When a paddle craft – canoe, kayak, or paddleboard – is found adrift, the first question is whether someone was aboard or whether it simply blew or floated away. Until the latter is confirmed, it must be assumed that someone was aboard and no longer is. A SAR mission must go out and search until the owner/operator can be contacted and confirms that the craft was merely adrift and that everyone is safe.
The problem is that, unlike sail and power boats, most jurisdictions do not require registration numbers on all paddle craft. Without the familiar state coded numbers and letters on the bow, it is difficult to determine who the owner is and call them, unless they have taken action to identify themselves by putting their name and a telephone number on the craft. Few do.
Auxiliarists can help alleviate this problem through education and training and while doing vessel exams. Encourage paddle craft owners to permanently affix their name, a cell phone number, and a land line telephone number to their craft in a visible place. It doesn't have to be large, just legible.
An orange self-adhesive label with contact information spaces may be available from your District Recreational Boating Safety coordinator (on the Gold side). These stickers can be filled in using a magic marker, paint stick, or nail polish and applied to the hull or deck of the paddle craft. Get them by asking your materials person to inquire through the leadership and management chain.
With this identification aboard, a SAR crew finding the craft can immediately call and determine the status of the owner. If no answer, they will perform a standard search, according to conditions. But when the owner is found to be safe, the Coast Guard can save man hours and fuel, and be available for a true distress situation. VE's, PE's, and PA's are encouraged to pass the word to the paddling community.
From Don Goff, BC-BLC
_______________________________________________
RBS-Alerts mailing list
RBS-Alerts@bdept.cgaux.org
http://bdept.cgaux.org/mailman/listinfo/rbs-alerts_bdept.cgaux.org
The problem is that, unlike sail and power boats, most jurisdictions do not require registration numbers on all paddle craft. Without the familiar state coded numbers and letters on the bow, it is difficult to determine who the owner is and call them, unless they have taken action to identify themselves by putting their name and a telephone number on the craft. Few do.
Auxiliarists can help alleviate this problem through education and training and while doing vessel exams. Encourage paddle craft owners to permanently affix their name, a cell phone number, and a land line telephone number to their craft in a visible place. It doesn't have to be large, just legible.
An orange self-adhesive label with contact information spaces may be available from your District Recreational Boating Safety coordinator (on the Gold side). These stickers can be filled in using a magic marker, paint stick, or nail polish and applied to the hull or deck of the paddle craft. Get them by asking your materials person to inquire through the leadership and management chain.
With this identification aboard, a SAR crew finding the craft can immediately call and determine the status of the owner. If no answer, they will perform a standard search, according to conditions. But when the owner is found to be safe, the Coast Guard can save man hours and fuel, and be available for a true distress situation. VE's, PE's, and PA's are encouraged to pass the word to the paddling community.
From Don Goff, BC-BLC
_______________________________________________
RBS-Alerts mailing list
RBS-Alerts@bdept.cgaux.org
http://bdept.cgaux.org/mailman/listinfo/rbs-alerts_bdept.cgaux.org