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were comfortable doing a maiden cruise 30 miles off
shore. For me that is unbelievable. In all
fairness to the couple, they seemed like very nice
people and were genuinely embarrassed by their
actions as well as willing to see others learn from
their mistakes. That says a lot for them.
The immediate cause of their
problem was a malfunctioning gas gage. When taking
possession of a new boat it is mandatory that you do
a complete equipment check to make sure everything
works. You should then do a shakedown cruise in
near shore and calm waters. It is a good idea to do
this in the company of another boat in case you have
problems. In a new vessel you should assume you
will have problems first time out. Actually every
boater should have a check list that he goes over
before taking off on a cruise or day trip. When is
the last time you checked the operation of your
bilge pump? This is just one of the items to be
checked before each trip. Leaving shore without the
basic safety and communications gear is just plain
unthinkable. But that is what experienced boaters
do, they don’t stop and think.
The other important point is to
leave a float plan. Fortunately relatives noticed
the boaters hadn’t returned and alerted the Coast
Guard. In the relatively short time they were
adrift the boaters were found 15 miles from where
they ran out of gas. Further out in stronger
currents you can drift far away from your intended
destination. Any time lost in starting a search puts
you farther out of the search pattern. That’s why a
float plan with times and destinations is important.
I urge you experienced boaters
to respect the sea and to not take chances. I
suggest you consider taking a basic boating class as
a refresher and a reminder that there are ways to
minimize risk. Check with your local Power Squadron
at 637-0766 for information on upcoming classes.
Bill Hempel is the Assistant Safety Officer for the
Peace River Power Squadron. You may contact him at
billmarl@comcast.net 
Bill Hempel is the Assistant
Safety Officer for the Peace River Power
Squadron. You may contact him at
Billmarl@comcast.net
or please click here for additional information.
Thank you!
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