Close calls spark safety message
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Manawatu Coastguard is warning boaties ahead of Easter to take basic safety precautions after two boats without any communication equipment broke down in four hours.
Despite the rough conditions, a group of three men ventured out from Foxton Beach about 12.30pm on Monday in a 4.5-metre aluminium dinghy. They carried only two lifejackets on board.
The boat's motor broke down half way between Foxton Beach and Waitarere Beach.
Coastguard vice-president Tony Huisman said the group had one mobile phone between them, which they dropped into the sea.
The men tried to row to shore but a strong easterly wind pushed them out to sea.
They were about 4.5km off shore when the occupants of a passing boat saw the men rowing and called the Coastguard.
Source: Stuff.co.nz
Open Season: What's up with E10 gasoline?
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So that could explain it "¦ A few years ago in the spring, I started my old 25-horse Johnson outboard in the backyard after being winterized. I had attached the ear muffs, turned on the garden hose, took the hood (powerhead cover) off, pumped the priming ball on the fuel hose, pulled the choke and yanked the rope. It's an early '80s model, reliable, and as always, it started at least by the second pull. Only this time, after it started, the fuel line burst into flames. I had a fire extinguisher handy, at arm's reach in the storage compartment in the rear seat of the boat, and quickly put the fire out.
I ordered new fuel lines and replaced them, figuring they had just gotten old and brittle and had leaked. But I just discovered it could have been due to the gas I was using, and others with old outboards should replace their old fuel lines before they catch fire, which could result in much worse consequences while on the water than sitting on a trailer in a backyard.
Source: SouthCoastToday.com
JENNIFER JACKSON'S PORT TOWNSEND NEIGHBOR COLUMN: Rescue outfit takes students ...
31.12.69
IT'S KNOWN AS the 5-50-50 rule: A boater who falls into the chilly waters of Puget Sound or the Strait of Juan de Fuca has about five minutes to swim 50 yards, with a 50 percent chance of surviving hypothermia.
Students at two local schools are learning how to increase those odds by hitting the water themselves.
Students at Port Townsend High School and Jefferson Community School are training with Salish Rescue, a community lifeboat program whose volunteers respond to on-the-water emergencies.
The goal: to save lives by trimming minutes off response time to calls.
20-minute time frame “Our goal is to have a boat to the scene in 20
Source: Peninsula Daily
The Coast Guard launched a 47-foot motor life boat from its Bellingham station to pick up the three Bellingham men. Medics were performing CPR on at least one person during the transport. The survivors were taken to Friday Harbor and placed in the care
The store also carries kayaks and inflatable boats and has a motor shop. The store also boasts the largest high-tech marine electronics selection in Texas, along with a much expanded selection of causal and technical apparel and personal accessories,
