Tips & Tricks - Understanding the Danger of Propeller Strikes

One of the biggest fears anyone boating has is for someone in their boat to be hit by the propeller. Recently there was a report of a man tubing and his leg was severely injured when the propeller of the boat that was pulling him hit him. As a skipper of a boat it is imperative that you are constantly aware of where your passengers/skiers/tubers are in relation to your propeller.

TO PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE, DID YOU KNOW? • A typical three-blade propeller running at 3,200 rpm can inflict 160 impacts in one second. • A typical recreational propeller can travel from head to toe on an average person in less than one tenth of a second. • Most importantly! Most propeller accidents CAN be prevented! SAFETY TIPS • Before starting your engine, walk to the stern and look in the water to make certain there is no one near your propeller (people near the propeller may not be visible from the helm). • Never allow passengers to board or exit your boat from the water when engine(s) are running - even at idle and in neutral your propeller may continue to spin. • Educate passengers about the location and danger of the propeller(s).

• Be especially alert when operating in congested areas and never enter swimming zones. • Take extra precautions near boats that are towing skiers or tubers. • Never permit passengers to ride on the bow, gunwale, transom, seat backs, or other locations where they might fall overboard. • Children should be watched carefully while onboard. • Establish clear rules for swim platform use, boarding ladders, and seating (if possible, passengers should remain seated at all times). • If someone falls overboard, STOP! Then slowly turn the boat around, and keep the person in sight as you approach. Assign a passenger to continuously monitor the person in the water. Turn your engine off FIRST and then bring the person to safety. • NEVER reverse your boat to pick someone up out of the water. If necessary, go around again.

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Article courtesy of Leisure Boating - October 2012

Life Jacket, or Not

In light of the recent tragedy at the Vaal River, I feel that it is imperative as a keen boater and Insurance provider for the boating community that I outline the importance of wearing a SABS approved life jacket and not just an impact vest when on a boat or jet-ski. The impact vests really don’t have the necessary buoyancy required in the event of an accident on the water. It is especially important in water that has zero visibility below the surface, but regardless of visibility issues, all boaters and Jet-Skiers need to be cognisant of the danger you are exposing yourself and/or your passengers to by not wearing one. No matter how you look at it most boating accidents have a predictable outcome – you in the water fighting for your life, if you aren’t wearing a life jacket, your survival chances are marginal. Best-case scenario, you fall overboard without injuring yourself and a person remaining on the boat or a nearby boater can recover you. Almost every other scenario, surviving a boating accident as a result of being ejected from the boat without a life jacket depends on a quick rescue! If you still need persuading, have a look at these statistics: Capsizing and falling overboard are the most reported types of fatal accidents, comprising 59 percent of all boating fatalities.

Nine of ten drowning victims may have survived a capsizing or fall overboard if they had been wearing a life jacket. By wearing a life jacket while boating, you increase the chances of surviving exponentially. Think of it another way: without a lifejacket, how long can you tread water while waiting for rescue? What if you were injured? You cannot prevent an accident by your boating skill or experience alone. Boaters with more than 100 hours boating experience, who are 36 years or older and don’t have formal boating safety education are responsible for most of the boating accidents and fatalities. Even if you have confidence in your boating skills, consider the many boaters who are less experienced and educated who share the waterways with you. Comfort is no longer an issue. The major reason boaters don’t wearing life jackets is they value comfort over safety. Thankfully, boating supply manufacturers have responded by producing lightweight life jackets that can be worn without discomfort for an entire day of boating. There really is no reason not to wear a life jacket, and require all your passengers to wear one as well. It sounds like one of the most basic, common sense safety procedures that you can follow when you’re boating. Everyone knows that wearing a life jacket when you’re boating will help you in the event that there’s a boating accident. Just about any boating accident is going to result with you in the water, doing your best to survive. Unless you’re within a few hundred feet of shore, your chances of survival after a boating accident without a life jacket are relatively small. Part of the reason for this survivability issue is that when you fall out of a boat, you will probably sustains some injury or another. This may hamper your ability to swim or even tread water. If you’re ejected from a boat without a life jacket, you have to depend on a quick rescue just to make it back to shore alive. So please, rather be safe than sorry! There really are some cool life jackets out there, so if coolnessis a priority – problem solved!

