Safety at Sea News
The mission of BoatWatch.org is to maintain a worldwide network of resources to aid mariners that are missing or overdue; have a boat stolen; or to whom urgent messages need to be relayed.
Safety at Sea News
At Sea, Color Can Save Your Life – Wear Fluorescent Green to be Seen
What is the most visible color on water? Mustang Survival On-Water Visibility Study This video was recently hilighted by Paul Bernard's Facebook Group,U.S. Coast Guard Heartland Safe Boating. Several of the USCG Safety experts made some very important comments for all of us regarding the color of...
Boat Watch Presents “Safety At Sea” Punta Gorda Sailing Club
This summary of the seminar comes from Commodore of the Punta Gorda Sailing Club Bob Simmons: "If you missed the October meeting, you missed a good one. In addition to taking care of regular club business, we had an outstanding presentation by local resident Eddie Tuttle of BoatWatch.org. Boat...
Personal Locator Beacon Alerts USCG to Sinking Vessel South Padre Island, Texas
(This photo depicts just one PLB and not necessarily the one used during this rescue)Coast Guard assists 3 aboard vessel taking on water near South Padre Island, Texas CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard assisted three boaters after their vessel began taking on water near South Padre Island,...
USCG Rescues 4 Clinging to Overturned Boat Overnight Cedar Key Florida
Note From Boatwatch: Please buy an EPIRB, and or a PLB, and register it properly. The Coast Guard recommends mariners have an emergency position indication radio beacon or a personal locator beacon on board their vessel at all time, which gives responders exact, updated locations after...
Do I Need An FCC Ships Radio License Re A MMSI Number?
FCC Station License/MMSI# Requirement by National Marine Electronics Association 846 Ritchie Highway, L4, Severna Park, MD USA 21146410-975-9425 info@nmea.org This notification only applies to US registered or documented vessels. If your vessel is NOT US registered or documented you must apply for...
Stop what you are doing and read this! It could save your life.
By Paul Barnard USCG A local boater lost his life yesterday and two more are lucky to be alive. I am still gathering details, but I know enough about that case and so many more to state this with authority. There are three things you MUST do immediately when you get that "OH BLEEP" feeling while...
AIS/DSC “MOB1” Discussion
This is a review of what may have failed to activate an Ocean Signal MOB AIS/DSC device, resulting in the tragic loss of BRITT TAYLOR, 52, on passage from Puerto Rico to Annapolis, Maryland. The captain of the S/V SMALL WORLD IV, TONY NEWLING WARD, activated his EPIRB when he awakened at 0230 hrs...
USCG and Widow of Missing Kayaker Team Up on Boating Safety
Paul Bernard, USCG Veteran and administrator of the Facebook Group, U.S. Coast Guard Heartland Safe Boating provides important information on boating safety. "This past week I went to Destin to work with a singularly incredible woman, Mrs. Judy Schink. In February her husband went for a quick...
A Story of Survival and Safety Tips by A Coast Guard Veteran
Lessons to Take Away Form This Survival Story Story and Interview by Paul Bernard, USCG *Operate with a layered safety strategy. *Fully plan and prepare for every trip, no matter how quick you think it may be. *Always file a float plan with a picture of the boat. *If you boat on or near...
Small Boat Safety – USCG Rescues Stranded Boaters Texas
Coast Guard locates overdue boaters in Baffin Bay, Texas Editors' Note: Click on image to download . CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard located two overdue boaters in Baffin Bay, Texas, Saturday. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a report from the Kleberg...