Boaters Be Prepared

Simple Tips - Be Your best Helper

When boating, the possibility of falling or going overboard may end in a potentially serious state of affairs. If you are racing or boating at high rates of speed, you should start with a PFD (personal flotation device) and it should be worn from the start. Also, when boating in unfamiliar waters or during the passing of a rough patch of weather. On my PFD there's mounted, a waterproof cell phone case that seals your phone from any moisture, dirt or grit. If things look stormy the phone goes into the case, or in the case of a sinking boat - I figure there's a chance to slip it in the case and seal it before I'm completely in the water. We haven't had to use it yet and hope we never will.

Another thing to keep you eyes on is white water, dams and the number one cause of boating crashes - submerged objects. Statically there are more accidents involving boaters than by any other type of transportation and the main cause - striking semi/fully submerged objects, like a tree trunk for instance.

Now if you're in a highly traveled waterway like a channel or river, you're in better shape for a rescue than when out for a cruise in the ocean. Be sure to give your travel itinerary to a trustworthy source and don't deviate without calling in any changes of plans to your lifeline on the shore.

If you fall into cold waters, hypothermia can set in rapidly, leave your clothes on and try to draw your legs in and become as much of a "ball" as possible. If several people are in the water with you, try to form a ring and arms embracing - form a circle and retain some of the heat that would otherwise be lost to the chilly water.

The best things to use as safety precautions when on your boat is having it in good running condition, stocked with proper safety gear and use some good old common sense

Waterproof Walkie Talkies

How Waterproof Is Your Marine Radio?

I was in the checkout line of a local marine store after purchasing some new deck shoes. I like to retire my good casuals right as they're on the verge of the downhill slide to becoming "knock arounds". I had been looking for a certain pair for almost a year and my ship finally came in. I got the exact shoes I was holding out for and snagged them at discount as well. A no-brainer for sure!

As I waited for the cashier to do whatever it is that they do, as your credit card is charged and your paperwork prepared for signature. This is 90% automated so I don't feel bad for the cashiers. Right at my side in an impulse basket, was a pile of handheld marine radios advertised as waterproof. Wow I thought, the permanent cases for small waterproof VHF radios are about $25 bucks. Upon closer inspection I read that they could stay immersed in up to 2 ft. of water for as long as 3 minutes. That's not waterproof to me - it's a waste of money. With a small Ewa-Marine waterproof walkie talkie pouch you can leave them in the water for as long as needed to retrieve them or use them for that matter, since there's only a .5% loss of signal with the radio in the case.

Don't waste your money or trust your life on a cheap radio marked waterproof. Be sure and put it in a 100% waterproof case, they're cheap insurance!

Shooting Storm Photos

Protect Your Gear From Rain and Surf Splashes

There are more hobbyists and professionals using Ewa-Marine rain capes otherwise known as hurricane hoods. When the storm season is upon us and severe weather strikes the shoreline states of our country, there's never enough of them to go around.

Ewa makes rain capes for almost any model of camcorder or camera. The video rain capes are getting slicker each year, offering swing-out sections in many models for using the LCD monitor rather than the viewfinder. They also allow for "hands inside" operation of controls and they're ideal for the use of a tripod.

Each rain cape seals via snaps, Velcro or a zipper on the bottom to "help avoid" any water coming up from below. NOTE: Rain Capes are splash-proof and not submersible. Prices are very affordable and fill a niche for photographers who don't require a submersible housing for their project but want insurance against rain and sea spray.