prepare for boating emergencies or actually engage in behaviors that put themselves at greater risk than those who
BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT:
see themselves primarily as boaters. For safety’s sake, be a boater first. Complete a pre-departure checklist prior to launch to make certain your boat is in good
• Consider taking a boating safety course, as well as a first aid and CPR course.
working order and has all the necessary safety equipment on board. Let others know where you’ll be hunting, your boat’s
• Check the capacity plate (if affixed to the hull) or
description, and when you expect to return. Be sure to wear a
calculate the maximum load to make sure you don’t
U.S. Coast Guard-approved float coat/jacket or life vest at all
overload the boat with passengers, dogs and gear.
times (available in camouflage).
• Make sure your boat has enough fuel and is in good operating condition for winter weather. Be sure you have the required safety equipment on board, including flares or other visual distress signals, and that your navigation lights are in working order. • Check the weather forecast, bearing in mind that conditions can change quickly. • Dress in layers and wear good quality, non-slip footwear with socks. • File a float plan. Tell a friend, family member or someone at the marina exactly where you are going, who is hunting with you, and when you plan to
Camouflaged life vests for hunters and float coats for retrievers come in different styles and degrees of buoyancy. Hunters can float test both under controlled conditions to get an idea of their effectiveness in the field and during an emergency situation.
return. Don’t stray from the plan, and if you do, alert the person holding your float plan. • Carry a VHF-FM marine band radio. Use your mobile phone only as backup and put it in a
Because there are fewer people out on the water in the fall/
waterproof container designed for cell phones.
winter, hunting with a friend is especially important. If you are injured or fall in the water, having one or two other people
• Take along a well-stocked first-aid kit.
along means someone can either help you back in the boat or
• Pack a basic survival kit, including blankets,
call for assistance.
matches, disposable lighter, a dry change of
Remember to carry a first aid kit and an on-board emergency
clothing, some dense-calorie food and warm
kit that includes a dry change of clothes; calorie-dense
beverages like coffee or cocoa in a waterproof bag.
snack food; fresh water; a thermos of coffee, cocoa, or other
Do not drink alcohol while boating. It can impair
warm beverage; duct tape; a waterproof portable flashlight with extra batteries; flares and matches. Stow these items in a waterproof bag to protect them from the elements. Also,
your judgment and may speed up hypothermia should you fall in the water. Note that in many states
remember to stay away from alcohol when you’re out on the
drinking alcohol while hunting is against the law.
water. In many states, hunting with fi rearms and drinking
• Make sure you have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved
alcoholic beverages is against the law. It also hastens the onset of hypothermia if you fall overboard.
life jacket of correct size and type for you and every passenger. While on the water, make sure they are
Depending on where you hunt, you may want to carry a
worn, not just stowed. Consider adding flotation for
mobile phone, but only as a backup to a VHF-FM marine
your dogs.
radio. In outlying areas, mobile phones frequently lose signal and in any case are unidirectional, meaning only one person
• Invite a friend. Boating with at least one additional
receives the phone call compared to many who may hear a
person means that if someone is injured or falls
VHF-FM radio distress call. Consider adding an Emergency
in the water, the other can summon assistance or
Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or other emergency
help them back into the boat.
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