The Qualified Captain: Top boating safety tips ahead of Labor Day weekend

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As boaters prepare to hit the water for Labor Day weekend, a series of viral videos from this summer are offering some important lessons about boating safety.

In the latest edition of WWAY’s ongoing partnership with The Qualified Captain, boating safety specialist Chris Juall looks back at three of his favorite boating videos from the summer before sharing five tips for staying safe on the water.

A runaway yacht in California

Juall’s first pick comes from Dana Point Harbor in California.

The video shows a newly purchased yacht apparently getting away from its operator and crashing into other boats in the marina.

Juall said the incident remains one of the wildest boating videos he’s seen.

“This was crazy. I still to this day can’t believe it,” Juall said.

The yacht rear-ended another vessel and continued moving through the marina, causing additional damage.

A yacht crashes into a Fort Lauderdale dock

The second video comes from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where another runaway yacht caused major damage along the New River.

Juall said the larger vessel went out of control and crashed into a pump house and dock.

The video quickly went viral after showing the extent of the damage.

Runaway jet boat hits people on a sandbar

Juall’s third pick was a runaway jet boat that barreled through people gathered on a sandbar.

The video shows the boat hitting a jet ski and narrowly missing people in the area.

Juall said one person appeared to duck out of the way at the last second.

“If you look at this video again in slow motion, and you see this boat run over the jet ski, and the guy who ducks last minute to get out of its way, I can’t believe people weren’t seriously hurt in this one,” Juall said.

Of the three videos, Juall said the runaway jet boat was his favorite.

“I’ve given it a lot of thought, and the number one video for me this summer is the runaway wild jet boat on the sandbar,” Juall said.

Five boating safety tips

After looking back at the summer’s viral boating incidents, Juall said there are five things boaters should keep in mind heading into Labor Day weekend.

1. Pay attention.

Juall said staying alert is one of the most basic but important things a boater can do.

“I know that sounds ridiculously simple, but it is the leading reason why accidents occur on the water,” Juall said.

2. Operate at a safe speed.

Juall said boaters should always operate at a speed that allows them to safely control their vessel and protect passengers and other people on the water.

3. Wear your engine cutoff device.

An engine cutoff device, commonly connected to the operator by a lanyard or worn electronically, can stop the boat’s engine if the operator falls overboard.

Juall emphasized the importance of using the device while operating a boat.

4. Wear a life jacket.

Juall’s fourth tip is to always wear a personal flotation device, or PFD.

“Nowadays, with the technology and these advancements and these things, there’s no reason, no excuse not to,” Juall said.

5. Know the weather.

Juall said checking the weather before heading out is about more than knowing whether storms are expected.

Boaters should also pay attention to wind and tides throughout the day, he said.

“Know exactly what it’s gonna do,” Juall said.

With Labor Day marking the unofficial end of summer, Juall urged boaters to keep safety in mind before getting on the water.

“As always, I’m Captain Chris, and you do not want to end up on the Qualified Captain’s social media pages,” Juall said.

The Qualified Captain also offers boating safety education courses, including including NASBLA Approved State Online Boating Course and Non-NASBLA Approved Courses.