Men overboard, flare disposal, lifejacket clinics, new ramp cameras
by Maritime Safety Victoria 15 Dec 2021 21:27 UTC
A Prepare to Survive campaign image of two men overboard © Maritime Safety Victoria
Lessons Learnt: Men overboard
Earlier this year, two men fell overboard into cold coastal water and couldn't get back on their tinny.
The older man had stood up and lost his balance, then his son reached out to stop him from falling - but the pair toppled out.
Thankfully they wore lifejackets and made it to shore. The vessel was recovered by VMR Mornington.
Even experienced boaters can be caught off guard and end up in the water, which is why everyone should wear a lifejacket whenever in an open area of a boat that's under way.
Could you haul yourself back on your vessel in heavy, cold wet clothes? Have you added a ladder so you could help yourself if needed? Do you practise your person overboard drills?
This month we're encouraging boaters and kayakers to Prepare to Survive: Practise getting back on.
Learn how to get back on:
Dispose of old flares
Drop off expired flares at one of our pilot FlareSafe events in January.
We'll be joined by WorkSafe for flare collection at Lakes Entrance, Patterson River and Altona.
Check your jacket
At our first FloatSafe clinics of the season, we saw several inflatable lifejackets that would not work in an emergency.
Come along to our clinics in January and February, to ensure you can keep your jacket in working order. Register for a FloatSafe clinic.
New ramp cameras
We've recently added cameras at Ocean Grove, Cape Conran and Lake Eildon to our Boating Vic network.
The camera images are refreshed every five minutes to give a clear view of conditions and how busy the ramp is. On the ramp page you can also access localised weather, and view relevant warnings or notifications, so you can make a decision on whether it's safe to head out before leaving home.
Visit the Boating Vic website or download the app on the App Store or Google Play.