The weather is getting warmer, and a lot of us are eager to get out the kayaks and prepare our power boats for some fun on the water. Yellow lines are at marinas, telling you where it’s OK to walk. At boat launches, helping you guide your boat into the water. But in the places where there are no yellow lines—like on your boat—it’s up to you.
Drinking and boating don’t mix. At all.
Know when to draw your yellow line. You may not know that—due to the motion of the waves, the intensity of the sun, and the effect of wind and glare—when you’re on the water, you can become impaired twice as fast as when you’re on land. One-third of boating-related fatalities in BC are alcohol-related.1 Remember to save the alcohol for when you’re docked.
Remembering your PFD is not enough. Wear it.
All boaters know the importance of having a lifejacket or PFD on board whenever they’re heading out on the lake of ocean. But sadly, a lot of people don’t actually wear them. Having PFDs along for the ride is not enough—remember to put it on. And also make sure it fits and is strapped on correctly.
When there is no yellow line telling you what to do, paint a mental yellow line on the dock that says: Wear a lifejacket. We’re reminding BC boaters to make their own mental notes whenever they can to stay injury-free whenever possible this summer. Let’s keep drownings preventable.
Sources:
1. BC Drowning Report 2020 Edition. Prepared for the Lifesaving Society Canada by the Drowning Prevention Research Centre. Available from https://www.lifesaving.ca/cmsUploads/lifesaving/File/Lifesaving_Drowning-2020_BC_En_.pdf