West Virginia Wildlife from Eyewitness News

Boating Safety

Common sense on your boat could save your life.

August 26, 2009
Reporter: Patrick McMurtry
Videographer: Brad Rice

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Labor Day is fast approaching and summer is coming to an end but there is still a lot of boating and fishing to be done and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources would like to encourage everyone to continue to think about safety while on the water.

This guy is fine, he was born after 1986, so he doesn't have to have the boating safety class. He also has his life vest safely secured. It's important to know you have to have flotation devices for everyone on board.

Jerry Payne, a West Virginia Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer says having life jackets that fit is vital.

"Life jackets have to be sized by person. You have infant size, toddler size, youth size and adult size, so one that will fit a 200lb man won't fit a 20lb infant. You have to be fitted properly. They also need to be serviceable, there can't be any broken straps, tears or rips in there because they're not going to save any lives."

There are also other safety issues everyone on board a boat needs to know about. Most are common sense, like don't mess with a 20 ton hunk of steel floating down the river.
"That's a big problem on the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers. You have people on the water and see a barge and try to get close, especially jet skis, they try to jump the wake. That's reckless operation, if you're seen by an officer, you will be issued a citation. The trouble is those barges can't stop. You can be in your boat and get out of the way, they are a lot
less maneuverable." says Payne.

You can't control a barge, but you can do something about out of control drinking. Just like when you're behind the wheel of a car, it's illegal to operate a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Payne says be smart

"Obviously, boats and alcohol do go together and people do go out there and drink. That's not a problem as long as somebody on that boat is sober. Just like you need a designated driver, you need a designated driver on the boat. Somebody has to be able to operate that boat and you won't have any trouble. The trouble we run into, especially in the summer, is the sun, the water and alcohol, it compounds the problem."

So, go out and have fun, but keep these safety rules in mind when you're in your boat.