By Carolyn Brown Treadon
In support of National Safe Boating Week and the Memorial Day Weekend, Members of Flotilla 12 held a ramp day at the Fort in St. Marks. Present included Mike Casey, Steve Hultz, Phil Hill, Jorge Hernandez, Linda and Wade Olson. Thank you to Linda Olson and Mike Casey for the images.
The Vessel Safety Check program is a cornerstone of the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s recreational boating safety mission. A Vessel Safety Check (VSC) is a free lookover of your boat or paddlecraft and its equipment for compliance with federal and state safety requirements. If your vessel meets all the VSC requirements, it is awarded a VSC decal. Please read on and, once you are ready, schedule your free Vessel Safety Check at your boat or paddlecraft! The process The Vessel Examiners performing your VSC have been trained to look for the more common problems, which might occur in your boat or paddlecraft, or with its safety equipment. Some of the items your examiner will check include: boat registration, life jackets, distress signals, fire extinguishers, sound producing devices, and navigation lights.
The Vessel Examiner will award the VSC decal if your vessel passes all parts of the check. Boating safety education Also during your VSC, the Vessel Examiner will talk with you about the purpose of specific marine safety equipment, discuss certain safety practices and answer any related questions you have. Some topics discussed include: survival tips, boat fuel management, interpreting sea conditions and how to report accidents. Your examiner is also available to clarify various federal and state regulations for boating in your area.
Thanks to Sherrie, we will always remember safe boating is no accident! Check back next week for more information from the 2023 Recreational Safe Boating report.
If you would like to learn more about vessel safety checks, please contact Steve Hults, Staff Officer for Vessel Examinations at steve.hults@uscgaux.net.
Please contact us for more information about our safe boating classes or learning more about getting involved in the Auxiliary, check out our website at www.uscgaux.net follow us on FaceBook @ Apalachee Bay Flotilla 12 or contact our Flotilla Commander Phil Hill at pnkkhill2000@yahoo.com.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, please visit www.cgaux.org.