome to move on your own.

Spray skirt

A kayak spray skirt keeps water from splashing up and onto your lap/legs while in the kayak. Staying dry can make kayaking more comfortable in all seasons.

Dry storage

more people and have more storage space. Touring kayaks are designed for longdistance kayakers. Sit-on-top kayaks are ideal for beginners and casual paddlers.

Some additional supplies also can help kayakers get the most out of this rewarding activity.

Paddle

Many kayaks are sold with compatible paddles. However, it is always a good idea to have a spare. Be sure to choose one made from sturdy materials, especially if it will be used in saltwater or brackish water.

Dry bags and containers keep items like a phone, camera and GPS devices dry and secure. These containers are designed to be water-tight when splashed or submerged. Other kayaking supplies include dry shirts, special shoes, hats, and gloves. Coordinated fishing gear can even be purchased for those who want to catch some fish while kayaking.

– Metro Creative

Courtesy of Metro Creative

Kayaking makes for a great day on the water. The right gear helps enthusiasts sail with ease.

The appeal of stand-up paddling

3.5 million Americans participate in standup paddling.

Participation in the sport is split up almost 50-50 by gender (51 percent female, 49 percent male), indicating that stand-up paddling is equally attractive to both men and women.

Recent research from the Physical

Council, a collective effort on the part of eight leading trade associations in sports, fitness and recreation, found that

In addition to serving as a relaxing way to enjoy the beauty of nature, stand-up paddling gets some of its appeal from its relative ease of participating.

The PAC notes that minimal equipment is needed to engage in stand-up paddling,

participants typically spend minimal time and effort preparing for an outing. That makes stand-up paddling an ideal respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and a perfect way to spend some time outdoors for people whose schedules suddenly clear up.

Would-be paddlers who are curious about the availability of places to paddle should know that more than half of all stand-up paddlers travel less than 10 miles to paddle, proving that just about any body of water provides an opportunity to engage

in this activity.

People interested in stand-up paddling, but unwilling to make any significant financial commitment before trying it out, should know that 42 percent of people who do not own paddleboards rent them from local businesses such as on-site rental providers at boathouses or marinas and independent outdoor specialty stores. That makes standup paddling among the more accessible activities for people looking to enjoy the great outdoors this summer and beyond.

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