Boating deaths jumped 10 percent in Florida last year, marking the 16th year in 20 that the Sunshine State has led the nation in fatalities.

All told, 77 people died. Eight deaths were in Tampa Bay — from a 49-year-old Spring Hill man thrown from a speedboat to a kayaker who became unconscious after he fell into the water near the Gandy Bridge.

The 2007 statistics, released this week, come just weeks after state lawmakers bypassed a plan to phase in boater education requirements, which state officials believe would reduce deaths by as much as 25 percent.

Last year, 70 percent of all boating accidents involved operators with no formal safety education; for fatalities, that number was 85 percent.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asked the Legislature to approve a plan to phase in mandatory boater education over the next 11 years. Currently, only boaters under 21 must take such coursework.

“The numbers show that boater education works,” said Capt. Richard Moore, the state’s top boating law administrator. “Our research shows that we could save 15 to 25 lives a year if everybody took a safe boating class.”

But at a Feb. 6 meeting of the House Committee on Conservation and State Lands, the commission’s proposal fell on deaf ears. Legislators were skeptical about expanding the current regulations, equating it to big government.

“I don’t think it’s necessary for every person, especially those who have grown up with boats and would have enough common sense to know what’s right and wrong when on the water,” said Rep. Faye Culp, a Tampa Republican and vice chairwoman of the committee.

Two other Tampa Bay area lawmakers also weighed in. Rep. Rob Schenck, R-Spring Hill, called it “another case where government tries to act as our grandmothers.”

Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, voiced support for the current regulations, but felt older boaters should recognize the risks. “For everyone who swims in a pool, we don’t force them to go take a course to tell them you are swimming at your own risk,” he said.

But Moore said older boaters are at the heart of the problem.

“Most of the boating accidents and fatalities involve people 36 years or older, who have more than 100 hours boating experience and no formal boating education,” he said.

In 1996, Florida began requiring boaters 21 years or younger to take a boater education course. Since its passage, young boaters have gone from being involved in more than 21 percent of accidents to 14 percent.

The Florida Boating Advisory Council, which is comprised of 18 people representing a variety of boating interests, supported the Conservation Commission measure. So does a majority of voters and boaters in the state, according to commission surveys, including one conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research in 2007.

The Mason-Dixon poll showed that 89 percent of those polled support requiring all boaters to undergo mandatory education.

The deadliest area for boaters in Florida was Miami-Dade with 13 fatalities. Statewide, the leading cause of death continues to be drowning.

State officials say drowning deaths would also decrease if boaters would wear life jackets, or personal flotation devices.

“There is really no excuse for it. Today’s PFDs are not hot or cumbersome like the old ones,” said Lt. Ed Cates, a commission boating safety officer. “You can wear one all day and forget you have it on.”

www.tampabay.com

The Deep River Park and Recreation Commission is offering a one-day combined course for the state safe boating certificate every Saturday through November.

State law requires the operator of any registered boat or personal watercraft to carry a safe boating certificate. The course is approved by the state Department of Environment Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The eight-hour, one-day class will be taught at the Deep River Library from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday from April through November. The cost of the one day class is $100 for Deep River residents, $110 for non-residents, which includes all materials. The combined certification card is good for life and recognized by every state in the U.S. To register, Kathleen McCleary, 860-767-1558.
www.courant.com/news

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Florida has the unhappy distinction of again leading the nation in boating deaths.  Over last year accidental boating deaths in Florida increased by 10% in  in 2007.  Florida has now lead the nation in boating related fatalities 16 out of the last 20 years.  Nationally there are over 8,000 boating accidents each year with around 800 deaths per year nationally caused by boating accidents.  

There are many things that can be done to make boating safer.  First and foremost of course is limit the alcohol consumption.  Additionally a boater safety course should be taken by every boat operator.  Just because you do not need a boating license to operate a boat does not mean you should not get proper instruction in the rules of the waterways and is safe boating.  A good source of information on boating safety can be found at MYFWC.com, which has a section devoted to boating safety in Florida.

www.orlando.inhuryboard.com

By  Ken Medlin

Logan Aldridge is a high school junior. He’s also a lacrosse player, an entrepreneur, a competitive wakeboarder and snowboarder, a motivational speaker and a budding author.

That alone makes this one very unique 16-year-old.

But, what really separates Logan Aldridge from the rest of the pack is that he has accomplished all of these things only three years after losing his left arm in a boating accident. Aldridge was 13 years old and at a lake with his family when his arm got caught while he was coiling a rope.

Since then, Aldridge has found that sharing his story serves as an inspiration to others.

Tonight on WRAL’s 6pm news we’ll share that story — the tale of a resilient teenager who not only has conquered the odds, but is now thriving after a life-changing accident.

www.wral.com

A young girl has been badly injured after the rubber ring she was riding in collided with a yacht.

She was being towed at high speed behind a motorboat in the Orwell Estuary in Suffolk when the accident happened, and suffered a broken leg, a fractured skull and brain injuries.

A spokesman for HM Coastguard said: “It’s a bit of a jigsaw puzzle about what happened. “We had a report that the yacht was struck and the vessel with the ring went on further down river.”

Police are asking for anyone who might have seen the incident to come forward.

www.yachtingmonthly.com

A SCHOOLGIRL is fighting for her life following a horrific river accident.

