Captain's Corner

  Tubing is a exhilarating ride, and can be fun.  But also a event that is potentially  dangerous and could end with tragic results. Y our kids are more than ready for a fun-filled day   tubing on the water .  They’re begging you to take them out on the water when the weather’s nice. Your on Vacation,  They have been on their best behavior, in the hopes of staying in your good graces. Any parent with a boat  and kids  are familiar with this scenario. But do you know how to keep them safe? Tubing accidents  and injuries are on the rise.  Water tubing, a recreational activity in which participants ride an inner tube which is pulled behind a boat by a tow rope, has grown in popularity in recent years.  According to a new study by researchers at the  Center for Injury Research and Policy  of  The Research Institute  at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the annual number of water tubing-related injuries increa...

  The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout is the largest unsanctioned boat race in the US, named one of the nation’s eight “must-see” boating events according to Powerboat Magazine, the Shootout will take place for the ninth year at Captain Ron’s Bar & Grill in Sunrise Beach (Lake Road 5-50, mile marker 34.5).  The event raises funds for eight Lake-area rescue teams and numerous other charitable organizations; last year, $357,000.00 to 32 different Charities and 8 Fire Departments. The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout is alive and well and looking forward to the 32nd year in August of 2020.  The event is August 28 Thur 29th. The  Lake  Rescue  Shootout  started in 1988 as an event in which many local boats participated simply to establish who had the fastest boat. As the years went by it became a bigger and bigger event that also helped supplement the  Lake  Area Fire Departments water rescue efforts. To keep this a safe and fun fill week end her...

  As of May 2, 2020 the Lake of the Ozarks has had 3 Boat explosions that has injured 9 people and one person died.  There are many reasons that would cause these tragic events, from electrical arcing to excessive build up of gas fumes in the bilge.   As boaters, safe fueling practices are a must.   After fueling and before starting your engine, run your blower for at least 3 - 5 minutes, this will exhaust any fuel fumes trapped in the bilge /engine compartment.  Do not run the blower while fueling.  Running the blower while fueling can blow gas fumes into the engine compartment and cause a explosions when starting the engine. Also open the engine hatch while running the blower,  this will help air out the bilge /engine compartment.  Do a sniff test for any odor of fuel. Something to consider, it is not  bad practice to run your blower each time before starting your engine.  On a hot summer day, the fuel fumes / vapors can stil...

  Wakes are part of the boating experience.  They can be a enhancement for wake boarders, and a thrill ride for wave runners.  Others will look at wakes as the terror of the lake, cause by large boats, damaging docks and  property. What is a Boat Wake? A  wake , of course, is the wave a  boat  creates underway as it displaces water. Whether you're on your way to a fishing spot, just cruising or heading in from the action, you could be endangered by another  boat's wake , and you might even put another  boat  in peril by your own  wake . What causes a boat wake? The  wake  is the region of disturbed flow (often turbulent) downstream of a solid body moving through a fluid,  caused  by the flow of the fluid around the body. What boat is responsible for wakes? There is many types of boats with various hull types. All boats have the potential to create a wake if operated incorrectly.   One common mistak...

  One of the most common questions is the use of a Skier Down Flag. When to use it and how to use it.  On any given day, one will see well meaning boaters pulling a skier, or a tube, with the flag proudly displayed for all to see.  Conversely, one will see  boater displaying no flag and worse yet no observer when pulling a skier or tube.  Each state has different laws regarding the skier down flag.  So become familiar with the law in what ever state you are boating in.  In Missouri  State law requires that operators of a motorboat (other than a PWC) on the waters of the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, or Missouri lakes between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and sunset must clearly display a red or orange flag whenever a person enters the water before or after being towed on water skis or other similar devices. The flag must be at least 12 inches x 12 inches in size. The flag should not be displayed while the vessel is underway towing the person(s...

