Cowes Port Handbook 2014-2015 April 2014 | Page 40

COWES PORT HANDBOOK 2014 - 2015

Safety Afloat
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Sponsored by SeaSafe Systems Limited.

Paul Wyeth

Boating is enjoyable and as a rule, relatively safe, but water and weather
can be unpredictable so we need to make sure we have the appropriate
safety equipment. Basic items such as flares, lifejackets and VHF radios
should always be carried but if they have not been checked or maintained,
you could be in for a nasty shock.
Let us take the handheld VHF. It needs to be charged and for there to be a
supply of spare batteries but, have you checked the batteries are new and
unused or were they ones you found rolling around in a drawer?
You may have a waterproof box with your new shiny flares in but, are
your old flares still in the box too? Many people do not like to dispose of

Beken of Cowes

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