Alcohol and safety risks on board
According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2017 Recreational Boating Statistics, 658 people died from recreational boating accidents. Alcohol use was the leading known contributing factor …
Emergency room afloat — The day sailor’s first-aid kit
In the last issue, we discussed “time to professional medical help” as the single most important variable in determining the extent of medical supplies and …
Emergency room afloat — The medical kit and the conscientious boater
The realization When I started this column, I wanted to write about putting together a complete medical kit. The more I thought about the idea, …
Preparing for cold and flu season
Winter is here, and with it comes cold and flu season. In the United States, more days of work (and probably play) are lost to …
Carbon monoxide poisoning: Recognizing, preventing the invisible killer
Whether you own a powerboat or sailboat or just drive a car, you should be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and know …
Treating hypothermia — General cold exposure
In the last article, I discussed localized cold exposure syndromes in which a specific body part becomes cold but the rest of the body remains …
Treating local cold injuries
In part 1 of a two-part series on cold exposures, we’ll take a look at local cold injuries, including chilblain, immersion injuries of the hands …
How to assemble a first-aid kit
One of the most neglected pieces of safety equipment on a small boat is the first-aid kit. As a vessel examiner, I have asked many …
How to prevent motion sickness
By Keith Dahlin Ninety percent of people suffer from motion sickness at some point, but prescription, over-the-counter and natural remedies can help prevent it. Different …
BUI laws carry tough penalties
By Tim Akpinar As boaters look forward to summer, they will sometimes hear public service announcements about the risks of operating a vessel under the …