When it comes to safe boating and weather, we seek balance. Enjoying the ever-changing environment is among boating’s lures. But keeping a “weather eye”—watching for storms, waves, winds, cold and heat—helps keep the fun safe. And so, we need to  balance fun day on the water with a healthy dollop of caution. On the evening of July 19, 2018, a  duck boat  operated by Ride the  Ducks  sank on Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks near  Branson , Missouri, in the United States. The amphibious vehicle sank with 31 people on board, leaving 17 dead, during high winds associated with nearby severe thunderstorms. I was interviewed by the United States Coast Guard  about that tragic event.  One of the many question they asked was how important is the monitoring of the weather and how frequently do you monitor the weather during a charter. The answer to how important it is to monitor the weather as to the safety of the passengers, crew it is top...

Not being a mechanic, and knowing my limited  skills  I find  Boat maintenance, as a whole, is actually quite similar to automobile maintenance.  There are a few very basic items that require constant maintenance which the owner normally takes care of, and a few items that require maintenance at regular intervals which some owners deal with but most people leave to the professionals. Any basic boat maintenance checklist would include the following items... Boat Maintenance Checklist: Engine(s) The boat’s hull (bottom) and topsides Electrical systems Plumbing and HVAC systems (in larger boats) Moving parts (like hinges, tracks, and zippers) Canvass and upholstery Cleaning The most basic maintenance tasks are simply keeping things clean and, where appropriate, well-lubricated. This has a huge impact on a boat. The fiberglass gel coat, for example, will oxidize and turn chalky if you don’t wash and wax it regularly. So a basic boat hull maintenance chore with any f...

How many adults wear life jackets, when then are out boating?  be honest now.  We make our children wear them,  why not the adults? Missouri's state law is  Children  under seven years old are required by  law  to wear a  PFD  while aboard any vessel, unless they are in a totally enclosed cabin, such as on a houseboat. Before heading out, make sure the  life jacket  fits the  child  well, so he or she won't slip out of it after falling into the water. Children ages one to four have the highest drowning rates. Drowning is responsible for more deaths among children one to four than any other cause. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri has averaged more than 46 non-boating related drownings per year on streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, over the past five years. These numbers do not include drownings that occurred in swimming pools. As of May 2019, there were seven fatality drownings this year. There were a...

    One of the worst scenario on a boat, is fire.  . Fire ranked number five among the causes of loss for BoatUS Marine Insurance. The majority of these fires start in a few very specific places aboard, with many of them originating in the engine compartment where fuel and an ignition source have a high likelihood of coming together.  Maintaining your boat well, particularly with respect to the electrical and fuel systems, is the best way to prevent fires aboard. However, there are five specific areas that lead to most of the fires we see in our claim files. If every boater paid attention to these five things, we could prevent a third or more of all fires aboard boats. Improper Fueling Procedures Proper care when fueling your boat is a must,  o il and fuel in the water can impact bottom sediment, marine life and shore birds. You are responsible for any environmental damage caused by your fuel spill. So... preventing spills will be beneficial for you and the boat...

ROBERTS, Wis. published by KSDK-TV — A western Wisconsin woman hopes the wounds on her back are enough to get a message across to other boaters. Tera Busker was injured by a boat propeller after falling off the bow of her pontoon. “The takeaway is never ride on the front of a pontoon. As much as it looks like a lot of fun, it’s not worth it,” Tera says. It was 4th of July.  Tera and her 3-year-old niece were sitting on the pontoon’s bow, with Tera’s legs hanging over the edge. Tera’s husband slowly steered the boat through a no wake zone. “Somebody came into the no wake zone going way too fast and it actually created a pretty big wave,” Tera says. “It grabbed my feet and because I had my arm around her, it pulled both of us under the boat.” Tera’s niece was tucked in front of her and made it through the tunnel between the boat’s two floats. But Tera’s back came in contact with the boat’s propeller.   Family members and people on another boat quickly came to her aid. Tera was a...