WWAY News partners with The Qualified Captain to spotlight boating safety
WILMINGTON, N.C. — WWAY News is partnering with The Qualified Captain, a Wilmington-based social media platform known for sharing entertaining boating videos, and on-the-water safety content.
Founded by former Sea Tow captain Aaron Stasiak, The Qualified Captain has built an online following of more than 1.6 million people across social media platforms by posting videos and photos of boating incidents, while also promoting boating education and safety awareness.
As part of the collaboration, WWAY will feature weekly segments highlighting boating accidents, close calls and safety lessons aimed at helping viewers avoid dangerous situations on the water.
The first segment focused on a runaway center console boat in Sarasota Bay, Florida, that continued circling at high speed after the operator was ejected into the water.
Chris Juall, a safety course instructor with The Qualified Captain who was working with the Coast Guard Auxiliary at the time, captured video of the incident.
“We were the first boat on scene, and we got a report of a person ejected, the driver, the operator of the boat ejected in the water, in a boat that’s now unmanned,” Juall said. “Going in huge circles, about 100 yards wide, at around 40 knots, so flying.”
Juall said the unmanned vessel posed a serious risk to both the person in the water and nearby boaters.
According to Juall, responders used a rope with ball fenders provided by Sea Tow to slow the vessel enough for a Sarasota police officer to jump aboard and regain control.
“The police officer in this case did an impeccable job,” Juall said.
Juall also emphasized that incidents like the one in Sarasota Bay are preventable.
“It’s all preventable. None of this stuff should ever happen,” he said.
Juall shared three safety reminders for boaters following the incident:
- Always operate a boat at a safe speed.
- Wear an engine cutoff device, also known as a safety lanyard, attached to your wrist or body.
- Wear a life jacket, even if it may feel uncomfortable.
You can click here to register for The Qualified Captain State Boating Course.
Check back in the near future for more content in partnership with The Qualified Captain.
