In Washington State, all boaters must complete a NASBLA approved boating safety course in order to operate a vessel powered by an engine greater than 15 hp.

I was surprised by this requirement by the State of Washington, but at the same time happy that the requirement exists. It is not a requirement for boaters (over the age of 18) in the state of Illinois where most of my sailing and boating has occurred over the past 5 years. Nor is it a requirement where I grew up, in the land of 10,000 lakes (state of Minnesota) for people over 17, but it should be. My father made my sister and I take the Minnesota course when we each turned 12 and I’m glad that boater safety was on his mind. Or maybe he just wanted someone to be able to drive him around on the lake. I’m not really sure, but it doesn’t matter.  My sister and I had the foundation for how to conduct ourselves on the water and what the nautical rules of the road were.

Being out on the water as much as I was in Chicago and on Lake Michigan, you see people doing really stupid stuff. It’s hardly a wonder that the Chicago Police boat goes rushing out of DuSable Harbor as much as they do. Every season you hear a tragic story about a fire or downing or some sailboat race is suspended when the coast guard needs to conduct a search and rescue. I’ve had nightmares about being the sailor that comes boat to face with someone who has drown while out on the water. 🙁

I just took the Boat US Foundation’s “WA Boating Safety Course”. It is free. There are also courses for 48 other states (the only one not on the site is Arkansas). I’m also studying for my U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s license and I’m happy that the Washington course is pretty comprehensive and covers the important marine safety items that are also required for the Captain’s License (in less detail). It just doesn’t make sense that all boaters aren’t required to know these things. I have seen many experienced boaters, who have taken similar courses, take chances on the water.  So what does that say about boaters who have never taken a boater safety course?

This summer there was a tragedy on Lake Erie during an overnight sailboat race. A man died. I don’t know all of the facts. I don’t know if any of the crew had ever taken a boater safety course. And I don’t know if he would have died regardless of the actions taken by the crew, but just thinking about what I do know still makes me very angry. I read in several reports that the crew “assumed” he swam for shore after hearing whistles and left him. I would have handled the situation very differently.

The skipper was said to be “very experienced” and the weather was less than ideal. I don’t know if a mayday to the coast guard went out. It should have if it didn’t. I didn’t hear that any other boats took part in searching for the victim. If you are not putting your crew or boat in danger, you are required to offer assistance. If a mayday had been sent out and I was another competitor, I would have dropped sails and assisted. If you know anything about water and what to do if you fall in, you never attempt to swim to shore unless as a very last resort. Even 80-degree water is nearly 20 degrees colder than your core body temperature and you will get hypothermia. I know that I would have continued looking for my crewmember on the water unless a serious danger to the remainder of the crew or boat existed or until the coast guard released me. I would never assume that someone swam (or made it) to shore.

The man’s death was ruled an accident, but that doesn’t mean that the actions taken by the skipper and crew didn’t go completely against everything that I have ever learned about a man-overboard situation (MOB). I try really hard not to be judgmental in general, and I don’t know all of the facts about what happened, but I find it difficult not to be judgmental in this case. I’ve heard that the waves were about 5-6 feet. Yes, that is bigger than is comfortable and is certainly challenging to many sailors. I read that it was a dangerous section of the course. If it was that dangerous, why are amateurs racing there? I would have immediately assigned a crewmember to point to where the crewmember went overboard and never take their eyes off that spot. Even at night. I would have hit the MOB button on my GPS. I would have asked any other boat in the area to help me look. I would have done circles and circles until I either found my crewmate or I was told to stop looking by authorities. I feel that by assuming he swam to shore and leaving, the crew greatly increased the likelihood of this man’s death.

I have done many man-overboard drills. I would say that I probably don’t do them enough. But it has been a while since I owned my own boat, so I don’t get the opportunity very often. I have been on many race boats where we do the required MOB practice for the race, but not the right way. Throwing a cushion into the water on a calm day does not adequately simulate actually getting your crewmate (and probably friend) back into the boat. I’ve only been the skipper for one (kind-of) man-overboard situation. I was under power at the time, the water was warm, the seas were calm (although the wind was coming up) and he jumped off the boat purposely. It wasn’t a planned practice however, it was pretty sudden and I didn’t know he was going to go in. We got him back quickly enough, but it wasn’t as easy as you’d think. All I know is that I don’t ever want to be in the situation like the one on Lake Erie, but if I am, I’m certain I would do things very differently than the skipper of that boat.

Boat US has an excellent article on “How to prepare for a man-overboard“. And a good friend of mine, former sailing coach and all around awesome sailor/teacher, Paul Exner (Modern Geographic) wrote an excellent article for Ocean Navigator called “Improving the odds of Recovery“.

I plan on making these required reading the next time I take friends out on a charter trip.