Sailing is a popular activity in the United States. Currently, there are about 13 million registered recreational boats, which means the waterways see a lot of action when the conditions are right. However, while sailing can be a great way to relax and have fun, there are certain risks associated with it.
According to a report published by Statista Research Department, over 2,000 people sustained injuries and 636 people died due to boating accidents in 2022. To avoid accidents, sailors must practice and enforce certain safety precautions on their vessels. These precautions include the use of safety jackets at all times.
About 80 percent of the deaths caused by boating accidents in 2022 happened through drowning, and 83 percent of all drownings happened because the victims weren’t wearing life jackets. Therefore, sailors must insist that all crew members and passengers wear life vests at all times while sailing. Sailors should also ensure that each passenger properly fits their vest before setting sail, especially when sailing with children onboard; they can also provide life belts to further secure passengers when there are strong winds.
Another important safety precaution is to avoid drinking before sailing and to prevent people from bringing alcohol and other intoxicants aboard the boat. Alcohol consumption contributes to about 15 percent of all fatalities that occur during boating accidents annually. In situations where people wish to drink while sailing, there should be a designated skipper who will remain sober throughout the trip to sail the boat and watch over others.
Sailors must properly maintain their vessels to prevent mechanical issues that could leave them stranded in dangerous conditions. Boats are complex machines, and they contain various equipment and technologies that must be regularly checked out by trained personnel to ensure they are working properly. For people who wish to have their vessels examined, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and US Power Squadrons offer free safety checks of boats and sailing equipment.
In addition, since boats work with internal combustion engines, which produce a harmful gas known as carbon monoxide, sailors should ensure they have a carbon monoxide detector on their vessel to detect leaks. This is important because carbon monoxide cannot be detected by smell, sight, or taste, and a leak could cause serious sickness aboard a boat and even kill within minutes.
It's also important for sailors to check the weather forecast for their sailing route and destination before they set off. This is because the weather can change drastically, and being caught in bad weather or a storm can lead to serious boating accidents. Also, sailors should always file a sail plan and inform somebody ashore of their sailing plans. This helps to keep the Coast Guard informed of their likely location in case they become stranded while sailing or experience accidents due to weather conditions or other factors.
Finally, sailors should take care to wear the right clothing and footwear. This means wearing light, waterproof clothes, in order to avoid being weighed down by wet clothes if they become submerged or get drenched by rainfall. Clothing must also be sufficient to prevent sailors from getting sunburned if they stay too long at sea.
