The U.S. Coast Guard offers some helpful tips on how to stay safe on the Great Lakes this summer. by Jane Ammeson

Respect the Lakes

Petty Offi cer 3rd Class Steven Filgo of Coast Guard Station Port Huron, Michigan, tosses a life jacket to a man who was swimming without one in the St. Clair River. The Coast Guard recommends that everyone wear a life jacket while on or near the water

PHOTOS COURTESY U.S. COAST GUARD Whether we’re setting sail or powering up, enjoying time on the water is among the biggest joys of summer. Envisioning calm waters on a sunny day, we often don’t think beyond filling up the cooler, making sure the beer is ice cold, and that there are more than enough snacks to go around.

But just as we buckle up and follow the rules of the road to arrive safely at the marina or boat launch, safe practices on the water are necessary as well.

“People look at Lake Michigan differently than they do the road,” says LTJG Phillip Gurtler, Sector Lake Michigan public affairs officer of the Ninth Coast Guard District External Affairs. “There are no lines, no stop signs or stoplights — it’s like there are no rules. But there are Navigational Rules that are much like the rules you use when driving on the highway, and it’s also about using proper etiquette. They’re all crafted to make boating as safe as possible.”

Safety over style

When lake conditions are close to perfect, the idea of wearing a life jacket is less than appealing. But accidents can happen quickly. According to the 2020 Recreational Boating Statistics, the 62nd annual report put out by the United States Coast Guard, the top five primary causations for boating accidents are (from first to last): A collision with a recreational vessel; flooding and swamping; a collision with a fixed object; grounding; and falling overboard. And though fatalities can be due to a variety of reasons, including carbon monoxide poisoning and hypothermia, drowning is not only the No. 1 cause of boating deaths, but also the most preventable. Seventy five percent of known fatal boating accidents are due to drowning.

“Eighty six percent of those drowning victims were not wearing life jackets,” Gurtler says. “The vast majority of those deaths could have been prevented if they had their life jackets on.”

But not just any life jacket

“You always want to make sure that the life jacket is approved by the Coast Guard,” Gurtler says. “They should be international orange in color with proper reflective tape making it easy to be seen by rescuers who are searching the waters from a helicopter or a plane. Otherwise, without the orange color and the reflectors, someone’s head looks as insignificant as a coconut bobbing in the water.”

Not any old life jacket will do. If the life jacket is too small, it might not keep a person afloat; too large and it rides up around the face. It’s also important to choose a life jacket that’s designed to turn an unconscious person face up in the water.

The U.S. Coast Guard offers some helpful tips on how to stay safe on the Great Lakes this summer.

by Jane Ammeson

It should go without saying that it’s required to have life jackets onboard. They should also be easily available. A life jacket doesn’t do anyone any good if it’s wrapped up in plastic or if stowed in a difficult to reach place.

Though most of us would don a life jacket in heavy weather, half of boating fatalities occur in calm waters. That’s because the unexpected can easily happen: An engine fire, a microburst of wind, a sudden storm, another boat going by too fast and swamping or overturning the vessel you’re on, or a collision. Those are the more obvious ones. But members of the Coast Guard have seen it all.

“You would be surprised at the number of people who take the plugs out to drain their boats when they’re on land and forget to put them back in,” says Gurtler. “Then all of a sudden they’re out on the lake and the boat is filling up with water and the plug is back on land sitting on top of their boat trailer.”

Gurtler doesn’t find it surprising that people don’t like wearing life jackets.

“They can be annoying and they’re not glamorous,” he says. “And people think if they’re close by that’s good enough. But if the boat crashes and you get thrown in the water, you’ll want your life jacket and it won’t do much good if it’s still aboard and you’re not. It’s really paramount that you wear one.”

Put down that beer

If you’re looking to get more for your money when it comes to a buzz, then boating is for you. That’s because drink for drink, boat operators are more likely to become impaired when on the water without consuming any more alcohol than they would on shore. Really. Studies prove it. Contributing factors to this phenomenon indicate that the boat’s swaying motion, the noise and vibration of the engine, sun and wind all contribute to a decrease in judgment, vision, balance and coordination.

Data compiled by the U.S. Coast Guard shows that in boating deaths involving alcohol use more than half of the victims capsized their boats or fell overboard. Overall, alcohol consumption is the largest known contributing cause in fatal boating accidents, accounting for 18% of the deaths. It also increases the risk for injuries as well.

Just like Driving Under the Influence, Boating Under the Influence (BUI) is a crime and can result in a large fine.

A stealthy killer

Whether on deck or below, high concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) — an odorless, tasteless and colorless gas — can cause illness and even death in mere seconds. Symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to having over-indulged in alcohol and/or being seasick. Boat operators should explain these symptoms to their passengers. They should also ensure that all fuel-burning equipment is properly installed and maintained. Depending on the size and type of boat, owners/ operations should install marine-approved CO detectors onboard.

Man overboard

If someone goes into the water without a life jacket, reduce the speed of the boat, toss them a life jacket and slowly turn the boat around, returning to their location. Get the person back on the boat.

Also, make sure to brush up on safety training classes, especially if you’re the operator. The difference between boaters who have had boat safety training and those who haven’t is huge. According to Gurtler, 77% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator did not receive boating safety instruction. On vessels where operators were known to have received a nationally approved boating safety education certificate, he says that number dropped to 12%.

Keep in touch

“People should know where you’re going and what time you expect to be back,” Gurtler says. “We get calls all the time from people saying things like ‘My husband went fishing and he was supposed to be back an hour ago and this is where he was supposed to be.’ That makes it easier for us to locate someone.”

Cellphones onboard are great for taking photos, playing games, and posting on Instagram and Facebook. But they’re a lot less reliable for summoning help in an emergency. Cellphone towers are land-based and it may be impossible to get a signal when out on the water. VHF marine radios, set to the right channels, are designed to work on the water and are monitored at all times so the distress call will be heard.

Emergencies can happen fast. If you’re experiencing trouble, call and repeat “Mayday” three times and then provide information about your boat and whereabouts.

Also keep visual distress signals (VDS) on hand, which are devices that indicate your location, as well as flares that work well at night and sea dye markers that are visible during the day.

“Lake Michigan is more like an ocean than a lake,” Gurtler says. “Give it the respect it deserves.” ★

OPPOSITE PAGE (top to bottom): The Coast Guard demonstrates how to use a fl are; A Coast Guard offi cer checks his sons life jacket for proper fi t. All children under 13 must wear a life jacket onboard at all times; A Coast Guard Station Wilmette Harbor boatcrew responds to a capsized sailboat near Evanston Greenwood Beach in Illinois.

THIS PAGE (top to bottom): Coast Guard Petty Offi cer 2nd Class Sherrod Williams is underway in Lake Erie. STA Fairport has the largest area of operation on Lake Erie; A U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer assists 10 people from a sinking 30-foot vessel to a Good Samaritan’s vessel in Grand Traverse Bay, Traverse City, Michigan. The vessel completely sank in about 250 feet of water.

Keeping Us Safe on the Water

The Coast Guard is there to help and they know what they’re doing. Pay attention to their recommendations and rules. Consider the following statistics for 2021: n There were 760 Search and Rescue cases where a Coast Guard asset was launched. n 255 lives saved where if not for direct and timely Coast Guard intervention, the situation would have been fatal. n 1,115 lives were assisted — people may not have been in a life threatening situation but were assisted in some way to prevent the situation from progressing to that point.