Greg Fonzeno

How to Avoid Boating Collisions, Part 3

BY GREG FONZENO

We’ve looked at the issue of collisions between boats. Let’s now look at another type of collision: running aground. An adage says there are only two kinds of boaters — those who have run aground and those who will. There are ways to prevent going aground and ways to recover.

Pay attention to the environment — lake levels and where the shallow areas and protrusions, such as trees and rocks, are located. Ask other boaters what they’ve found, and mark your lake map accordingly. When you discover danger areas, mark them, and report your observations to your marina and fellow boaters.

If you don’t have a depth finder, get one. These relatively inexpensive instruments — compared with a damaging grounding — are very accurate. Most depth finders also show trees on the bottom. You need to know which parts of your boat extend below the sensor location on the depth finder.

Keep a good lookout. Lack of a good lookout is the No. 1 cause of boating accidents across the nation. Have someone dedicated to looking at the water directly ahead of the boat. Be aware of the navigation aids on the lake. Stay in the channel and within the channel markers (white buoys with black vertical stripes).

No matter what you do, you still might run aground or hit a submerged object. If you do, come to a stop if you haven’t already done that the hard way! Next, make sure everyone is wearing a life jacket. Then examine your hull and the engine’s lower unit(s) for damage.

If grounded, find out what part of the boat is stuck. If it’s the engine, raise it and see what happens. You might have to get out, push the boat away and then restart the engine. If the bow is stuck, move everyone to the stern, thus raising the bow. The reverse works if the stern is stuck. Changing weight from side to side also might help. Use a radio, cellphone or hand signal to get help.

In any event, there are two things you shouldn’t do. Don’t panic! Unless your boat is taking on water, you probably are safe and can await help. Also, don’t try to swim to shore. Always stay with the boat. The odds of getting help are much better than swimming off alone.

For information on boating-safety classes, visit https://bit. ly/3y6WKsJ or email flotilla22pe@gmail.com.

Greg Fonzeno is the public education officer and commander of the local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit (Flotilla 22) at Allatoona Lake.