Yesterday on my way home from the Baltimore Yacht Club I made three stupid mistakes, all within twenty minutes. The Admiral took the car home and I took the boat so I was boating alone. Now maybe it was the fact my mind was still on the pathetic showing of a football game I was watching, but that’s the way an accident can start so no excuses here.
As I was cruising out of Middle River and lining up on my next marker I looked behind me and noticed my transom door was open, first mistake, I did not verify it closed before I left the slip. So I slowed down to idle speed and went back and closed it, but I left the boat in gear, second mistake. As I took control of the helm a shutter came over me as I realized just now very stupid that was! Not only did I leave the boat in gear, I did not have my PFD on either. I always wear my PFD if I am boating by myself, third mistake. Later that evening I could not help but reflect on just how stupid that was and just how I lucky I was that the combination of those mistakes did not result in a serious or even fatal accident.
Many lessons learned in life often come the hard way, and some have terrible consequences. I try to keep safety as my number one priority, but this time I slipped! Thinking more about a football game than focusing on my captain’s duties could have been bad.
I am sharing my stupidly here on the site hoping that everyone who reads it will benefit by thinking safety first!
As I was cruising out of Middle River and lining up on my next marker I looked behind me and noticed my transom door was open, first mistake, I did not verify it closed before I left the slip. So I slowed down to idle speed and went back and closed it, but I left the boat in gear, second mistake. As I took control of the helm a shutter came over me as I realized just now very stupid that was! Not only did I leave the boat in gear, I did not have my PFD on either. I always wear my PFD if I am boating by myself, third mistake. Later that evening I could not help but reflect on just how stupid that was and just how I lucky I was that the combination of those mistakes did not result in a serious or even fatal accident.
Many lessons learned in life often come the hard way, and some have terrible consequences. I try to keep safety as my number one priority, but this time I slipped! Thinking more about a football game than focusing on my captain’s duties could have been bad.
I am sharing my stupidly here on the site hoping that everyone who reads it will benefit by thinking safety first!
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