Coast Guard reminds boaters to be safe during spring weather

NEW YORK -- The Coast Guard wants to remind recreational boaters to be safe on the water this weekend in the New York area.

With temperatures forecasted in the 70’s, the water temperature will still remain around 50 degrees, which can cause hypothermia even after short durations of exposure.

Life jackets save lives, it’s the most important item to have aboard and children younger than 12 should wear their life jackets at all times.

An important recommendation is to ensure your boat is mechanically sound and watertight. It has probably been months since you last had your boat in the water, and having a mechanical failure in the middle of the New York harbor or Long Island Sound is not the place to find out that there’s a problem.

You need to be able to call for help in an emergency; the Coast Guard recommends your boat be equipped with VHF marine radio, a cell phone and a GPS unit. You can contact the Coast Guard’s command center with an emergency at 718-354-4353, or hail us on channel 16 from your VHF radio.

Also, be sure you have enough fuel, water and food to get you where you want to go and back with a margin for safety.

Make sure your lights are working. After dark or in the fog, those lights can save you from a collision.

Finally, keep clear of the shipping channels, which are clearly marked. They are used by large ocean going ships that simply cannot maneuver rapidly in order to avoid a small pleasure craft. Coast Guard patrols will be out this weekend enforcing Operation Clear Channel, designed to keep the shipping channels clear for large commercial ships.

The rules are clear and simple and are designed so that your recreational boating experience is a safe one. Fishing boats, all sailboats and all small boats (any that are less than 65 feet in length) may not impede the passage of a larger ship that can only safely navigate within the channel.

Additional Safe Boating Information can be found at http://www.uscgboating.org

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