JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Fourth of July is considered one of the busiest and most dangerous times for boating. An increase in boaters on the water means an increased risk for accidents.
Capt. Chad Starling is no stranger to the water. “We do offshore trips, anywhere from four hours to 12 hours. We have four boats, ranging from 27 feet to 37 feet, and we take groups of up to 6 people,” he said.
Capt. Starling runs anywhere from 350 to 500 charters a year, but there is one day he stays away from his boat.
“The Fourth of July is a really dangerous time to be on the water. If anybody has a boat, they’ll be out there. And for me, it’s better for me to spend some time with the family than to be out here on the boat,” he said.
According to the American Boating Association, the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day typically account for more than one-third of all boating related accidents and fatalities.
“There are a lot of boats on the water, and there are a lot of people who don’t have very much experience in their boats,” Capt. Starling said. “And then there’s alcohol involved at some point. Bad things happen when you mix alcohol on boats.”
Capt. Geoff Selhorst is with Sea Tow Jacksonville. “There are so many boaters out who haven’t had their boats out in a while. So, they’re not sure of the maintenance of the boat. The fuel could be bad, their batteries could be bad, there are a lot of people on the boat,” he said.
Capt. Selhorst says that’s why before you go out on the water, it’s important to check that you have a few essential items on board.
“A PFD (personal floatation device) is super important. For every person on board, there has to be at least one PFD. A whistle, a personal locator beacon, fire extinguisher, handheld flares, first aid kit, sound signaling device or horn and VHF radio,” Capt. Selhorst said.
He says the waterways in downtown Jacksonville are a madhouse on the Fourth of July and if you’re going to go see the downtown fireworks by boat--go early and practice the three Cs. Caution, courtesy and common sense.
When we asked Capt. Selhorst what kind of situations he runs into on a holiday, he said, “We run into a log of engines that won’t start.”
He also added, “Having a kill switch attached to your body is super important. If I fall backward, it’s going to stop those engines, and ideally that’s what you want to do.”
“Sometimes people run out of fuel, the rule of thirds is really important. So you got a full tank of gas when you are leaving, use a third of it to go where you are going to go, and use a third of it to get back and keep a third of it in reserve,” Capt. Selhorst said.
Also, bring extra food and water on board with you because you’ll never know when you’ll need it.