Boaters urged to review safety basics before holiday weekend

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — As Memorial Day weekend brings more boaters to area waters, officials are reminding people that while life jackets and safety gear are top of mind, smaller details are often overlooked — and can quickly create dangerous situations on the water.

With many boaters taking vessels out for the first time this season, officials say preparation before leaving the dock can make a major difference.

Carolina Beach Senior Harbormaster Jarrett Anderson said boaters should first make sure their vessel is ready for the season before heading out.

“So you want to have a boat that’s worthy of being on the water,” said Anderson.

That includes checking key items that many boaters may forget after months off the water.

“You have fuel that’s not bad, you have a battery that’s charged, and you have the knowledge on how to operate it,” said Anderson.

Officials say another issue that becomes more common during busy holiday weekends is overcrowding and improper weight distribution. As friends and family pack onto boats, passengers often gather in one area, creating stability concerns.

North Carolina Wildlife Officer Jacob Stewart said sitting in the front of a boat can become especially dangerous in rough conditions.

“What we don’t recommend is people sitting on the bow. The reason for that is once an individual sits on the bow, that’s where most of the motion of the boat is, so when you hit waves, that bow is going to go up and down, which can throw people off the boat. What we do recommend is either these cushion seats that are closer to the center of the boat, or the back of the boat, that part of the boat moves the least in those waves and wake conditions,” said Stewart.

Stewart also said many operators overlook one of the boat’s most important safety devices: the engine cut-off switch, commonly known as a kill switch.

“One of the most important things we recommend people do, especially for the operator, is this kill switch, we need to see a lot more people wearing it because this is a major safety issue if for if you do hit a large wave, if you do hit a sandbar, if you do hit something, you do end up exiting this vessel, or you fall down, this kill switch will pull and that will kill the engine,” said Stewart.

Officials say kill switches can help prevent runaway boats if an operator is thrown from the vessel.

Another common mistake happens before a boat even leaves the ramp.

“Before you put your vessel in the water, you should always double-check that you have your plug in the water. We see this all the time where somebody drops their boat in the water, they start taking on water immediately, and hopefully they catch it and can pull it out before it takes too much water, and sometimes, unfortunately, sometimes they take off and don’t notice as quickly, and their vessel takes on too much water,” said Stewart.

Officials say taking a few extra minutes to check equipment and review safety precautions before launching can help create a safer holiday weekend on the water.