Summer is here, here’s to happy and safe boating! 

Article courtesy of Leisure Boating - November 2012

Look Before You Leap

This is the time of year when we come out of hibernation, the sun warms up the earth and the water beckons! Whether you are a seasoned boater or a newcomer to this lifestyle, buying a boat is a big decision. Cynics and people who don’t have the right knowledge on hand can be heard to say axioms such as boats are "holes in the water, into which you throw money" and "the happiest day of a boat owner's life is the day they buy the boat and the day they sell it." This doesn’t 'have to be the case if you approach boat ownership with an understanding of what is involved. Do your homework! Ask yourself the following: • Is the boat just for your family or do you need a bigger boat to accommodate friends too? • What will you use the boat for? Fishing, water skiing and wakeboarding or just to cruise. • How often will you use the boat, seasonally or all year round? • Will you operate the boat on dams and rivers or on the ocean? • How much can you afford to spend? The costs go beyond just the boat, you need to take into account where you are going to house the boat (do you need to hire a boat locker), insurance, maintenance, instruction and safety course fees and petrol • Don't forget that newcomers to boating have to do the required skippers license. It's based in categories of how far from land you want to go, as well as weight. This is a once off test for the skipper, but your boat will have to pass a test annually to be fit for the water. This is all in an effort to keep yourself and other boaters safe. Once you have that nailed down, you need to decide whether you want to buy a new or used boat. We all want a brand spanking new boat but often you can get more for less when you buy a second hand boat. However there are benefits to buying new in that you know it has no history, with a used boat you need to look out for tell tale signs of trouble because it is no use buying a boat when it spends 90% of good boating time being repaired because you bought a BAD used boat. On top of that you end up spending what you could have bought a new one for. If the deal sounds too good to be true – it probably is. Here’s what to look out for! • Mismatched paint. This could indicate that the boat has been in an accident and had repairs made. Although this in itself may not disqualify the boat, if you were not told of the repairs what else might you not have been told about?

• Does the keel run true in a straight line fore and aft? Is straight horizontally? • Do you see any apparent water lines inside the boat or on the engine? Look for a line that separates a rust free area on the engine and a lower area with a lot of rust. This could indicate that the boat took on water. • On an inboard, does the shaft turn true or does it wobble? What about the prop - any nicks or cracks? • Take hold of the prop and try to move it up and down and sideways. You should not be able to move it much. If you can, you have a worn cutlass bearing. • Take a small rubber hammer and lightly tap the hull moving around the boat. If you hear voids in the fiberglass, that could be a problem of repairs, blisters, or delamination. • Walk around the decks and on the bow - you shouldn't find soft spots. • Is the steering free and easy to move? • Is the upholstery in good shape? • Check around hatches and windows - do you see water stains inside? • Is there any musty/moldy smell inside? This could indicate leakage, prior water damage or simply neglect. • Make sure it is legal with all required equipment. • Are the handrails bolted through and not just screwed to the surface? Are they secure? • When you start the engine do you have good water flow? • Check belts and hoses for cracks or wear. Even with low hours on an engine(s), rubber deteriorates just sitting. • Check the oil and instead of wiping the stick with a cloth use your fingers, do you feel any grit? What is the color? How does it smell? Does it smell burned. • Check the transmission fluid with the same process as the oil. • Check the impeller and while you are looking at it throw it away and replace it with a new one. • Does the transmission shift easily or does it "clunk?" • See if you can get the maintenance records and review how the boat has been maintained in the past. Also look for recurring problems. • See if you can find the previous owner(s) and ask about the boat. • If you are looking at an inboard/outboard make sure the tilt motor works properly. • If you are looking at an outboard look under the cover for excessive corrosion. If you do the due diligence and buy the right boat for you and your family, there is no better lifestyle and no better investment that will guarantee you hours and hours of wonderful times and memories! Happy Boating!