The 14-year-old, from Langdon Hills, suffered severe injuries after she collided with a yacht while being towed on a rubber ring behind a speedboat during a family day out in Suffolk.

The girl, whose name has not been released, suffered a fractured skull, severe head injuries and a broken leg in the smash, on the River Orwell, near Levington Marina.

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At the time, the area was packed with day-trippers and families enjoying the sunny weather.

She was taken to Ipswich Hospital and later transferred to Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, where she remains in a critical condition.

At present, details of the incident remain sketchy. Anne-Marie Breach, spokeswoman for Suffolk Police, said: “We are still trying to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.

“We would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the incident, at about 3.30pm on Sunday, to get in touch.”

It is believed the teenager had been on a day trip to the harbour with her parents, who are now said to be keeping a vigil at her hospital bedside.

Jonathan Dyke, managing director of Suffolk Yacht Harbour, the firm which runs Levington Marina, said: “The girl was brought here by boat and the air ambulance landed here, though in the end the transfer was done by land.”

Witness Damian Woodings, 60, from Lincoln, said: “The paramedics had to cut the wet suit off her, as far as I could see. It was very busy out on the water. There was no room to manoeuvre.”

John Day, 65, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, added: “I saw the helicopter land and the girl being carried on a stretcher. It looked like she was with her family.”

www.echo-news.com

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Small boats such as open runabouts, personal watercraft, Jon boats and paddle-powered craft are popular on U.S. waterways because they are affordable and easy to use. However, they can also be the most deadly. According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, of the 474 drowning deaths in 2006, 42% (201) involved boats under 16 feet.

With National Safe Boating Week coming up May 17-23, the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has three tips that may help encourage boaters and anglers to don a life jacket every time they hit the water.A 2007 BoatU.S. Foundation study of California boaters showed that about three out of every five say that they would wear a life jacket if it were more comfortable. However, while comfortable designs are here today, many boaters may just don’t know what is available. Newer vest-style life jackets allow complete freedom of movement with broad arm cutouts and buoyancy pockets placed low on the body, allowing for unimpeded movement. Many of the newest inflatable life jackets are no larger than a fanny belt pack, and fit comfortably around the waist. Neither of these modern styles get in the way of driving a boat, casting a lure, or paddling.

The same California study showed that boaters understand the need to put a life jacket on when the weather goes bad. But that’s not when most boaters or anglers get into trouble. U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that most boating accidents occurred when conditions were calm (waves less than six inches), winds light (less than six miles per hour) and visibility was good.
Remember the days when few motorists chose to wear a seat belt? In just a short time most American motorists have adjusted to using them – largely without complaint – and highway deaths have decreased dramatically. Boaters need to consider the fact that by making wearing a life jacket routine, waterway drownings would follow a similar trend.

To learn more about life jackets, go to

The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of the 650,000 members of BoatU.S.

www.lakeexpo.com

Oshkosh boaters need to practice a little patience when piloting the Fox River between Lake Winnebago and Lake Buttes des Mortes this year.

A new no-wake zone measure approved by the Oshkosh Common Council in February will force traffic to slow past the riverfront stretch of the Leach Amphitheater from the Canadian National bridge to the Main Street bridge.

Jackson Kinney, director of community development for the city of Oshkosh, said the ordinance was approved to meet a condition of the Department of Natural Resources in issuing the permit for the city to put in floating docks at Riverside Park.

“Improving the safety in the area will hopefully be an important by-product of that condition,” Kinney said.

Many boaters welcome the new no-wake zone, because they say the area often saw a large amount of traffic bounding through at high speeds, disrupting anchored fishermen and smaller boats.

“You’re supposed to go slow through there, but some take off right away and cut across, so it’s always a dangerous area,” said Mike Pagel, 43, of Oshkosh, who captains a Bayliner Cruiser.

“I’ve seen numerous accidents almost happen right in that area because it’s so crowded, because you can’t see beyond the bridge.”

www.thenorthwestern.com

BAYVILLE – United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 711 will be holding a oneday, eight-hour boating safety course at the Faith Community United Methodist Church at 526 Route 9 in Bayville.

The course will be held on May 24 by qualified Coast Guard auxiliary instructors and meets the NJ requirements for power vessels and watercraft operators. Individuals who successfully complete the course and exam are awarded certificatesand identificationcards.

The fee is $50 and covers the cost of books and materials. For registration or further information, call Bob 732-797-0925 or John at 732-244-4840.

www.manchestertimes.com

Wildlife officers across East Tennessee got a refresher Tuesday in spotting the signs of drinking on the water.

In preparation for the upcoming boating season, about 50 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officers gathered in Morristown for a refresher course in identifying boaters who have been drinking.

Volunteers were closely monitored as they drank alcohol. The officers then performed sobriety tests on the volunteers.

The officers train just before Memorial Day every year, which is the unofficial kickoff to the boating season.

” We take it extremely seriously because people get hurt,” TWRA Boating Officer Roy Smith said. “They get killed every year as a result of this stuff. We dont want to see that happen. It’s extremely preventable, and we try to be as proactive as we can in preventing those things.”

Everyone drinking Tuesday got a ride home.

Seventeen people died on Tennessee waterways last year.

www.wbir.com