Play it safe when using jetskis or other personal
watercraft in crowded American waters. Among other things, that means
heeding sage advice of experts who strongly urge recreational boating
enthusiasts to adhere to a half-dozen water safety tips and arrange
suitable boat insurance coverage.
Just
chewing on boating population statistics should be reason enough to
prompt recreational boaters to exercise proper caution. There are an
estimated 12.9 million recreational boats in the U.S. Of that total,
approximately 1.1 million are personal watercraft, according to Elinore
Boeke, of the Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA), in
Washington, D.C.
Citing six safety tips is recreational
boater Jeanne Salvatore, Vice President of Consumer Affairs for the
Insurance Information Institute in New York.
- Know your craft and how it operates.
- Keep apprised of local boating laws, navigational marks and signs.
- Protect yourself by wearing a personal flotation device, eye protection, wetsuit and gloves.
- Never operate a vehicle after using drugs or consuming an alcoholic beverage.
- Be sure to stay to the right of other watercraft.
- Commercial vessels, sailboats and fishing vessels have the right-of-way.
"Sticking
with those safety rules is smart, but one other important thing to
remember is that that when you're out on the water, you're life is at
stake, so don't be careless," said Salvatore.
Florida
waterways attracts large numbers of personal watercraft and other types
of boating enthusiasts, prompting a spokesman for the Sunshine State's
insurance regulatory agency to talk about boat insurance considerations.
Don't
use your personal watercraft until "you check with your insurance
representative to see if you're adequately covered," says Justin
Glover, of the Florida Department of Financial Services (formerly known
as the Florida Department of Insurance).
A savvy
insurance buyer should always consider more than the cost of coverage.
"Price isn't everything," says Natalia Bovee, SAFECO watercraft product
manager. "Make sure you know what coverages you are getting so that you
can obtain an apples to apples comparison."
Salvatore
advises buying insurance specific to personal watercraft. "Most
homeowners policies don't cover personal watercraft," says Salvatore.
"You will likely need a separate policy that covers personal watercraft
liability and property damage. That way, your boat is covered in the
event you as the owner-operator are found to be liable for an accident
that causes bodily injury or property damage. The boat is also covered
for covered perils such as theft."
In addition to following water safety recommendations, boating enthusiasts should enroll in boating safety education courses.
"We
definitely recommend that anybody who plans to operate jet skis,
Sea-Doo, WaveRunner or other personal watercraft should take a boating
safety education course," says Elinore Boeke, public relations manager
for PWIA, the personal watercraft manufacturers trade group.
Boating
safety courses are offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S.
Power Squadron. These organizations can be contacted by logging on to
www.pwia.org and clicking on "Links."
Stephen Andranian
was one who took a one-day course near his Orange County home in
Southern California. "It was worth my time, because I learned the rules
of the waterways before I ever took out my WaveRunner."
The
most important lesson in boater education? "The main thing is that a
motorboat or personal watercraft is not a toy," answered Andranian.
"It's a motor vehicle just like a car, meaning that you need proper
training before you can operate it safely."
There may be
nominal fees to cover cost of materials or there may be no charge at
all. For info on the class nearest you, phone 800-336-2628.
|
