|
As
this column is being written, the Minnesota
fishing opener -- no small affair in the land
of 10,000
lakes (actually, there are more than 11,000
in my home state) -- is only days away. As always,
expectations for the state’s 1.5 million-plus
anglers are off the charts.
In Minnesota, the walleye is
piscatorial royalty. It is the king of fish.
On the opener, thousands upon thousands of anglers
will be casting, jigging and trolling for the
widely popular fish, which, truth be told, is
no slouch when dredged in beer batter and fried
in a hot skillet.
Why, if a blizzard hit the
Upper Midwest this spring, most Minnesotans would
still vector their boats in the predawn darkness
to their favorite walleye hole. It’s part
of the culture up here.
As the fishing season cranks
up across the country, boat traffic on our nation’s
diverse bodies of water will continue to increase
-- and that’s a good thing, because that
means more people will be wetting a line -- in
Minnesota and elsewhere.
Still, let me raise a somber
note of caution: driving a boat, particularly
on a crowded body of water, can be every bit
as dangerous as driving an automobile. In fact,
some would say more dangerous because road motorists
have defined boundaries (roads with marked lines,
traffic signals, not to mention the fact that
automobiles come with brakes and seatbelts) that
ensure some measure of safety.
Truth is, when you examine
the causes of boating accidents -- and there
are many, from excessive speed to faulty equipment
-- most are preventable if the driver exercises
a tad bit of common sense and precaution.
Jim Antolik, vice president
of sales and marketing for Crestliner Boats,
said boating safety is becoming a bigger issue
nationwide because there are more inexperienced
boaters on the water today than ever. He says
safety is one of the company’s top priorities.
Years ago, he says, there were fewer boats on the water. And the people who
owned them grew up in a boating culture, meaning they learned safe driving
skills at an early age. But times have changed. Today, there are more boats
-- boats, in fact, with bigger engines and more horsepower -- whose owners
have little navigational experience.
“When we sell a boat,
our dealers encourage the purchaser, particularly
if that person has never owned a boat before,
to take a boating safety course in their state,” he
said. “We cannot stress boating safety
enough. It’s so important. Taking a safety
course can be a big help.”
Keep in mind, the Coast Guard
and most state natural resource agencies offer
free boating educational courses each year. In
some states, such classes are mandatory, so know
the rules in the state in which you’re
boating. “Each state is a little different,” Antolik
said.
In 2003, there were 703 boating
fatalities in the United States, of which 481
were attributed to drowning. Of those victims,
416 (about 86 percent) were not wearing a personal
floatation device (PDF).
“Wear a life vest. I
can’t stress that enough,” said Antolik. “This
time of year, especially in the northern part
of the country, the water is extremely cold,
and it doesn’t take long for a person thrown
from a boat to feel the effects of hypothermia.
If you’re not wearing a life vest, you’re
taking your life into your own hands.”
Boating safety officials also
stress that alcohol consumption and boating can
be a lethal combination. Many accidents each
year are attributed to alcohol. In fact, according
to the Coast Guard, more than half of all boating
fatalities involve alcohol. Bottom line: don’t
drink and drive.
Antolik recommends that boat
owners learn all they can about their equipment.
In other words, he said, familiarity breeds safety.
When your purchase a new boat, practice driving
it when boat traffic is less hectic. After all,
you wouldn’t purchase a new Chevy truck
and practice driving it for the first time in
rush-hour traffic, right?
“When you’re driving
on a crowded body of water, it pays to be a cautious
driver,” said Antolik. “Excessive
speed, especially for a new boater, is a recipe
for something bad to happen.”
When you’re fishing,
exercise common sense. Make sure to watch the
water for boat traffic and any obstructions.
Keep alert at all times. And follow the rules
of boating safety on the body of water you are
fishing.
If you do, odds are you won’t
have any problems. Odds are you’ll catch
a few walleyes, too.
For more information
about Crestliner Boats, see www.crestliner.com.
|