Article courtesy of Leisure Boating - October 2012

Getting The Right Skipper's License

Don’t ruin your big deep sea fishing trip before it has begun! Anyone operating a sea going vessel needs to have completed a Skippers Course relevant to the category of boat used when heading out to sea. The categories of small sea going vessels was amended and introduced in the Merchant Shipping (Small Vessel Safety) Regulations, 2002. Originally the categories described the type of vessels, but it was amended to reflect rather the distance the vessel operates offshore. This categorisation is irrespective of the size; “Category” in relation to a vessel is determined by the following: • Category A – Vessels operating more  than 40 nautical miles from shore • Category B – Vessels operating more than 15 but not more than 40 nautical miles from shore • Category C – Vessels operating more than 5 but not more than 15 nautical miles from shore • Category D – Vessels operating more than 1 but not more than 5 nautical miles from shore

• Category E – Vessels operating not more than 1 nautical mile from shore • Category R – There is a missing category of vessels, which are ‘restricted’ in some way, usually due to their construction and/or design and operate solely within the confines of a port or lagoon/estuary. This category has been designated as Category R. Honda Marine in conjunction with McCrystal Insurance Brokers are holding a Category C Deep Sea Skippers Course and Boat Surveys C.O.F on the 20th and 21st October. Go to www.marineskippers.co.za for more information and details on other skippers courses. On the day of the course, please ensure you have the necessary documentations and meet the following requirements: • 2 X Colour Copy of ID Document • 4 X Colour ID Photo • Medical Examination (Original and 1 copy) • Eyesight Test (Original and 1 copy) • Over 16 Years Old • Certified Proof of Sea Service (Minimum 25 sea hours recorded on a certified Category C, D or higher vessel, in a logbook. If no logbook is available a sworn affidavit to this effect will suffice)

Article courtesy of Leisure Boating - October 2012

Roof of Africa 2012

This years Roof of Africa had a record number of entries with over 400 riders, controls had been put in place to ensure that everything ran smoothly and efficiently.

The winner of the Roof of Africa made history by being the youngest rider to ever win, Wade Young is only 16 years old, he was followed by Altus De Wet and reigning champion Graham Jarvis, Darryl Curtis finished in 4th place followed by Yamaha riders Marc Torlage and Kenny Gilbert.

Bronks Rail Smash Up

A Wakeboard Rail event “with a difference” took place on 13 October 2012 in Bronkhorstspruit.

Running for the second year in a row and is the biggest Rail Contest with the top 10 – 15 most stylish Rail Contest Riders our Country has to offer such as Dylan Mitchel(SA no.1), Devon Nassif, Kyle Hecht-Wendt and many more…

Nick Bensch

Nick Bensch

Nick Bensch competed in the Rail Smash up







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2012 Rally Maroc - Darryl & Riaan

Respectable finish for Darryl & Riaan

20/10/2012

BROADLINK KTM RALLY Team Riders Darryl Curtis and Riaan van Niekerk finish The MOROCCO RALLY in a respectable 14th and 15th overall.

Riaan,the less experienced of the two managed to come in ahead off Darryl to claim 14 position in his first International Rally.

The 2 riders used this event as a training ride leading up to the 2013 DAKAR RALLY along with many other big names. They were part of the KTM Factory Team and had the same treatment as Rally Champions Marc Coma and Cyril Despres. Darryl said that it was a real privilege to "pit" with these guys and they learnt a lot. Sadly Coma crashed out early in the event with a dislocated shoulder and fellow team mate Despres went on to win overall.   

Well Done to the 2 BROADLINK KTM Rally Team riders.

Darryl and Riaan would like to thank their sponsors BROADLINK, GRINDROD LOGISTICS, LEADERTREAD, EMPERORS PALACE, MTN and KTM as well as all their supporters.

http://www.broadlinkktmrally.co.za/broadlink-ktm-rally-home/Respectable-finish-for-Darryl-Riaan/index.html
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