BOATING TIPS -- MAY, 1997
Coast Guard Boarding Statistics

Joe Coons

Some interesting data came across my desk recently, a recap of the Coast Guard boarding statistics for fiscal year 1994. Here in the Puget Sound region, there were 1,804 boardings, of which 1,684 were on recreational vessels, only 120 were on commercial vessels.

On the recreational boats, 1079 (64%) had no violations; 292 (17%) got minor warnings; 83 (5%) got district warning letters, and 230 (14%) had more serious violations.

Of the commercial boardings, only 46 (38%) had no violations, while 65 (54%) had the more serious violations.

One conclusion might be that almost two-thirds of recreational boaters have no safety or compliance problem, while almost the same percentage of commercial boats do! But the fact is, the commercial boats are scored on a lot more things, including a much more rigorous set of safety equipment and lighting requirements.

And another undeniable fact is that over one-third of all the pleasure boats boarded WERE deficient! This clearly means that one-third of all pleasure boaters boarded that year were, to some extent at least, at risk.

There is an easy way to check yourself and your boat out, and I would certainly hope that you do this every year: Get a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Courtesy Inspection. It costs nothing, it will remind you of what you need to do, and with the "inspection decal" on your window, it's less likely you'll ever have an unpleasant encounter with the guys in the boat with the orange stripe on the bow.

Have a great opening Day! And don't forget to stop by C-17-West and see the re-done Skylark II. We'll be there until shortly after the parade . . .

And please, boat safely this boating season!

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Last updated 8/20/97 by SCR