Dangerous Waterways To Avoid
- Shallow water – Creeks or rivers with shallow waters present a danger as boaters may strike bottom, or run aground and become stuck.
- Changing water levels – The same is also true when anchoring at the beach on a sand bar. If you anchor on a sand bar and low tide is coming it could harm your boat.
Try to avoid busy channels where there are a lot of kayakers, canoers and personal watercraft. Since not all kayakers, canoers or personal watercraft are familiar with the “rules of the road,” they will often times cross in front of a larger vessel. If you are a powerboat in a narrow channel it’s important to go slow so as to avoid a collision and stay as close to the right as possible.
According to, fish.state.pa.us, water and currents can draw a boat towards a low head dam. A low head dam is a dam that is submerged in water. Failure to avoid a low head dam can result in tragedy. Since dams are not always prevalent, it’s important to know your surroundings before you launch your boat.
For a boater, passing under bridges can be tricky. Especially if your visibility is limited. Before you intend on passing under a bridge, it’s important to know the following:
- Know the height of your boat with all antennas down.
- Keep in mind if the bridge opening is narrow, the current may speed up underneath it.
- If you are a personal watercraft, assume no one can see you and pass slowly.
Preventive steps to take:
- Call the bridge beforehand and verify the clearance.
- If you don’t know if you can clear, call for an opening.
- Caution: In some places, you can be fined for calling for an opening with no apparent reason.
Tune in to our next training blog on Operating a Personal Watercraft!
(Images and lessons sourced from boat-ed.com)
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