Bareboat.com

Whether you are a bareboat charter enthusiast, or simply a weekend boater with a small boat on a trailer, there are lessons to be learned from a recent tragedy in the Tampa Bay area.
 
It will take weeks to sort out the details of a weekend boating accident in which a St. Petersburg High School senior was killed and four other teens were injured. The question we now ask our bareboat customers – will you learn to be safer from this tragedy?
 
Five teenagers were on a powerboat late Friday night when the boat slammed into a jetty that juts into the bay from Albert Whitted Airport. Authorities say alcohol may have been involved, and Gov. Charlie Crist
has asked the Coast Guard to install a light on the jetty.
 
While the investigation continues, here are some somber reminders about the importance of safety on the water: 
 
Be Particularly Careful at Night – Even experienced bareboat charter yachtsmen talk about the need for additional caution. Cruising near any jetty requires particular attention.
 
Don’t Drink – There are civil and criminal penalties for operating a boat while legally impaired, and drinking and boating should be taken as seriously as drinking and driving a car.Wear Personal Flotation Devices – Authorities say no one in this accident was wearing one.