| Boating can be a safer and more pleasurable | | | | practical mode of transportation. A pontoon boat, |
| recreational activity if you're mindful of your actions | | | | however, is primarily recreational, and when we're in |
| and take responsible steps for avoiding the basic | | | | our recreational mindset we often don't think |
| situations in which people get hurt or killed. By keeping | | | | defensively like we do when we're on the road in our |
| these five dangers in mind, and making it | | | | cars and trucks. Keep in mind that drugs and alcohol |
| second-nature to avoid them, you'll be far safer on the | | | | should not be used by pontoon boat skippers and that |
| water and find your time on the water more enjoyable. | | | | they cause serious impairments and subject everyone |
| Danger #1: Smoking while putting fuel in the gas tank - | | | | to more danger. |
| It might seem like common sense, but it's worth | | | | Danger #4: Unfamiliar operators - don't just let |
| emphasizing that gasoline is still highly flammable even | | | | anybody skipper your pontoon boat. Inexperienced |
| if your boat is sitting on top of all that glorious water. | | | | boaters may not have the maturity or temperment to |
| Don't smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or whatnot | | | | guide your craft wisely. Use your best judgment |
| around the engine or fuel tanks. | | | | before you hand over the well-being of your |
| Danger #2: Smoking while near the battery (especially | | | | passengers (and yourself and those folks in other |
| while recharging the battery) - This one is more subtle | | | | vessels) to someone who isn't a proven and |
| because most people don't realize that charging | | | | experienced boater. |
| marine batteries produces hydrogen. (You've heard of | | | | Danger #5: Piloting in reverse - when someone is in the |
| the hydrogen bomb, right?) Hydrogen is highly | | | | water, don't back the boat up and injure them with the |
| explosive, and can build up in a closed battery | | | | propellers. Too many bad things can happen when the |
| compartment when recharging. So the best rule is to | | | | propellers of your engine start moving your craft |
| not smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or whatnot around | | | | backwards closer to the person in the water. Boats |
| the your battery at all. | | | | don't have brakes - they DON'T stop on a dime. |
| Danger #3: Operating the boat while under the | | | | This concludes our first installment of this two-part |
| influence of drugs or alcohol. Most people will agree | | | | series. The second installment, entitled "Six More Stupid |
| that drugs (even prescription drugs) and alcohol impair | | | | Ways to Injure Yourself and Others on a Pontoon |
| judgement and response times and shouldn't be used | | | | Boat" will highlights six additional dangers of boating - |
| when driving a car. On boats drugs and alcohol can be | | | | so that your time in the boat can be more safe and |
| even more deadly because there are fewer | | | | rewarding. Make sure you read the second article and |
| protections (no airbags or seatbelts, right?) and the | | | | test your knowledge of the common dangers that |
| mindset on a boat is usually more relaxed. Why are | | | | boaters can face - and see just how safety-aware |
| people usually more relaxed on a boat? Cars may be | | | | you are! |
| recreational to some, but to most people their a | | | | |