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  High Res Photo According to Coast Guard Statistics, recreational boating wakes could have a great deal to do with the leading causes of boating fatalities, which are due to falls overboard, flooding, swamping, and capsizing. With cold weather approaching, getting dumped into cold water could prove fatal--wear a life jacket. Photo/Tom Rau Some boaters need to wake up Manistee, Michigan, September 21, 2009. When my accountant, John Spratto, emailed me about being nearly dumped overboard while fishing with a friend on the Manistee River, I took note. It has been my experience that public accountants are conservative by nature: that is, until nearly being dumped over board by a boat wake. In his spirited email he described how a large boat had passed within yards of his 14-foot boat, trailing a huge wake. The operator waved at John and his fishing buddy, Jim, as it flew by them. “Had we not headed into its large wake we would have capsized,” said John, who went on to say: “The boater must be the same type that dumps his ash tray onto the parking lot at our local Kmart.” Thoughtless, yes, and a boating safety issue close to my heart: I share John's concerns and disdain for thoughtless boaters and their destructive wakes. I also share his disdain for those who throw trash onto public spaces, especially along Manistee’s beautiful River Walk, cigarette butts especially. Shortly after John sent me the email, I was walking along the Manistee River Walk picking up spent cigarettes thrown by a butt or two. A small boat heading up river, caught by eye, it was pushing a large wake towards boats docked in the City Marina. I hollered out for him to slow down; the boat operator's response was less than pleasant. To that I responded: “Hey, Butt-head, you are approaching a gas dock with a boat taking on fuel.” He slowed down. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a water Nazi; as with my accountant, we only wish that boaters would wake up and look around and ask where and what might their boat wake roll into. For instance, could it roll into a small fishing boat, a moored boat, a paddle craft, or many other objects vulnerable to a boater’s carefree passing? A carefree passing that could be destructive and, worse yet, deadly. According to Coast Guard Statistics, recreational boating wakes could have a great deal to do with a leading cause of boating fatalities. According to the Coast Guard report, the leading cause of recreational boating fatalities are falls overboard, flooding, swamping, and capsizing. Since most boating fatalities occur on nice days, I suspect boat wakes could be a leading culprit, which is just one more reason to wear a life jacket. The ugly fact about boat wakes is that many are untraceable because too often the aftermath of a wake occurs long after the source motors away. Or if there are several boats throwing out wakes, who is to blame should a wake result in a boating fatality? For me, the true test of smart boaters is their consideration for other boaters, and in no way is that smartness more tested than to avoid waking another boater. Unfortunately too often smartness is non-existent in the do-as-you-please world of recreational boating. With that in mind, I offer boaters the following advice to protect themselves until, hopefully, the less enlightened boaters wake up. “Slow—No Wake” is defined as the slowest speed at which it is still possible to maintain steering and does not create a wake. When operating a boat in wake-infested waters, keep people off the bow where they are more likely to be tossed into the air or slammed into the deck. Sound off if you see an approaching wake, especially if people are below decks. If aboard a small boat, stay low in the boat and to the center and avoid standing. If time allows, steer into a wake with the bow at a slight angle to the wake and keep way on at 3-5 knots, and keep the power on until the wake passes. If possible, do not take a wake broadside or off the stern, especially in a small boat, for it could swamp. Many no-wake river channels lead into open lake waters with wake free zones. Here boaters should be on the alert for menacing wakes and wear a life jacket. Others might not boat smart, but you can, my friend, by staying ever vigilant. Tom Rau, a leading authority on boating mishaps, is a retired 27-year Coast Guard veteran, boating safety columnist, and author of Boat Smart Chronicles, Lake Michigan Devours Its Wounded. His book is a 20-year journal of recreational boating mishaps with valuable lessons learned. It, along with recent rescue stories, can be viewed at: www.boatsmart.net Group
Grand Haven | USCG
Office of Boating Safety
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