Alliance for Safe Navigation Gives Boaters Sage Advice

The Alliance for Safe Navigation offer a resource tool for boaters to use as part of their spring commissioning.

The information offers direction on how to update electronic and paper charts and provides links to boat safety courses, a safety checklist and vessel exams.

Having accurate navigational tools—namely, updated charts—is not only useful but a responsibility of mariners. “During our Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel safety checks, we always ask if boaters have updated charts onboard,” explains Ed Martin, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Prevention Department, Branch Chief for the Chart Updating Program. “That’s because paper and electronic charts must be constantly maintained to reflect any changes by man or nature. Boaters need to use the most up-to-date charts available, and I recommend boaters turn to the resources available on the Alliance for Safe Navigation website for information on keeping charts updated.”

Statistics show the benefits of keeping charts updated are plentiful. Two such benefits are saving money through lower insurance rates and fewer repairs to vessels. Results of the annual survey conducted by the alliance showed 25% of respondents experienced a grounding within the last five years. Boat repairs needed as a result of those groundings were as high as $10,000.

Further statistics, from the U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics, demonstrates the need for accurate navigational tools. In 2011, collisions with fixed, floating or submerged objects resulted in $7.1 million in damages (and 81 deaths) to vessels (second only to non-fuel fires or explosions).

More information from the Alliance is available here.