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Water Ways Ray Pendleton |
Safety class could help
avoid damagesBY now it's likely most recreational boaters here consider themselves something of an endangered species.
Annual Coast Guard statistics routinely show that Hawaii has far fewer registered boats than any other state.
On the other hand, those same boaters may not be aware that according to additional data, Hawaii's boat operators are apparently unsafe. From 2002, the most recent year these statistics are available, the Coast Guard reports Hawaii had 15,445 boats registered, compared to Wyoming, the next closest, with 28,322.
And yet, Hawaii reported that year's total boating property damage at $220,800, compared to a paltry $50,407 reported in Wyoming. With about half the number of boats we were able to amass more than four times as much property damage.
As National Boating Safety Week kicks off this weekend, maybe it's time for all our boaters and boating wannabes to look into learning how to be safer on the water.
One way to begin might be to head out to the Ko Olina Marina this weekend for its annual Boat Show and Ocean Expo. It opens at 10 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, and best of all, it's free.
Along with all of the new boats, products and activities, there will be representatives from the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power Squadron who can provide the latest information on boating safety and recent port security measures.
You might even consider signing up for one of their boating safety classes if you haven't already taken one.
The Honolulu Sail and Power Squadron has just announced its latest "Boat Smart" course -- for teenagers and up -- will be held at the Waikiki Yacht Club on two Saturday mornings next month: June 5 and 19.
The course involves both classroom lectures and home-study lessons, and it covers all of the basics, beginning with boating terminology and design. Proper boat handling for sail and power, including instruction in casting off, turning, stopping, boating courtesies, anchoring, docking and even knot-tying, is also discussed.
Next, instructors demonstrate the proper methods of chart-reading and using a mariner's compass, which is then followed by instruction on tides and currents and the aids to navigation, such as buoys and range-markers.
Normal and emergency communications using marine VHF radios and emergency position-indicating radio beacons are also demonstrated. Finally, the laws that apply to boaters -- international, federal and state -- are taught, including those dealing with fire safety, pollution and homeland security.
Once they've completed this initial course, students are encouraged to join the Squadron, which then allows them to take over a dozen other boating-related courses, ranging from boat-handling to weather and navigation.
Like the boat show in Ko Olina, this boating safety course is free, except for a nominal $25 charge for the instruction materials. And because insurance companies often give discounts to boaters who have passed the course, even that charge may eventually be recouped.
One word of warning though, the classroom at the WYC is not large, so the Squadron's course is limited to the first 20 people who sign up. I would recommend calling 846-9000 very soon if you want to ensure your place for this session.
Even though a rise in the number of Hawaii's registered boats doesn't seem likely, surely we can bring down our state's boating property damage statistics.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Ray Pendleton is a free-lance writer based in Honolulu.
His column runs Saturdays in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at raypendleton@mac.com.