USCG Vessel Safety Checks Now Targeting Paddlers

[markstephens]

The Coast Guard runs a voluntary "Vessel Safety Check" program where they provide a free check of a vessel's equipment for compliance with federal, state and local safety requirements. If you pass you get a vessel safety decal. (Woo-hoo.)

This program is now being targeted at paddlers, at least on the South Shore, in "a concerted effort to bring safety awareness to the paddling community". A group of kayakers on the South River this past weekend just avoided being "boarded" by the Coast Guard Auxiliary for "inspections" (the kayakers were off the water earlier than planned, thus foiling the CG's plan.) Even though the safety checks are supposed to be voluntary and the South River is not a Coast Guard regulated water, the local Auxiliary planned to be at the takeout point and inspect the kayaks.

Problems can arise in that the original VSC is designed for motorboats and inspectors have to re-interpret the guidelines when "inspecting" canoes and kayaks. One particularly disturbing issue is that the local USCG Auxiliary is providing a list of recommended "safety" equipment for kayakers that includes "a small anchor and line". Recommending to kayakers that they carry an anchor as a safety item is yet another example of how the powerboat-centric regulators have no clue. Far from increasing a paddler's safety, it seems to me that deploying an anchor from a kayak is absurd. It is impractical to deploy an anchor off the bow or stern of a sea kayak (there would be no way of reaching an anchor line at the bow or stern to retrieve the anchor without exiting the boat) and deploying an anchor to the side is all but ensuring a capsize in any conditions with wind and/or waves. The boat will simply broach and tip over if anchored from the cockpit. Storing an anchor on the deck of a kayak presents additional hazards in that it could interfere with standard rescue and re-entry techniques.

Here is a link to the VSC checklist (see if you pass): http://www.cbpba.com/files/vesselsafetycheck.pdf

This link provides the guidelines for interpreting the VSC form for non-motorized boats: http://www.d7oax3.net/rbs_articles/SUBSChecklist.doc

Apparently, the decision to recommend anchors was a local one on the part of the local Auxiliary. The guidelines are not clear on what equipment should be recommended to kayakers and the like.

[Brian Nystrom]

That's interesting, but I wouldn't be alarmed by it. It's probably more of a reaction to the deaths of the two girls on the Cape last year than anything else. It will have little effect on us, since we have everything that's required (and typically much more), but if it helps make a few clueless rec boaters safer, it sounds like a good idea to me.

Why don't we provide them with copies of our safety pamphets? That may help clue in the inspectors as well as the inspected.

[eneumeier]

>Why don't we provide them with copies of our safety

>pamphets? That may help clue in the inspectors as well as

>the inspected.

Good idea!

If someone can track down and name and mailing address for this CG auxiliary group and I'll send them some copies.

Liz N.

[markstephens]

Liz: Here is the contact info for the local auxiliary that was out on the South River last weekend:

The person to contact is Mary Breen, 96 Plymouth St, Pembroke MA 781-293-8615 or email at Mbreen1206@aol.com

Instead of recommending an anchor as safety equipment, it would be helpful if we could introduce them to the concepts of a pump and paddlefloat, which of course are not items even mentioned in the standard VSC form.

Thanks,

Mark

[SeaBass]

I know you all mean well.

Just keep in mind that not all ocean paddle craft are sea kayaks. A paddle float and pump are as useless to the surfskier or the surf kayaker as the anchor. I don’t ever want to have to submit to some sort of inspection by these people to put my boat in the water.

It ain’t the gear that makes you safe…...”It’s the Monkey in the Bucket”

Please don’t encourage these people to become the “paddlers police”.

SB

[sings_evil_twin]

Hey, SeaBass, thanks for pointing that out! Just having a paddlefloat and pump (or some other gear) doesn't necessarily make a paddler safer. If these are required, might as well go another step and require sponsoons. Jeeze...

I don't carry a paddlefloat/pump anymore (it's useless for my SOF) and I don't carry anything except a PFD in my surf yak. Different crafts, different folks, different standards.

sing

[markstephens]

Well... they also supposedly have a little discussion with boaters about the suitability of their craft for the conditions they take their boats out in. I imagine they consider kayaks in general to be only suitable for millponds and bathtubs, so you surfyakers and surfskiers are so busted...

;-)

[Brian Nystrom]

Mark's post make it pretty clear that the CG Auxiliary is acting in a consultative role. There is no indication that they can mandate any equipment beyond what's required by the current regulations. The list of required equipment is short, well documented and quite reasonable. There is no reason to assume that they're going to take a heavy-handed approach.

If our (the club's) previous experience with the CG is any indication, they're very receptive to any help we can provide and are willing to listen to our concerns and offer creative solutions to issues we face on the water. We should work with them to clarify their understanding of paddling and help them to promote kayaking safety. If we can help them reduce the number of complaints and incidents involving kayakers, we all win. I will also help to head off the kind of legislation that we're all concerned about.

[sings_evil_twin]

I am not necessarily being an "alarmist", although I think when information is presented by a "well informed" group, there is a tendency to have that info be taken as "gospel." I think SeaBass and I are just saying that, if info is presented, that it acknowledges that other types of paddlers have a perspective/practice that is not exactly congruent with all that's laid out by this site and the brochure about equipment,paddling with partners, etc, etc, etc.

On the face of the info on this site, and some of the postings, here and elsewhere, an observer can conclude that I and others are engaging in "dangerous behavior." As a consenting and educated adult, I just want to be allowed that option.

sing