Commander…Ahoy!
By Paul Bolden, Auxiliary Commander of the 9th Coast Guard District, Central Region, Div. 16
Never Take It For Granted…
Never take it for granted that the other boater knows what he’s doing! A head on boating collision in Georgia last week that killed four and injured others illustrates the importance of situational awareness. In the state of Ohio most boaters are not require to have any boater education before getting behind the helm of a vessel. Add to that the possibility of intoxication and you have a recipe for disaster. Enjoy your time on the water but never be so relaxed that you are unaware of the traffic around you.
Sea State
As of this writing, the water temperature off Port Clinton is 67.3°F. Area water temperatures are expected to rise to 69.1°F in the next 10 days.
How To Pass A Vessel Inspection Parts 2 &3
I hope that part 1 of “How To Pass A Vessel Inspection” in last month’s Gazette was helpful to PIB residents and visitors to our waters. With more and more boaters coming in to the area of the islands, boater education is an essential part of safe boating. Having your vessel inspected by the Coast Guard Auxiliary is a critical part of that preparedness.
PART 2: will assist PIB residents in understanding and passing a vessel inspection (VSC). Please remember that Vessel Safety Checks performed by the Coast Guard Auxiliary ARE NOT a law enforcement action and you WILL NOT be cited if your vessel should happen to fail. Rather, these courtesy checks give you an opportunity to correct any issues or violations in advance of being stopped and perhaps fined by the Coast Guard while you are underway.
1) Pollution Placard. Lake Erie as well as all Great Lakes are federally controlled waters and boaters are subject to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.. If your vessel is 26’ and over, you are required to have a Discharge of Oil Placard affixed in a conspicuous place in the machinery or bilge pump area of your vessel. The discharge of oil or oily waste into any navigable waters of the U.S. are strictly prohibited by law.
2) Marpol Trash Placard. Let’s make this one simple! Don’t throw any waste overboard okay! Vessels 26’ or greater are required to have a Trash Placard on display. Usual places to affix the placard are in the galley or head, etc. Vessels 40’ and over must additionally have a written trash disposal plan onboard.
3) Marine Sanitation Devices. On Lake Erie you are prohibited from discharging waste into the water. If your vessel has a porta potty you are okay in that you will remove the unit for emptying once ashore or at a pump out station. If you have a flush toilet that empties into a holding tank that is a closed system and can not be discharged overboard you are okay as well. Here’s where it gets a little tricky. If your vessel’s head has or has had the capability of discharging waste overboard, that feature must be disabled. This is too complicated to fully discuss in this article. I would strongly advise that you contact the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and have a vessel examiner do an inspection to assure that you are in compliance with federal law. Islanders can have this inspection performed free of charge. Call 614-848-4544.
4) Navigation Rules. Boats 39.4’ and over must have a current copy of the navigation rules on board.
5) State Requirements. Pick up a copy of “Ohio Boat Operators Guide.” Contact the USCG Auxiliary or the Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
6) Overall Vessel Condition. Your vessel must be free from fire hazards, in good overall condition, with bilges reasonably clean and visible hull structure generally sound. The engine horsepower must not exceed that shown on the capacity plate. The electrical system must be protected by fuses or manual reset circuit breakers. Switches and fuse panels must be protected from rain or water spray. Wiring must be in good condition, properly installed and with no exposed areas or deteriorated insulation. Batteries must be secured and terminals covered to prevent accidental arcing. If installed, self-circling or kill switch mechanisms must be in proper working order. Portable fuel tanks (normally 7 gallon capacity or less) must be constructed of non-breakable material and free of corrosion and leaks. All vents must be capable of being closed. The tank must be secured and have a vapor-tight, leak-proof cap. Each permanent fuel tank must be properly ventilated. System and fuel tanks must be properly secured with no flammable materials nearby.
PART 3: Several of the following items are optional but your compliance is strongly recommended.
1) Marine Radio: If you have one on board, you are required to have it on at all times while underway. Some radios will automatically monitor channels 9 and 16. Become familiar with its operation. The emergency channel is 16.
2) Dewatering Device: Keep a device on board such as a manual bilge pump or bucket for bailing in the event that your vessel should begin to take on water.
3) Mount All Fire Extinguishers: This allows for easy access when needed.
4) Anchor and Line: Maintain 100’ of line for your anchor. Regularly inspect its condition.
5) First Aid Kit: Keep one on board.
6) Ohio Accident Reporting Procedures: You are responsible for reporting any accidents that you are involved in to the U.S. Coast Guard or the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as follows:
• Loss of life or disappearance from a vessel; OR
• An injury that requires treatment beyond first aid; OR
• Combined damage in excess of $500; OR
• Complete loss of vessel.
Reports must be submitted within 48 hours for injuries or death. For other cases reports must be submitted within 10 days. There are additional Federal reporting requirements. BEST ADVICE is to take a Coast Guard Auxiliary safe boating class. It is the responsibility of the boater to fully understand all laws governing the operation a their vessel while boating on state and federal waters!
7) Nautical Charts: Keep them on board and know how to read them. We have spoken on the importance of this several times in pass articles.
8) Float Plan: We have spoken on this in the past as well. A float plan simply informs someone onshore where you are boating, who is on board, when you are expected back and a description of your vessel including registration (OH) numbers. This information can be given to authorities should you go missing.
This concludes our three part series on Vessel Safety Checks. I’ve let you in on all the secrets! So what’s next?
Your best course of action in making sure that your vessel is compliant with all the aforementioned is to schedule a free Vessel Safety Check with the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Vessel Safety Checks (VSC) conducted by the USCG Auxiliary ARE NOT a law enforcement action! No one will be cited for not passing this voluntary inspection. Rather, this gives you an opportunity to correct problems that might lead to heavy fines should you be boarded later and various infractions remain uncorrected.
For information about serving in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, taking a Safe Boating Class or receiving a Vessel Safety Check. Scan the appropriate QR Code.
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please click here.
