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Organization targets
boating safety

Last week, after hearing of the devastating tsunami in South Asia, I proposed that Hawaii's recreational boaters might like to make tsunami planning one of their New Year's resolutions.

Now I've learned the Hawaii Ocean Safety Team is hoping boaters will take it a step further by resolving to make all their boating activities safer.

HOST, as you may already know, is a nonprofit organization of ocean users -- commercial, governmental and recreational -- that promotes safe and pollution-free use of Hawaii's waters.

It does this by providing an open forum at monthly meetings for all those with maritime interests, where they may identify problems and propose solutions, as warranted.

In order to make their program more proactive, HOST has announced the start of a series of seminars designed to increase safety awareness among all recreational boaters.

Calling the series its Offshore Boating Safety Traveling Road Show, HOST believes the seminars will help reduce the number of boat-related accidents in Hawaii's waters.

The first of these "Road Show" seminars will take place at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary conference room in Hawaii Kai.

This free seminar will address safety issues for small powerboat owners and is scheduled from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 22.

The topics at this seminar will cover what these boat owners should know, not only about their vessels and their equipment, but their guests and themselves before they venture offshore.

Having safety equipment aboard, such as fire extinguishers, life jackets, flares and emergency position-indicating radio beacons, just isn't enough. Those on board must know how and when to use them.

With that in mind, the seminar will provide an overview of Coast Guard rescue procedures and on-the-water emergencies, including fire, sinking and man-overboard scenarios.

Because even a well-stocked first-aid kit has limited use to those without some medical knowledge, another topic will offer first-aid tips for boaters.

Boat owners will also learn the importance of having sufficient prescription drugs for both themselves and their guests who may be on medication. And they will also be warned of the inherent dangers of alcohol and drug abuse while boating.

Basic navigation and the "Rules of the Road" will also be topics. If the terms "rule of gross tonnage, rule of good seamanship, and the General Prudential Rule" aren't familiar, this may be a reason to attend.

Other topics will include Security Zones, environmental concerns, marine mammal safety issues and why, when and where to file a float plan before leaving the dock.

Registration for this seminar will be limited to the first 60 people, due to seating limitations. For more information, contact Carey Morishige at 397-2651, ext. 258, or by e-mail at carey.morishige@noaa.gov.

Future Boating Safety Road Show seminars will be listed on the HOST Web site: hosthawaii.org.