Search Results for: recreational boating safety

Back when I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, the News and Weather always came on TV at 6:00 pm. It lasted 30 minutes. The first 15 minutes was the World News Report, and the second 15 minutes was the Local News and Weather Report. At the end of the Weather Report you […]

I almost couldn’t get my boat out of the water the other day. Low tide and high wind combined to make the ramp where I launched very short. Oh, I had a backup plan, which involved calling my wife on my cell phone and having her come to the ramp where I launched and driving […]

per·fect storm (noun)– a particularly bad or critical state of affairs, arising from a number of negative and unpredictable factors. A perfect storm is an event in which a rare combination of circumstances drastically aggravates the event. The term “perfect storm” is nearly synonymous with “worst case scenario,” although “worst case scenario” is usually used […]

There is a considerable amount of dredging going on in the Houston Ship Channel and the Galveston Channel right now. These dredging operations have large discharge pipes running all over the place. Slow down and increase your lookouts. The Station Galveston Flotilla of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary operates out of the USCG Station Galveston […]

For most people who live on a coast, whenever a large storm is imminent there is one major question to be answered. That question can be found in a song by The Clash, Should I Stay or Should I Go: Should I stay or should I go now?Should I stay or should I go now?If […]

Many waterways have bridges that pass over them. Some are quite tall and are almost taken for granted, but many bridges are so low to the water that you need to know if you can safely pass beneath them. This column will address what you need to know about bridges. Low bridge, ev’rybody downLow bridge, […]

One of the most important ways for recreational boaters to increase their safety on the water is to undergo a free U.S. Coast Guard Vessel Safety Check (VSC). The Auxiliary has certified vessel examiners who will come to your location to perform the VSC. We perform VSCs on powerboats, sailboats, and kayaks. Yes, even kayaks […]

Those of us who have pets always have a decision to make whenever we go on an outing: whether to leave or bring our pets with us. That decision is often to bring our pets with us, especially in the case of dogs. This column will discuss bringing dogs on recreational boat trips. As you […]

The Station Galveston Flotilla of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary operates out of the USCG Station Galveston base on Galveston Island. They aid the Coast Guard by providing maritime observation patrols in Galveston Bay; by providing recreational boating vessel safety checks; and by working alongside Coast Guard members in maritime accident investigation, small boat training, […]

Although Personal Watercraft are considered boats under the regulations, there are still a few regulatory differences in the rules that apply to PWC. Many states have additional rules that apply only to PWC, and I discuss the Texas rules here as an example. You must check your own state regulations in order to be in […]