Boating Safety

Personal Flotation Devices

Tuesday, August 21, 2012 Written by Hunter's Handbook Staff

It’s the law,  everyone  in the  boat  MUST  wear a  life jacket.

When loading gear, hand the gear to someone in the boat, or leave it on the pier and reach for it from the boat. It is important to distribute the weight evenly around the boat, making sure not to overload. Take special care not to load too much in the back (stern). Additionally, it is important to keep the center of gravity low in the boat. Piling gear high can raise the center of gravity and can cause the boat to tip over unexpectedly.

And as you are loading, be sure you have brought along a life jacket for each person aboard—it’s the law. Better yet, have everyone in your group put on the life jackets be fore even leaving the dock. To avoid overloading the boat, check the vessel’s capacity plate. The capacity plate states the total amount of weight (including people, gear and motor) the boat is made to hold.

Hunters should stay seated while shooting so they can brace themselves for the gun’s recoil. Standing up in an unstable boat will raise the center of gravity and only make the boat less predictable. When setting decoys, be careful not to lean too far over the sides of the boat.

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