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Boating Safety Is A Must In Florida

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By GEOFF FOX, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 4, 2007

WESLEY CHAPEL - There have been more boating-related deaths in Florida than any other state this year, with most of the fatalities occurring in fresh water lakes, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

In its efforts to educate people about safe boating, a Coast Guard Auxiliary in Hudson will conduct a safe-boating program at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Wesley Chapel Toyota, on State Road 54 just east of Interstate 75. The entrance to the dealership is off Bruce. B. Downs Boulevard.

'This is our second time at Wesley Chapel,' said Morton Stone, public education officer at Hudson Flotilla 11-7. 'We're trying to draw people from the Land O' Lakes, Lutz and Zephyrhills areas.'

The flotilla conducts similar workshops every other month, usually at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Hudson, Stone said.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Gary Morse said Florida, California and Michigan typically have more boating-related deaths than other states.

'There's lots of water in Florida and boating 12 months a year,' Morse said.

This year, 52 people have died boating in Florida, and three bodies have not been recovered, Morse said. Twenty-seven of them drowned, Morse said. At this time last year, 54 people had died.

'Nobody who drowned was wearing a life jacket,' he said. 'Life jackets are easy and comfortable. There's really no excuse for not wearing them.'

Saturday's course will cover federal regulations, boat handling, navigation rules, radio operations, weather and other topics.

There is no charge for the instruction, but there is a $35 fee for an accompanying textbook, CD-ROM, certificate and wallet card.

Other family members can attend for an additional charge of $10 per person. Stone said 47 people attended the previous class at Wesley Chapel Toyota.

'Our goal was to hit at least 200 people this year, and I think we've exceeded that,' Stone said. 'If people are exposed to this information, we can hopefully reduce the crazy, stupid or uneducated actions when it comes to things like boat explosions.

'Some people don't ventilate them. If you don't run your ventilator before starting your engine, there can be a lot of gas fumes and cause an explosion. This can all be eliminated with education,' Stone said.

For information about the course, call Stone at (813) 991-6578, Billy Pfaff at (727) 869-0784, or go online to www.a0701107.uscgaux.info.

Other boating information can be found at the conservation commission's Web site, www.myfwc.com.

Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 948-4217 or gfox@tampatrib.com.

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