Dan Boater, a medical emergency service, published its five steps guide on preventing carbon monoxide poisoning when on board a vessel. According to the infographic, CO poisoning is amongst the top 5 causes of death incidents among boaters.
The steps to protect yourself and passengers around you are:
- Get moving: Avoid prolonged periods of idling and travelling at slow speeds as this can cause carbon monoxide to build up in your cabin, cockpit, aft deck and open areas;
- Balance the load: Don’t operate the boat at a high bow angle. Overloading or improperly loading the boat puts you and your passengers at risk for back rafting, which can lead to Co building-up in your cabin, cockpit and bridge;
- Breathe easy: Blocked ventilation louvers and exhaust outlets can cause CO to accumulate in your cabin and cockpit. Be sure to check and maintain these items, as well as your Co detector, regularly;
- Spread out: Avoid water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing and surfing within 20 feet of the boat while it’s moving. Also, don’t dock or raft within 20 feet of other boats that have engines or generators running;
- More forward: Don’t sit or swim near or under the rear deck or platform while the engine or generator is on. Safety experts recommend to avoid this area for at least 15 minutes after the engine is shut off.